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: $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $876 in Prijedor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,811 in Sarajevo versus $1,327 in Prijedor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Sarajevo versus $1,778 in Prijedor.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 38% more expensive than Prijedor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Prijedor 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 BAM 12.15

$6.99 BAM 11.77

3.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.65 BAM 60.1

$35.61 BAM 60.0

0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 15.10

$5.72 BAM 9.63

56.64%

Cappuccino

$2.04 BAM 3.43

$1.20 BAM 2.03

70.00%

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

$2.01 BAM 3.39

$0.69 BAM 1.16

191.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.39

$1.17 BAM 1.97

21.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BAM 4.54

$2.41 BAM 4.06

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.91

$1.16 BAM 1.95

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.40 BAM 2.36

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.04

$1.34 BAM 2.25

-9.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.51

$2.34 BAM 3.94

-11.11%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.47

$2.81 BAM 4.74

15.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 BAM 17.34

$9.78 BAM 16.48

5.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 BAM 14.92

$7.41 BAM 12.49

19.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 BAM 22.64

$13.20 BAM 22.25

1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$1.28 BAM 2.16

21.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.15

$1.68 BAM 2.83

11.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.45

$1.91 BAM 3.22

7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.86

$1.73 BAM 2.91

32.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$0.81 BAM 1.36

38.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$0.70 BAM 1.18

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.06

$0.99 BAM 1.67

23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.28

$1.02 BAM 1.72

-25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BAM 6.34

$3.52 BAM 5.93

6.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 14.03

$8.46 BAM 14.26

-1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.76

$1.21 BAM 2.03

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.21

$2.03 BAM 3.43

-35.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.78 BAM 3.00

-39.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BAM 52.7

$29.01 BAM 48.88

7.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.80 BAM 3.03

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.32

$0.77 BAM 1.30

1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.29

$10.79 BAM 18.19

-15.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.55

$1.51 BAM 2.55

0.66%

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

$26.7K BAM 45.1K

$23.5K BAM 39.5K

14.04%

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

$25.9K BAM 43.7K

$26.5K BAM 44.6K

-2.13%

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

$197 BAM 332

$124 BAM 209

58.95%

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

$19.00 BAM 32.01

$18.87 BAM 31.80

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.37 BAM 56.2

$28.73 BAM 48.41

16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 BAM 60.1

$23.90 BAM 40.27

49.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 BAM 27.70

$11.96 BAM 20.15

37.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BAM 11.70

$5.69 BAM 9.59

21.97%

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

$255 BAM 429

$152 BAM 256

67.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,599

$3,315 BAM 5,585

0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 BAM 154

$75.0 BAM 126

21.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 BAM 61.8

$35.68 BAM 60.1

2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 183

$98.6 BAM 166

10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 BAM 168

$121 BAM 203

-17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 728

$180 BAM 304

139.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 527

$147 BAM 248

112.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 BAM 1,478

$266 BAM 448

230.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,011

$148 BAM 249

305.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,430 BAM 5,779

$2,593 BAM 4,369

32.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 BAM 4,014

$1,849 BAM 3,115

28.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,793

$507 BAM 855

109.75%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Prijedor: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 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 $36.00 in Prijedor. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $234, with Prijedor 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 Prijedor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo and Prijedor differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,206 vs $876 including rent). Prijedor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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

Childcare runs $255 in Sarajevo versus $152 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 $876 in Prijedor versus $1,206 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 38% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.