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: $1,216 in Sarajevo versus $973 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Sarajevo versus $1,456 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,527 in Sarajevo versus $1,940 in Neum.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 25% more expensive than in Neum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 11% lower, Neum 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.69 BAM 14.79

$5.28 BAM 8.98

64.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.56 BAM 70.7

$28.94 BAM 49.26

43.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 BAM 14.73

$6.06 BAM 10.32

42.74%

Cappuccino

$2.41 BAM 4.09

$1.88 BAM 3.21

28.19%

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

$2.31 BAM 3.93

$1.80 BAM 3.06

28.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 BAM 2.56

$1.23 BAM 2.09

22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BAM 4.99

$2.59 BAM 4.41

13.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BAM 5.04

$2.27 BAM 3.86

30.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 BAM 2.15

$1.16 BAM 1.97

9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BAM 2.13

$0.92 BAM 1.56

35.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 BAM 3.86

$2.14 BAM 3.65

6.07%

Eggs

$3.21 BAM 5.46

$2.61 BAM 4.44

22.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 BAM 18.17

$8.03 BAM 13.67

33.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 BAM 13.59

$7.47 BAM 12.72

6.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 BAM 25.21

$10.82 BAM 18.41

36.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 BAM 2.60

$1.18 BAM 2.01

29.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 BAM 2.85

$1.63 BAM 2.77

2.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BAM 2.89

$1.41 BAM 2.40

20.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 BAM 3.64

$1.23 BAM 2.09

73.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BAM 1.76

$1.00 BAM 1.70

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.05 BAM 1.79

9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BAM 1.99

$0.74 BAM 1.26

58.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.19

$0.69 BAM 1.17

1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 BAM 7.11

$3.90 BAM 6.64

7.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 BAM 14.34

$4.19 BAM 7.13

101.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$0.77 BAM 1.31

19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$0.90 BAM 1.54

61.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 BAM 2.26

$1.36 BAM 2.32

-2.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.31 BAM 60.1

$59.9 BAM 102

-41.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BAM 2.46

$1.72 BAM 2.92

-15.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 BAM 2.06

$0.61 BAM 1.04

98.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 BAM 15.18

$5.93 BAM 10.09

50.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 BAM 2.81

$1.63 BAM 2.78

1.23%

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

$31.2K BAM 53.2K

$31.3K BAM 53.2K

-0.18%

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

$23.7K BAM 40.4K

$22.0K BAM 37.5K

7.74%

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

$229 BAM 389

$135 BAM 230

69.12%

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

$14.56 BAM 24.78

$17.97 BAM 30.58

-18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.17 BAM 49.63

$27.00 BAM 45.94

8.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 BAM 70.6

$33.89 BAM 57.7

22.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.49 BAM 34.88

$11.60 BAM 19.74

76.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 BAM 12.13

$5.78 BAM 9.84

23.36%

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

$210 BAM 357

$203 BAM 345

3.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,969 BAM 6,755

$2,381 BAM 4,052

66.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 BAM 154

$61.1 BAM 104

47.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 BAM 66.5

$33.73 BAM 57.4

15.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 BAM 156

$88.4 BAM 150

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 177

$86.6 BAM 147

20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 BAM 786

$350 BAM 595

32.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 537

$261 BAM 444

21.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 BAM 1,787

$530 BAM 902

98.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 BAM 1,041

$369 BAM 628

65.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,338 BAM 5,681

$2,574 BAM 4,380

29.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 BAM 4,063

$1,789 BAM 3,044

33.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,050 BAM 1,787

$894 BAM 1,521

17.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.9

40.69%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Neum: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Sarajevo and $350 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 18% 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: $42.00 in Sarajevo vs $29.00 in Neum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $191 per month, with Neum 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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo and Neum differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,216 vs $973 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% 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 $350 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 70% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $210 in Sarajevo versus $203 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $973 in Neum versus $1,216 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 25% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.