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: $1,216 in Sarajevo versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Sarajevo versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,527 in Sarajevo versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 27% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 11% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.69 BAM 14.82

$11.92 MX$206

-27.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.56 BAM 70.9

$51.6 MX$890

-19.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 BAM 14.75

$11.41 MX$197

-24.19%

Cappuccino

$2.41 BAM 4.10

$3.99 MX$68.9

-39.60%

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

$2.31 BAM 3.94

$1.66 MX$28.61

39.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 BAM 2.57

$1.33 MX$22.87

13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BAM 5.00

$3.47 MX$59.9

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BAM 5.05

$5.90 MX$102

-49.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 BAM 2.16

$1.88 MX$32.36

-32.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BAM 2.14

$3.25 MX$56.1

-61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 BAM 3.87

$2.16 MX$37.26

5.09%

Eggs

$3.21 BAM 5.47

$2.90 MX$49.94

10.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 BAM 18.20

$12.86 MX$222

-16.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 BAM 13.61

$10.05 MX$173

-20.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 BAM 25.26

$15.86 MX$273

-6.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 BAM 2.60

$3.29 MX$56.8

-53.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 BAM 2.85

$2.01 MX$34.60

-16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BAM 2.89

$2.20 MX$37.93

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 BAM 3.65

$2.36 MX$40.63

-9.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BAM 1.77

$2.05 MX$35.43

-49.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.90 MX$32.79

-39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BAM 1.99

$1.61 MX$27.68

-27.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.19

$1.40 MX$24.09

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 BAM 7.13

$5.46 MX$94.2

-23.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 BAM 14.37

$17.65 MX$304

-52.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$2.06 MX$35.44

-55.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$4.68 MX$80.8

-69.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 BAM 2.26

$0.34 MX$5.84

291.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.31 BAM 60.2

$20.81 MX$359

69.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$2.10 MX$36.15

-30.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 BAM 2.06

$0.56 MX$9.64

116.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 BAM 15.21

$5.81 MX$100

53.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$1.61 MX$27.68

2.48%

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

$31.2K BAM 53.2K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

36.73%

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

$23.7K BAM 40.4K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-11.31%

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

$229 BAM 390

$65.2 MX$1,124

250.95%

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

$14.56 BAM 24.83

$30.09 MX$519

-51.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.17 BAM 49.72

$37.18 MX$641

-21.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 BAM 70.7

$59.8 MX$1,030

-30.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.49 BAM 34.94

$26.55 MX$458

-22.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 BAM 12.15

$7.04 MX$121

1.28%

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

$210 BAM 357

$465 MX$8,012

-54.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,969 BAM 6,767

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-70.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 BAM 154

$75.9 MX$1,308

19.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 BAM 66.6

$56.0 MX$965

-30.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 BAM 157

$112 MX$1,929

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 178

$121 MX$2,078

-13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 BAM 787

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-58.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 538

$721 MX$12.4K

-56.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 BAM 1,790

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-58.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 BAM 1,042

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-52.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,338 BAM 5,691

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-16.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 BAM 4,070

$2,090 MX$36.0K

14.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,050 BAM 1,791

$1,037 MX$17.9K

1.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

11.3

-63.89%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Sarajevo and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Sarajevo vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $345 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,216 vs $1,660 including rent). Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% 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: $462 in Sarajevo versus $1,103 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 $210 in Sarajevo versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,216 in Sarajevo versus $1,660 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 36% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.