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: $1,266 in Sarajevo versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,911 in Sarajevo versus $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,556 in Sarajevo versus $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 15% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 8% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 BAM 14.69

$13.28 RON 60.2

-34.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.99 BAM 70.8

$57.0 RON 258

-26.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 BAM 15.39

$10.13 RON 45.93

-9.97%

Cappuccino

$2.32 BAM 3.91

$3.92 RON 17.76

-40.82%

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

$2.25 BAM 3.80

$2.54 RON 11.52

-11.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 BAM 2.50

$2.39 RON 10.84

-38.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BAM 4.96

$3.24 RON 14.69

-9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BAM 4.98

$4.36 RON 19.80

-32.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 BAM 2.14

$1.74 RON 7.88

-27.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 BAM 2.09

$1.57 RON 7.10

-21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 BAM 3.75

$1.90 RON 8.63

16.84%

Eggs

$3.26 BAM 5.50

$3.99 RON 18.12

-18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 BAM 18.30

$9.70 RON 43.99

11.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 BAM 13.28

$7.75 RON 35.14

1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 BAM 25.68

$12.36 RON 56.0

23.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.61

$1.51 RON 6.86

2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 BAM 2.85

$1.81 RON 8.20

-6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$2.01 RON 9.13

-13.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 BAM 3.70

$2.63 RON 11.94

-16.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BAM 1.77

$1.00 RON 4.56

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 BAM 2.08

$1.00 RON 4.55

23.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 BAM 1.87

$0.98 RON 4.44

13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BAM 1.29

$1.07 RON 4.84

-28.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 BAM 6.72

$6.74 RON 30.55

-40.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 BAM 14.03

$7.76 RON 35.20

7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 BAM 1.52

$1.29 RON 5.84

-30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 BAM 2.54

$1.80 RON 8.17

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 BAM 2.22

$0.78 RON 3.54

67.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.61 BAM 60.1

$31.80 RON 144

11.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.51

$0.97 RON 4.40

53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 BAM 2.07

$1.01 RON 4.59

21.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 BAM 14.92

$9.00 RON 40.84

-1.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 BAM 2.86

$1.91 RON 8.68

-10.99%

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

$31.1K BAM 52.5K

$30.2K RON 136.9K

3.16%

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

$23.8K BAM 40.2K

$26.4K RON 119.7K

-9.80%

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

$224 BAM 377

$168 RON 760

33.49%

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

$14.67 BAM 24.73

$8.78 RON 39.84

67.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.33 BAM 47.79

$10.41 RON 47.20

172.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.45 BAM 69.9

$48.20 RON 219

-14.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.34 BAM 34.31

$23.92 RON 108

-14.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 BAM 11.90

$10.15 RON 46.03

-30.44%

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

$216 BAM 364

$613 RON 2,781

-64.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,961 BAM 6,680

$10.1K RON 45.8K

-60.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 BAM 153

$92.4 RON 419

-1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 BAM 67.0

$47.93 RON 217

-17.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 BAM 161

$105 RON 475

-8.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 176

$112 RON 510

-7.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 BAM 802

$665 RON 3,016

-28.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 BAM 545

$548 RON 2,484

-41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,076 BAM 1,815

$1,212 RON 5,498

-11.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 BAM 1,017

$858 RON 3,893

-29.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,397 BAM 5,728

$4,765 RON 21.6K

-28.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 BAM 4,201

$3,587 RON 16.3K

-30.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 BAM 1,836

$1,365 RON 6,191

-20.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

6.8

-40.00%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Sarajevo and $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 25% 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: $42.00 in Sarajevo vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $248 per month, with Sarajevo cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% 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: $475 in Sarajevo versus $665 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 12% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $216 in Sarajevo versus $613 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Sarajevo versus $1,497 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 18% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.