Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 16% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 12% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.14 BAM 12.22
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
106.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.96 BAM 61.6
$32.34 Rp 581.1K
11.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.80 BAM 15.07
$4.84 Rp 87.1K
81.82%
Cappuccino
$2.07 BAM 3.55
$2.75 Rp 49.4K
-24.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 BAM 3.46
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
46.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 BAM 2.38
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
85.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.73 BAM 4.67
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
-8.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 BAM 4.10
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
-37.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 BAM 2.41
$1.74 Rp 31.2K
-18.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 BAM 2.08
$2.46 Rp 44.2K
-50.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.04 BAM 3.50
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
74.36%
Eggs
$3.25 BAM 5.57
$2.43 Rp 43.7K
33.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.46 BAM 17.92
$14.50 Rp 260.6K
-27.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.84 BAM 15.14
$4.35 Rp 78.2K
103.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.24 BAM 22.67
$11.98 Rp 215.3K
10.52%
Apples (1kg)
$1.55 BAM 2.65
$3.72 Rp 66.8K
-58.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 BAM 3.18
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
14.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 BAM 3.55
$2.74 Rp 49.3K
-24.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.30 BAM 3.95
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
2.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 BAM 1.92
$1.92 Rp 34.5K
-41.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 BAM 2.08
$2.28 Rp 40.9K
-46.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 BAM 2.18
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
19.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 BAM 1.38
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.77 BAM 6.45
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
14.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.00 BAM 13.70
$23.19 Rp 416.8K
-65.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 BAM 1.80
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
-62.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 BAM 2.19
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
-53.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 BAM 1.77
$0.27 Rp 4,786
281.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.73 BAM 54.4
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
291.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 BAM 2.56
$0.48 Rp 8,675
210.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 BAM 1.32
$0.42 Rp 7,545
83.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.63 BAM 14.78
$6.22 Rp 111.8K
38.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 BAM 2.55
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
83.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K BAM 45.5K
$26.6K Rp 478.2M
-0.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K BAM 44.3K
$32.2K Rp 578.5M
-19.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 BAM 346
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
157.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.03 BAM 32.60
$4.07 Rp 73.1K
367.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.94 BAM 56.4
$24.33 Rp 437.1K
35.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.14 BAM 60.2
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
-64.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.26 BAM 27.85
$6.34 Rp 113.9K
156.47%
Cinema Ticket
$7.20 BAM 12.33
$3.99 Rp 71.6K
80.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$258 BAM 442
$305 Rp 5.5M
-15.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,394 BAM 5,813
$6,642 Rp 119.4M
-48.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.6 BAM 157
$54.1 Rp 972.9K
69.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.77 BAM 64.7
$37.81 Rp 679.4K
-0.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 BAM 184
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
24.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 BAM 172
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
31.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$436 BAM 747
$992 Rp 17.8M
-56.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$303 BAM 519
$673 Rp 12.1M
-54.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$892 BAM 1,527
$3,375 Rp 60.7M
-73.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$580 BAM 994
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
-71.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,245 BAM 5,559
$2,805 Rp 50.4M
15.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,315 BAM 3,965
$2,227 Rp 40.0M
3.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,042 BAM 1,784
$167 Rp 3.0M
523.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
13.28
-71.39%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 524% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Sarajevo vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $297, with Sarajevo 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sarajevo or Ubud, Bali?
Sarajevo wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sarajevo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Sarajevo or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 524% higher in Sarajevo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Sarajevo compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Sarajevo versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Sarajevo compared to Ubud, Bali?
A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 291% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Sarajevo and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $258 in Sarajevo versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Sarajevo or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sarajevo or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Sarajevo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,176 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sarajevo hard to pass up.
How safe is Sarajevo compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Sarajevo vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities