Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Kakanj

For one person, living is cheaper in Kakanj: $937 a month against $1,212 in Sarajevo, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$1,212
/mo nomad
Kakanj
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$937
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sarajevo and in Kakanj

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

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Sarajevo vs $937 in Kakanj, rent included.

  • Sarajevo $1,212
  • Kakanj $937

A couple spends around $1,843 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,424 in Kakanj, rent included.

  • Sarajevo $1,843
  • Kakanj $1,424

A family of three spends $2,473 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,912 in Kakanj, rent included.

  • Sarajevo $2,473
  • Kakanj $1,912

Sarajevo costs about 29% more than Kakanj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sarajevo and Kakanj are more affordable than the global median – Sarajevo 11% lower, Kakanj 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.52 BAM 14.93
$6.84 BAM 12.00
24.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.08 BAM 70.3
$37.29 BAM 65.4
7.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.42 BAM 14.77
$6.67 BAM 11.69
26.24%
Cappuccino
$2.26 BAM 3.95
$1.63 BAM 2.86
38.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 BAM 3.81
$1.90 BAM 3.34
14.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 BAM 2.47
$1.28 BAM 2.24
10.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 BAM 5.13
$2.30 BAM 4.03
27.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 BAM 4.91
$1.99 BAM 3.49
40.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 BAM 2.06
$1.13 BAM 1.98
4.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.20 BAM 2.11
$1.07 BAM 1.88
12.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.12 BAM 3.72
$2.11 BAM 3.69
0.47%
Eggs
$2.96 BAM 5.20
$3.10 BAM 5.43
-4.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.37 BAM 18.18
$10.73 BAM 18.81
-3.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.43 BAM 13.03
$7.34 BAM 12.88
1.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.64 BAM 25.68
$13.70 BAM 24.02
6.86%
Apples (1kg)
$1.49 BAM 2.61
$1.05 BAM 1.84
41.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 BAM 2.83
$1.68 BAM 2.94
-4.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.48 BAM 2.60
$1.31 BAM 2.30
12.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 BAM 3.61
$1.43 BAM 2.51
44.06%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 BAM 1.73
$1.01 BAM 1.76
-1.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 BAM 1.94
$0.96 BAM 1.68
14.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 BAM 1.99
$1.16 BAM 2.04
-2.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 BAM 1.18
$0.71 BAM 1.24
-5.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.85 BAM 6.75
$4.05 BAM 7.09
-4.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 BAM 12.59
$8.00 BAM 14.02
-10.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 BAM 1.62
$1.04 BAM 1.82
-11.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 BAM 2.60
$1.48 BAM 2.59
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 BAM 2.19
$1.36 BAM 2.38
-8.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.99 BAM 59.6
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.46 BAM 2.56
$1.56 BAM 2.74
-6.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 BAM 1.98
$0.75 BAM 1.31
50.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.39 BAM 14.72
$10.78 BAM 18.91
-22.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.73 BAM 3.04
$1.52 BAM 2.67
13.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K BAM 51.9K
$31.9K BAM 55.9K
-7.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.9K BAM 38.4K
$24.0K BAM 42.1K
-8.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 BAM 388
$137 BAM 241
60.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.49 BAM 25.41
$19.19 BAM 33.65
-24.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.50 BAM 48.22
$28.69 BAM 50.3
-4.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.77 BAM 73.2
$29.99 BAM 52.6
39.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.37 BAM 33.97
$14.33 BAM 25.12
35.17%
Cinema Ticket
$7.06 BAM 12.38
$6.72 BAM 11.78
5.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$206 BAM 361
$127 BAM 223
61.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,810 BAM 6,681
$11.7K BAM 20.5K
-67.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.5 BAM 153
$66.7 BAM 117
31.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.82 BAM 66.3
$37.32 BAM 65.4
1.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 BAM 162
$83.2 BAM 146
10.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.2 BAM 174
$106 BAM 186
-6.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 BAM 761
$277 BAM 486
56.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$320 BAM 562
$220 BAM 386
45.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$965 BAM 1,693
$568 BAM 997
69.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$606 BAM 1,063
$340 BAM 597
78.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,150 BAM 5,524
$2,570 BAM 4,507
22.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,429 BAM 4,260
$1,573 BAM 2,759
54.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarajevo
Kakanj
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,042 BAM 1,827
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
4.3
-5.12%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kakanj: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sarajevo
$320
Kakanj
$220 31.4% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarajevo
$263
Kakanj
$185 29.5% $78
Groceries & Markets
Sarajevo
$229
Kakanj
$223 2.9% $6.6
Eating Out
Sarajevo
$155
Kakanj
$123 21% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Sarajevo
$143
Kakanj
$132 7.4% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Sarajevo
$56
Kakanj
$43 22.3% $12
Getting Around
Sarajevo
$46
Kakanj
$11 * 76.7% $35

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Sarajevo versus $277 in Kakanj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Sarajevo versus $37 in Kakanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $223 – making Kakanj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇦 Sarajevo
🇧🇦 Kakanj
🕒 Local time
20:37 8:37 PM
20:37 8:37 PM
Same time as Sarajevo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
271,194 Capital
11,796
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BAM (1 BAM = 0.57 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sarajevo Kakanj 38 km
From you
  • Sarajevo
  • Kakanj

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 Kakanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kakanj cheaper than Sarajevo?
Yes – Sarajevo is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,819 per month in Sarajevo and $1,405 in Kakanj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kakanj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $277 there versus $434 in Sarajevo.
What are total monthly expenses in Sarajevo and in Kakanj?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,212 in Sarajevo and $937 in Kakanj. That’s a gap of about 29%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $206 per month in Sarajevo and $127 in Kakanj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Sarajevo or Kakanj more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kakanj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sarajevo or Kakanj?
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.

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