Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 19% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 12% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.22

$13.07 MX$228

-45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.6

$53.8 MX$936

-33.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.07

$9.68 MX$169

-9.09%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$3.74 MX$65.1

-44.65%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.46

$1.62 MX$28.13

24.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$1.16 MX$20.23

19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$3.23 MX$56.2

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.10

$4.74 MX$82.5

-49.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.65 MX$28.68

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$2.75 MX$47.95

-56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.50

$1.87 MX$32.63

9.09%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.57

$2.50 MX$43.54

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.92

$10.20 MX$178

2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.14

$8.25 MX$144

7.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.67

$11.82 MX$206

12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$3.01 MX$52.4

-48.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.81 MX$31.54

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.00 MX$34.81

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.95

$2.00 MX$34.74

15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$2.08 MX$36.30

-46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$2.27 MX$39.56

-46.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$1.46 MX$25.36

-13.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$1.08 MX$18.74

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.45

$4.35 MX$75.7

-13.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.70

$16.99 MX$296

-52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.73 MX$30.18

-39.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$3.58 MX$62.3

-64.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.77

$0.39 MX$6.74

164.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.4

$18.69 MX$325

69.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.33 MX$23.08

12.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$0.28 MX$4.87

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.78

$5.25 MX$91.5

64.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.34 MX$23.27

11.19%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

36.95%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

8.44%

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

$202 BAM 346

$40.69 MX$709

396.56%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.60

$26.87 MX$468

-29.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.4

$30.51 MX$531

7.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.2

$52.8 MX$919

-33.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.85

$26.65 MX$464

-38.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.33

$6.51 MX$113

10.60%

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

$258 BAM 442

$428 MX$7,454

-39.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,813

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-67.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$57.3 MX$997

59.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.7

$45.50 MX$792

-16.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$104 MX$1,812

3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$108 MX$1,878

-6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 747

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-56.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$623 MX$10.8K

-51.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,527

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-57.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 994

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-52.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,559

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-16.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,965

$2,033 MX$35.4K

13.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,784

$1,038 MX$18.1K

0.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

11.34

-66.49%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Sarajevo vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $292 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo and Mexico City differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,176 vs $1,456 including rent). Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Sarajevo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Sarajevo versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 70% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $258 in Sarajevo versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City 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 24% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.