Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 17% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 12% below, Cluj-Napoca is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.21

$11.41 RON 52.3

-37.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.5

$57.8 RON 265

-37.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.05

$8.14 RON 37.32

8.11%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.54

$3.39 RON 15.53

-38.94%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$2.35 RON 10.77

-14.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$2.11 RON 9.66

-34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$3.26 RON 14.97

-16.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.09

$4.02 RON 18.45

-40.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.79 RON 8.22

-21.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.35 RON 6.18

-10.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.49

$1.86 RON 8.55

9.68%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.56

$3.35 RON 15.37

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.90

$9.69 RON 44.43

7.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.12

$7.06 RON 32.37

25.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.64

$11.93 RON 54.7

10.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$1.24 RON 5.71

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.72 RON 7.90

8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.64 RON 7.51

26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$2.37 RON 10.89

-2.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$0.95 RON 4.35

17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$0.93 RON 4.25

30.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$1.09 RON 4.98

16.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.90 RON 4.12

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.44

$6.30 RON 28.91

-40.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.68

$7.65 RON 35.07

4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.17 RON 5.37

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$2.03 RON 9.32

-36.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.76

$0.71 RON 3.24

45.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.3

$23.37 RON 107

35.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$0.95 RON 4.34

56.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$0.81 RON 3.72

-4.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.76

$9.56 RON 43.82

-9.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.63 RON 7.46

-8.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$27.6K RON 126.6K

-3.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

$27.1K RON 124.2K

-4.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$202 BAM 346

$160 RON 733

26.36%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.03 BAM 32.55

$9.06 RON 41.56

110.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.3

$10.14 RON 46.49

224.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.1

$44.86 RON 206

-21.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.81

$19.93 RON 91.4

-18.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.31

$7.93 RON 36.38

-9.21%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$258 BAM 441

$475 RON 2,178

-45.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,805

$10.8K RON 49.3K

-68.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$70.0 RON 321

30.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.6

$39.45 RON 181

-4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$86.4 RON 396

24.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$100 RON 460

0.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 746

$714 RON 3,275

-38.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$559 RON 2,563

-45.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,525

$1,244 RON 5,704

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 992

$943 RON 4,324

-38.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,551

$4,645 RON 21.3K

-30.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,959

$3,395 RON 15.6K

-31.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,781

$1,314 RON 6,026

-20.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

5.85

-35.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Sarajevo vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $232, with Cluj-Napoca cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Sarajevo vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Cluj-Napoca. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Sarajevo versus $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 36% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $258 in Sarajevo versus $475 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sarajevo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cluj-Napoca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Cluj-Napoca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.