Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Neum Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Neum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $954 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,811 in Sarajevo versus $1,494 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Sarajevo versus $2,035 in Neum.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 26% more expensive than Neum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Neum 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 BAM 12.11

$8.66 BAM 14.56

-16.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.65 BAM 59.9

$41.82 BAM 70.3

-14.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 15.05

$7.63 BAM 12.82

17.43%

Cappuccino

$2.04 BAM 3.42

$1.65 BAM 2.77

23.64%

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

$2.01 BAM 3.38

$1.94 BAM 3.26

3.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.38

$1.21 BAM 2.03

17.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BAM 4.52

$2.09 BAM 3.51

28.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.90

$2.81 BAM 4.72

-17.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.32 BAM 2.22

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$1.23 BAM 2.07

-1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.50

$1.58 BAM 2.65

31.65%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.45

$3.01 BAM 5.05

7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 BAM 17.29

$9.60 BAM 16.12

7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 BAM 14.88

$8.75 BAM 14.71

1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 BAM 22.58

$11.61 BAM 19.50

15.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$1.41 BAM 2.37

9.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.15

$1.64 BAM 2.75

14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.44

$1.94 BAM 3.26

5.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.84

$2.04 BAM 3.43

12.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$1.15 BAM 1.94

-2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.11 BAM 1.86

8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.06

$1.21 BAM 2.04

0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.27

$0.73 BAM 1.23

4.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BAM 6.33

$3.63 BAM 6.10

3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 13.99

$4.06 BAM 6.81

105.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.75

$0.76 BAM 1.28

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.21

$1.13 BAM 1.90

15.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-41.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BAM 52.6

$34.69 BAM 58.3

-9.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.50 BAM 2.52

-4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$1.10 BAM 1.84

-29.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.25

$7.28 BAM 12.23

24.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.55

$1.54 BAM 2.60

-1.30%

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

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

-8.01%

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

$25.9K BAM 43.5K

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

-1.71%

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

$197 BAM 331

$174 BAM 292

13.26%

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

$19.00 BAM 31.92

$18.87 BAM 31.70

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.37 BAM 56.1

$24.01 BAM 40.33

38.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 BAM 59.9

$28.99 BAM 48.71

22.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 BAM 27.62

$10.97 BAM 18.43

49.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BAM 11.67

$4.81 BAM 8.08

44.28%

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

$255 BAM 428

$203 BAM 342

25.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,583

$3,618 BAM 6,079

-8.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 BAM 153

$69.6 BAM 117

31.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 BAM 61.6

$35.84 BAM 60.2

2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 182

$89.3 BAM 150

21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 BAM 168

$111 BAM 186

-9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 726

$261 BAM 438

65.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 526

$169 BAM 284

85.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 BAM 1,474

$363 BAM 610

141.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$315 BAM 529

90.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,430 BAM 5,762

$2,608 BAM 4,382

31.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 BAM 4,003

$1,838 BAM 3,088

29.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,788

$882 BAM 1,482

20.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

2.9

31.03%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Neum: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Sarajevo and $261 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 21% 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 $42.00 in Neum. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $220, with Neum cheaper for home cooking.

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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo and Neum differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,206 vs $954 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sarajevo pays 21% more on average, 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: $432 in Sarajevo versus $261 in Neum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 11% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $255 in Sarajevo versus $203 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $954 in Neum versus $1,206 in Sarajevo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Neum 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 Neum 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 Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.