Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Santiago

For one person, living costs are similar in Sarajevo and in Santiago: $1,206 and $1,190 a month, rent and utilities included.

58

Cost of Living Index in Sarajevo
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Sarajevo Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
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Santiago Living Index

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Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,206

/mo nomad

Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,190

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sarajevo and in Santiago

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sarajevo and in Santiago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,190 in Santiago, rent included.

Sarajevo $1,206
Santiago $1,190

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,892 in Santiago, rent included.

Sarajevo $1,834
Santiago $1,892

A family of three spends $2,461 per month in Sarajevo vs $2,595 in Santiago, rent included.

Sarajevo $2,461
Santiago $2,595

Sarajevo costs about 1% more than Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Sarajevo and Santiago are more affordable than the global median – Sarajevo 11% lower, Santiago 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 BAM 14.97

$10.37 CLP 10.2K

-16.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 BAM 68.3

$51.7 CLP 50.9K

-24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 BAM 14.60

$8.94 CLP 8,805

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$2.34 BAM 4.07

$3.26 CLP 3,211

-28.22%

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

$2.17 BAM 3.77

$1.67 CLP 1,640

29.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.47

$1.23 CLP 1,212

15.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BAM 5.11

$3.98 CLP 3,914

-26.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BAM 5.10

$4.54 CLP 4,465

-35.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 BAM 2.11

$1.28 CLP 1,263

-5.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 BAM 2.04

$1.85 CLP 1,817

-36.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 BAM 3.65

$1.59 CLP 1,567

32.08%

Eggs

$3.10 BAM 5.39

$4.10 CLP 4,031

-24.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 BAM 17.86

$11.41 CLP 11.2K

-9.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 BAM 12.96

$6.69 CLP 6,586

11.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 BAM 25.13

$10.81 CLP 10.6K

33.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.45

$1.94 CLP 1,905

-27.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 BAM 2.91

$1.52 CLP 1,497

9.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 BAM 2.61

$1.60 CLP 1,577

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.56

$1.69 CLP 1,668

21.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BAM 1.64

$1.10 CLP 1,084

-14.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.93

$1.52 CLP 1,500

-26.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 BAM 1.94

$1.18 CLP 1,164

-5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.27

$1.08 CLP 1,061

-32.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 BAM 6.76

$5.07 CLP 4,995

-23.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 BAM 12.61

$5.95 CLP 5,858

21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BAM 1.53

$1.49 CLP 1,470

-40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BAM 2.69

$2.38 CLP 2,342

-34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 BAM 2.21

$0.83 CLP 821

53.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.16 BAM 59.4

$40.14 CLP 39.5K

-14.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BAM 2.52

$0.40 CLP 393

262.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 BAM 2.02

$0.91 CLP 897

27.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 BAM 14.58

$11.63 CLP 11.5K

-27.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 BAM 3.01

$1.51 CLP 1,486

14.57%

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

$30.2K BAM 52.5K

$17.6K CLP 17.3M

71.79%

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

$23.3K BAM 40.5K

$22.0K CLP 21.6M

5.92%

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

$222 BAM 386

$151 CLP 149.0K

46.78%

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

$14.05 BAM 24.44

$12.34 CLP 12.1K

13.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.44 BAM 47.72

$18.73 CLP 18.4K

46.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.33 BAM 70.1

$33.71 CLP 33.2K

19.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 BAM 34.16

$11.80 CLP 11.6K

66.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.90 BAM 12.01

$7.45 CLP 7,334

-7.38%

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

$203 BAM 352

$430 CLP 423.7K

-52.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,817 BAM 6,638

$10.8K CLP 10.6M

-64.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 BAM 154

$49.65 CLP 48.9K

78.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.24 BAM 64.8

$28.94 CLP 28.5K

28.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 BAM 157

$65.7 CLP 64.6K

37.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 BAM 173

$80.7 CLP 79.4K

23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 BAM 794

$559 CLP 550.4K

-18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 544

$384 CLP 377.8K

-18.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 BAM 1,762

$1,004 CLP 988.4K

0.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 BAM 1,037

$780 CLP 767.9K

-23.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,278 BAM 5,700

$2,640 CLP 2.6M

24.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,341 BAM 4,070

$2,546 CLP 2.5M

-8.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 BAM 1,811

$804 CLP 791.0K

29.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.39

-24.30%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: October 13, 2026

Last update for Santiago: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sarajevo

$313 26%

Santiago

$384 32.3% 22.6% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sarajevo

$264 21.9%

Santiago

$182 15.3% 30.8% $81

Groceries & Markets

Sarajevo

$230 19%

Santiago

$236 19.8% 2.7% $6.3

Eating Out

Sarajevo

$157 13%

Santiago

$189 15.9% 20.6% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Sarajevo

$142 11.8%

Santiago

$101 8.5% 28.8% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Sarajevo

$54 4.5%

Santiago

$49 4.1% 10.2% $5.5

Getting Around

Sarajevo

$47 3.9%

Santiago

$48 4.1% 4.1% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Sarajevo versus $559 in Santiago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Sarajevo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Sarajevo versus $52.0 in Santiago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $236 – making Sarajevo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Sarajevo

🇨🇱 Santiago

🕒 Local time

23:58 11:58 PM

18:58 6:58 PM

5 h behind Sarajevo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

271,194 Capital

6,139,087 Capital

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (KM)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sarajevo Santiago 12,430 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Sarajevo
Santiago

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarajevo is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,809 per month in Sarajevo and $1,785 in Santiago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santiago, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Santiago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $203 per month in Sarajevo and $430 in Santiago. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,190, than in Sarajevo at $1,206. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarajevo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santiago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santiago. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarajevo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.