Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Sarajevo: $1,204 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 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
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,204

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sarajevo and in Istanbul

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 Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sarajevo $1,204
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $1,807 per month in Sarajevo vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sarajevo $1,807
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $2,410 per month in Sarajevo vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sarajevo $2,410
Istanbul $3,272

Sarajevo is about 21% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sarajevo sits 10% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 BAM 15.01

$11.88 ₺585

-27.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.59 BAM 69.1

$55.1 ₺2,714

-28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 BAM 14.79

$9.14 ₺450

-7.22%

Cappuccino

$2.33 BAM 4.06

$4.24 ₺209

-45.05%

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

$2.23 BAM 3.88

$1.75 ₺86.0

27.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BAM 2.47

$0.54 ₺26.83

161.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BAM 5.12

$4.69 ₺231

-37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 BAM 5.08

$5.97 ₺294

-51.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 2.02

$1.26 ₺62.1

-7.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 BAM 2.05

$0.95 ₺46.81

23.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 BAM 3.87

$2.31 ₺114

-3.90%

Eggs

$3.08 BAM 5.37

$2.47 ₺122

24.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 BAM 18.02

$10.55 ₺520

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 BAM 13.49

$5.60 ₺276

38.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 BAM 24.67

$21.21 ₺1,045

-33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 BAM 2.48

$1.93 ₺95.1

-26.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BAM 2.96

$2.29 ₺113

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.74

$1.28 ₺63.1

22.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 BAM 3.46

$1.84 ₺90.8

7.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BAM 1.71

$0.67 ₺32.86

46.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BAM 1.99

$0.59 ₺29.31

93.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 BAM 1.86

$1.33 ₺65.4

-19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.24

$0.59 ₺29.10

20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 BAM 7.01

$2.36 ₺116

70.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 BAM 13.98

$13.47 ₺664

-40.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.56

$2.42 ₺119

-63.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.47

$3.54 ₺174

-59.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 BAM 2.17

$0.83 ₺40.64

49.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.01 BAM 61.1

$66.5 ₺3,273

-47.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 BAM 2.56

$1.35 ₺66.6

8.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 BAM 1.96

$0.85 ₺42.05

31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 BAM 15.02

$10.86 ₺535

-20.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BAM 3.03

$1.47 ₺72.3

18.37%

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

$29.9K BAM 52.2K

$51.6K ₺2.5M

-42.02%

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

$23.2K BAM 40.5K

$44.4K ₺2.2M

-47.80%

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

$220 BAM 384

$89.2 ₺4,395

146.93%

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

$14.25 BAM 24.86

$11.60 ₺572

22.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.24 BAM 49.28

$16.10 ₺793

75.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 BAM 70.1

$77.3 ₺3,805

-48.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 BAM 34.30

$22.66 ₺1,116

-13.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 BAM 11.66

$8.34 ₺411

-19.90%

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

$206 BAM 359

$974 ₺48.0K

-78.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,856 BAM 6,727

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-85.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 BAM 155

$52.7 ₺2,597

68.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 BAM 65.1

$39.16 ₺1,929

-4.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 BAM 156

$103 ₺5,083

-13.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 BAM 173

$96.6 ₺4,759

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 BAM 783

$994 ₺49.0K

-54.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 BAM 533

$629 ₺31.0K

-51.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 BAM 1,740

$2,024 ₺99.7K

-50.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 BAM 1,024

$1,155 ₺56.9K

-49.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,243 BAM 5,658

$3,160 ₺155.7K

2.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,384 BAM 4,159

$1,838 ₺90.5K

29.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,023 BAM 1,785

$1,203 ₺59.3K

-14.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

41.09

-90.07%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: October 4, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sarajevo

$305 25.5%

Istanbul

$629 41.2% 106% $324

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sarajevo

$263 21.9%

Istanbul

$117 7.7% 55.5% $146

Groceries & Markets

Sarajevo

$231 19.3%

Istanbul

$264 17.3% 14.1% $33

Eating Out

Sarajevo

$157 13.1%

Istanbul

$218 14.3% 38.5% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Sarajevo

$142 11.8%

Istanbul

$131 8.6% 7.3% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Sarajevo

$54 4.5%

Istanbul

$94 6.1% 75.5% $40

Getting Around

Sarajevo

$47 3.9%

Istanbul

$75 4.9% 60.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Sarajevo versus $994 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Sarajevo versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $264 – making Sarajevo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Sarajevo

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

16:00 4:00 PM

1 h ahead of Sarajevo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

271,194 Capital

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.573 USD

1 BAM = 0.511 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, 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).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sarajevo Istanbul 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sarajevo
Istanbul

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 Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Sarajevo and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarajevo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $206 per month in Sarajevo and $974 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarajevo, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Sarajevo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarajevo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sarajevo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.