Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 49% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 12% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.21

$16.19 €14.17

-55.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.5

$63.3 €55.4

-43.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.05

$10.32 €9.03

-14.73%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.54

$2.83 €2.48

-26.86%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$2.29 €2.00

-11.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$1.58 €1.38

-12.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$3.40 €2.98

-19.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.09

$4.03 €3.52

-40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.09 €0.95

29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.75 €1.53

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.49

$1.76 €1.54

15.91%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.56

$3.17 €2.77

2.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.90

$13.19 €11.54

-20.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.12

$7.97 €6.97

10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.64

$15.53 €13.59

-14.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$2.37 €2.07

-34.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.71 €1.49

8.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.01 €1.76

3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$2.43 €2.13

-5.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$1.76 €1.54

-36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$2.03 €1.78

-40.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$1.92 €1.68

-33.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.85 €0.74

-4.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.44

$6.58 €5.76

-42.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.68

$5.58 €4.88

43.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.33 €1.17

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$2.97 €2.60

-56.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.76

$2.28 €1.99

-54.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.3

$45.79 €40.06

-30.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$4.23 €3.70

-64.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$0.81 €0.71

-4.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.76

$18.44 €16.13

-53.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$2.08 €1.82

-28.37%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$34.7K €30.3K

-23.32%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

$39.2K €34.3K

-34.00%

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

$202 BAM 346

$148 €130

36.47%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.55

$20.46 €17.90

-6.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.3

$39.56 €34.61

-16.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.1

$47.99 €41.99

-26.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.81

$18.60 €16.27

-12.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.31

$9.22 €8.07

-21.91%

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

$258 BAM 441

$616 €539

-58.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,805

$16.4K €14.4K

-79.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$103 €89.9

-10.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.6

$41.74 €36.52

-9.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$94.8 €82.9

13.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$122 €107

-17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 746

$1,633 €1,428

-73.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$1,232 €1,078

-75.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,525

$3,098 €2,711

-71.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 992

$2,031 €1,777

-71.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,551

$7,831 €6,851

-58.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,959

$4,389 €3,840

-47.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,781

$1,607 €1,406

-35.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

3.81

-0.26%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 54% 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: $36.00 in Sarajevo vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $267 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo and Lisbon differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($1,176 vs $2,291 including rent). Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Lisbon. 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: $436 in Sarajevo versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $258 in Sarajevo versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Lisbon 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 95% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.