Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Sarajevo: $1,204 a month against $2,854 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $19,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Sarajevo
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Sarajevo Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in Dubai
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Dubai Living Index

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Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,204

/mo nomad

Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,854

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sarajevo and in Dubai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sarajevo and in Dubai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Sarajevo versus $2,854 in Dubai.

Sarajevo $1,204
Dubai $2,854

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,807 in Sarajevo versus $4,321 in Dubai.

Sarajevo $1,807
Dubai $4,321

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,410 in Sarajevo versus $5,788 in Dubai.

Sarajevo $2,410
Dubai $5,788

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 58% less than in Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 10% below, Dubai is 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 BAM 15.01

$13.04 AED 47.89

-34.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.59 BAM 69.1

$81.4 AED 299

-51.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 BAM 14.79

$9.32 AED 34.25

-9.01%

Cappuccino

$2.33 BAM 4.06

$5.97 AED 21.93

-60.97%

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

$2.23 BAM 3.88

$1.63 AED 5.98

36.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BAM 2.47

$0.81 AED 2.99

74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BAM 5.12

$13.65 AED 50.1

-78.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 BAM 5.08

$13.38 AED 49.15

-78.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 2.02

$1.81 AED 6.64

-35.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 BAM 2.05

$1.57 AED 5.78

-25.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 BAM 3.87

$2.49 AED 9.16

-10.84%

Eggs

$3.08 BAM 5.37

$3.28 AED 12.04

-6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 BAM 18.02

$12.67 AED 46.53

-18.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 BAM 13.49

$9.75 AED 35.80

-20.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 BAM 24.67

$13.18 AED 48.40

7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 BAM 2.48

$2.61 AED 9.57

-45.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BAM 2.96

$1.93 AED 7.09

-11.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.74

$1.92 AED 7.05

-18.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 BAM 3.46

$1.36 AED 5.00

45.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BAM 1.71

$1.17 AED 4.29

-16.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BAM 1.99

$1.01 AED 3.71

12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 BAM 1.86

$1.51 AED 5.56

-29.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.24

$0.62 AED 2.29

14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 BAM 7.01

$5.85 AED 21.50

-31.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 BAM 13.98

$16.14 AED 59.3

-50.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.56

$2.65 AED 9.74

-66.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.47

$2.95 AED 10.82

-51.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 BAM 2.17

$1.64 AED 6.03

-24.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.01 BAM 61.1

$73.6 AED 270

-52.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 BAM 2.56

$3.17 AED 11.66

-53.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 BAM 1.96

$0.71 AED 2.63

57.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 BAM 15.02

$7.96 AED 29.23

8.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BAM 3.03

$0.99 AED 3.64

75.76%

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

$29.9K BAM 52.2K

$27.4K AED 100.5K

9.36%

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

$23.2K BAM 40.5K

$22.5K AED 82.8K

2.93%

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

$220 BAM 384

$250 AED 920

-12.02%

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

$14.25 BAM 24.86

$54.2 AED 199

-73.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.24 BAM 49.28

$91.8 AED 337

-69.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 BAM 70.1

$98.6 AED 362

-59.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 BAM 34.30

$42.61 AED 156

-53.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 BAM 11.66

$16.03 AED 58.9

-58.33%

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

$206 BAM 359

$843 AED 3,098

-75.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,856 BAM 6,727

$18.3K AED 67.1K

-78.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 BAM 155

$68.0 AED 250

30.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 BAM 65.1

$57.9 AED 213

-35.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 BAM 156

$101 AED 370

-11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 BAM 173

$101 AED 371

-1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 BAM 783

$2,380 AED 8,741

-81.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 BAM 533

$1,506 AED 5,531

-79.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 BAM 1,740

$4,437 AED 16.3K

-77.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 BAM 1,024

$3,010 AED 11.1K

-80.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,243 BAM 5,658

$7,121 AED 26.2K

-54.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,384 BAM 4,159

$4,135 AED 15.2K

-42.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,023 BAM 1,785

$3,391 AED 12.5K

-69.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.54

-10.13%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: October 4, 2026

Last update for Dubai: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sarajevo

$305 25.5%

Dubai

$1.5K 52.5% 393% $1.2K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sarajevo

$263 21.9%

Dubai

$396 13.8% 50.8% $134

Groceries & Markets

Sarajevo

$231 19.3%

Dubai

$293 10.2% 26.5% $61

Eating Out

Sarajevo

$157 13.1%

Dubai

$309 10.8% 96.3% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Sarajevo

$142 11.8%

Dubai

$147 5.1% 4.1% $5.8

Sport & Entertainment

Sarajevo

$54 4.5%

Dubai

$131 4.6% 144% $77

Getting Around

Sarajevo

$47 3.9%

Dubai

$87 3% 84.8% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Sarajevo and $2,380 in Dubai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubai pays 231% 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: $40.00 in Sarajevo vs $81.0 in Dubai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $293 per month, with Sarajevo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Sarajevo

🇦🇪 Dubai

🕒 Local time

07:12 7:12 AM

09:12 9:12 AM

2 h ahead of Sarajevo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

271,194 Capital

3,790,000

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.573 USD

1 BAM = 0.511 EUR

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.243 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (KM)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.573 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (1 BAM = 0.511 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.12 AED (1 AED = 0.243 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sarajevo Dubai 3,920 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Sarajevo
Dubai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 231% lower in Dubai. 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: $449 in Sarajevo versus $2,380 in Dubai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 110% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $206 in Sarajevo versus $843 in Dubai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,204 in Sarajevo versus $2,854 in Dubai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Dubai. 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 Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Dubai 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 137% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.