Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Foca Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Foca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Sarajevo versus $996 in Foca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Sarajevo versus $1,435 in Foca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,598 in Sarajevo versus $1,873 in Foca.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 25% more expensive than in Foca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Foca 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 BAM 14.68

$5.35 BAM 8.98

63.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.93 BAM 68.7

$23.42 BAM 39.33

74.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BAM 14.72

$4.73 BAM 7.94

85.41%

Cappuccino

$2.36 BAM 3.97

$1.59 BAM 2.67

48.43%

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

$2.25 BAM 3.78

$1.38 BAM 2.31

63.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 BAM 2.57

$0.86 BAM 1.44

77.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BAM 5.01

$1.81 BAM 3.04

64.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BAM 4.92

$2.39 BAM 4.02

22.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$1.22 BAM 2.04

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.07

$1.14 BAM 1.92

7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.85

$1.63 BAM 2.74

40.49%

Eggs

$3.28 BAM 5.51

$2.08 BAM 3.49

57.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 BAM 18.58

$6.99 BAM 11.74

58.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 BAM 13.38

$6.64 BAM 11.15

20.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 BAM 25.48

$10.55 BAM 17.72

43.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.63

$0.86 BAM 1.44

82.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BAM 2.96

$1.74 BAM 2.93

1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$2.31 BAM 3.89

-19.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 BAM 3.54

$1.76 BAM 2.95

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BAM 1.67

$1.06 BAM 1.78

-5.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 BAM 2.06

$1.40 BAM 2.35

-12.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.93

$1.19 BAM 1.99

-3.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.20

$0.95 BAM 1.60

-25.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 BAM 6.81

$3.67 BAM 6.17

10.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 BAM 14.10

$8.31 BAM 13.95

0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$1.17 BAM 1.96

32.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 BAM 2.16

$1.36 BAM 2.28

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.13 BAM 60.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.80 BAM 3.03

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$0.57 BAM 0.96

112.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.17 BAM 15.39

$17.52 BAM 29.43

-47.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 BAM 2.87

$1.57 BAM 2.63

8.92%

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

$31.1K BAM 52.2K

$31.8K BAM 53.4K

-2.28%

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

$24.5K BAM 41.1K

$22.2K BAM 37.3K

10.38%

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

$226 BAM 380

$163 BAM 273

38.94%

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

$14.70 BAM 24.69

$16.91 BAM 28.40

-13.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 BAM 48.14

$35.86 BAM 60.2

-20.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.96 BAM 70.5

$33.81 BAM 56.8

24.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 BAM 33.85

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 BAM 11.62

$6.08 BAM 10.22

13.82%

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

$218 BAM 367

$306 BAM 514

-28.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,055 BAM 6,811

$3,664 BAM 6,154

10.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 BAM 154

$86.3 BAM 145

6.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 BAM 65.5

$36.91 BAM 62.0

5.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 BAM 160

$70.6 BAM 119

34.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 174

$148 BAM 249

-30.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 BAM 785

$158 BAM 265

196.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 BAM 551

$259 BAM 435

26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 BAM 1,819

$538 BAM 903

101.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$379 BAM 637

58.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,438 BAM 5,774

$2,488 BAM 4,179

38.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,422 BAM 4,068

$1,854 BAM 3,113

30.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 BAM 1,823

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.44

-8.11%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Foca: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Sarajevo and $158 in Foca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Sarajevo vs $23.00 in Foca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $203 per month, with Foca 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 Foca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,862 in Sarajevo and $1,494 in Foca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $467 in Sarajevo versus $158 in Foca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $218 in Sarajevo versus $306 in Foca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Foca – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $41.00 in Sarajevo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $996 in Foca versus $1,241 in Sarajevo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foca but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Foca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Foca 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 Foca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.