Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Prijedor Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Prijedor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $884 in Prijedor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $1,337 in Prijedor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $1,790 in Prijedor.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 33% more expensive than in Prijedor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 12% lower, Prijedor 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.22

$7.29 BAM 12.48

-2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.6

$35.44 BAM 60.7

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.07

$5.70 BAM 9.77

54.39%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$1.16 BAM 1.98

78.45%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.46

$0.73 BAM 1.24

176.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$1.16 BAM 1.98

19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$2.30 BAM 3.93

18.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.10

$1.16 BAM 1.99

106.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.36 BAM 2.33

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.40 BAM 2.40

-13.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.50

$2.40 BAM 4.11

-15.00%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.57

$2.86 BAM 4.90

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.92

$10.22 BAM 17.51

2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.14

$7.26 BAM 12.44

21.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.67

$13.43 BAM 23.00

-1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$1.25 BAM 2.14

24.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.70 BAM 2.91

9.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.95 BAM 3.33

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.95

$1.69 BAM 2.89

36.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$0.81 BAM 1.39

38.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$0.69 BAM 1.18

75.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.98 BAM 1.68

29.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.94 BAM 1.61

-13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.45

$3.59 BAM 6.15

5.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.70

$8.15 BAM 13.96

-1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.20 BAM 2.05

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$2.07 BAM 3.54

-38.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.77

$1.75 BAM 3.00

-41.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.4

$29.01 BAM 49.68

9.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.74 BAM 2.99

-14.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$0.76 BAM 1.31

1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.78

$10.58 BAM 18.12

-18.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.44 BAM 2.47

3.47%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$23.9K BAM 40.9K

11.31%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

-0.15%

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

$202 BAM 346

$122 BAM 209

65.64%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.60

$19.37 BAM 33.17

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.4

$28.90 BAM 49.49

13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.2

$23.75 BAM 40.67

47.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.85

$11.95 BAM 20.46

36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.33

$5.66 BAM 9.69

27.21%

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

$258 BAM 442

$154 BAM 264

67.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,813

$3,335 BAM 5,712

1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$73.4 BAM 126

24.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.7

$35.19 BAM 60.3

7.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$98.7 BAM 169

9.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$118 BAM 202

-14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 747

$180 BAM 308

142.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$148 BAM 253

105.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,527

$269 BAM 460

232.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 994

$145 BAM 248

301.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,559

$2,474 BAM 4,237

31.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,965

$1,776 BAM 3,042

30.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,784

$496 BAM 849

110.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.14

-8.21%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Prijedor: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $180 in Prijedor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 110% 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 $35.00 in Prijedor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $234 per month, with Prijedor 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 Prijedor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo and Prijedor differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,176 vs $884 including rent). Prijedor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 110% 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 $180 in Prijedor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $258 in Sarajevo versus $154 in Prijedor. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Sarajevo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $884 in Prijedor versus $1,176 in Sarajevo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Prijedor but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Prijedor 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 Prijedor 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 Prijedor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.