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: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $952 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $1,490 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $2,027 in Neum.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 23% more expensive than in Neum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 12% lower, Neum 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.21

$8.60 BAM 14.71

-16.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.5

$41.64 BAM 71.2

-13.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.05

$7.53 BAM 12.88

16.87%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.54

$1.65 BAM 2.82

25.45%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$1.15 BAM 1.96

20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$2.08 BAM 3.55

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.09

$2.78 BAM 4.76

-14.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.34 BAM 2.28

5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.28 BAM 2.19

-5.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.49

$1.58 BAM 2.70

29.11%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.56

$2.95 BAM 5.05

10.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.90

$9.25 BAM 15.82

13.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.12

$8.51 BAM 14.56

3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.64

$11.70 BAM 20.01

13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$1.44 BAM 2.45

7.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.64 BAM 2.80

13.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.94 BAM 3.32

7.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$2.01 BAM 3.45

14.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$1.16 BAM 1.98

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.11 BAM 1.89

9.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$1.15 BAM 1.97

10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.71 BAM 1.21

14.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.44

$3.78 BAM 6.47

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.68

$4.04 BAM 6.91

98.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$0.71 BAM 1.22

47.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.08 BAM 1.85

18.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.76

$1.82 BAM 3.11

-43.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.3

$35.23 BAM 60.3

-9.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.43 BAM 2.45

4.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$1.09 BAM 1.86

-29.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.76

$7.24 BAM 12.38

19.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.48 BAM 2.53

0.68%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

-5.73%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

-1.09%

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

$202 BAM 346

$174 BAM 298

15.99%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.55

$19.43 BAM 33.23

-2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.3

$24.03 BAM 41.10

37.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.1

$29.92 BAM 51.2

17.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.81

$11.09 BAM 18.97

46.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.31

$4.67 BAM 7.99

54.18%

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

$258 BAM 441

$207 BAM 354

24.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,805

$3,694 BAM 6,319

-8.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$70.3 BAM 120

30.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.6

$36.78 BAM 62.9

2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$87.8 BAM 150

22.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$114 BAM 195

-11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 746

$262 BAM 448

66.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$167 BAM 285

81.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,525

$363 BAM 621

145.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 992

$314 BAM 537

84.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,551

$2,490 BAM 4,259

30.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,959

$1,817 BAM 3,107

27.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,781

$877 BAM 1,500

18.76%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Neum: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $262 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 19% 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 $217, 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,176 vs $952 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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 $262 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 $258 in Sarajevo versus $207 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Neum versus $1,176 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 23% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.