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: $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,811 in Sarajevo versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Sarajevo versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 18% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 10% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 BAM 12.11

$13.18 MX$228

-45.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.65 BAM 59.9

$53.9 MX$932

-33.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 15.05

$9.42 MX$163

-4.88%

Cappuccino

$2.04 BAM 3.42

$3.55 MX$61.4

-42.54%

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

$2.01 BAM 3.38

$1.62 MX$27.98

24.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.38

$1.11 MX$19.27

27.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BAM 4.52

$3.12 MX$54.0

-13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.90

$4.63 MX$80.1

-49.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.70 MX$29.43

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$2.72 MX$47.02

-55.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.50

$1.91 MX$33.07

8.90%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.45

$2.54 MX$43.86

27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 BAM 17.29

$10.03 MX$174

2.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 BAM 14.88

$8.09 MX$140

9.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 BAM 22.58

$11.62 MX$201

15.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$2.97 MX$51.3

-47.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.15

$1.81 MX$31.24

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.44

$2.01 MX$34.82

1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.84

$2.03 MX$35.20

12.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$2.12 MX$36.75

-47.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$2.27 MX$39.25

-47.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.06

$1.40 MX$24.22

-12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.27

$1.13 MX$19.55

-32.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BAM 6.33

$4.27 MX$73.9

-11.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 13.99

$15.56 MX$269

-46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.75

$1.76 MX$30.39

-40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.21

$3.60 MX$62.2

-63.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$0.38 MX$6.62

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BAM 52.6

$19.18 MX$332

63.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.38 MX$23.79

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$0.28 MX$4.78

178.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.25

$5.45 MX$94.2

66.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.55

$1.30 MX$22.55

16.92%

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

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

43.12%

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

$25.9K BAM 43.5K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

12.05%

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

$197 BAM 331

$40.86 MX$707

381.79%

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

$19.00 BAM 31.92

$26.81 MX$464

-29.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.37 BAM 56.1

$29.96 MX$518

11.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 BAM 59.9

$52.0 MX$900

-31.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 BAM 27.62

$26.84 MX$464

-38.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BAM 11.67

$6.30 MX$109

10.16%

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

$255 BAM 428

$436 MX$7,544

-41.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,583

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-68.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 BAM 153

$56.7 MX$980

61.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 BAM 61.6

$44.38 MX$768

-17.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 182

$103 MX$1,780

5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 BAM 168

$106 MX$1,825

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 726

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-57.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 526

$631 MX$10.9K

-50.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 BAM 1,474

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-51.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,430 BAM 5,762

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-12.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 BAM 4,003

$2,064 MX$35.7K

15.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,788

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-4.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Sarajevo and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 5% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $288 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,206 vs $1,467 including rent). Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 5% less. 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: $432 in Sarajevo versus $1,022 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 63% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $255 in Sarajevo versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $1,467 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 22% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.