🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,811 in Sarajevo versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Sarajevo versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Living in Sarajevo costs roughly 15% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Sarajevo is 10% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.21BAM 12.11
$3.56Rp 63.7K
102.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.65BAM 59.9
$32.73Rp 584.5K
8.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.96BAM 15.05
$4.95Rp 88.4K
81.01%
Cappuccino
$2.04BAM 3.42
$2.71Rp 48.4K
-24.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01BAM 3.38
$1.34Rp 24.0K
50.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42BAM 2.38
$0.70Rp 12.5K
102.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.69BAM 4.52
$2.92Rp 52.1K
-7.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32BAM 3.90
$3.96Rp 70.7K
-41.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43BAM 2.40
$1.81Rp 32.3K
-20.99%
White Bread(500g)
$1.21BAM 2.03
$2.52Rp 45.0K
-51.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.08BAM 3.50
$1.16Rp 20.7K
79.31%
Eggs
$3.24BAM 5.45
$2.46Rp 43.9K
31.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.29BAM 17.29
$14.71Rp 262.7K
-30.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.86BAM 14.88
$4.32Rp 77.1K
105.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.44BAM 22.58
$12.14Rp 216.7K
10.71%
Apples(1kg)
$1.55BAM 2.60
$3.84Rp 68.6K
-59.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.87BAM 3.15
$1.56Rp 27.8K
19.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.05BAM 3.44
$2.83Rp 50.6K
-27.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.29BAM 3.84
$2.33Rp 41.5K
-1.72%
Potato(1kg)
$1.12BAM 1.88
$1.91Rp 34.2K
-41.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20BAM 2.02
$2.20Rp 39.3K
-45.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.22BAM 2.06
$1.01Rp 18.1K
20.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76BAM 1.27
$0.78Rp 13.8K
-2.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.76BAM 6.33
$3.32Rp 59.2K
13.25%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.33BAM 13.99
$23.74Rp 423.9K
-64.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04BAM 1.75
$2.79Rp 49.8K
-62.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31BAM 2.21
$2.86Rp 51.1K
-54.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.08BAM 1.82
$0.27Rp 4,800
300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$31.31BAM 52.6
$8.03Rp 143.4K
289.91%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44BAM 2.42
$0.46Rp 8,150
213.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.78BAM 1.31
$0.45Rp 8,037
73.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.08BAM 15.25
$6.10Rp 108.9K
48.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.52BAM 2.55
$0.79Rp 14.2K
92.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7KBAM 44.9K
$26.1KRp 467.0M
2.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9KBAM 43.5K
$32.1KRp 573.6M
-19.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$197BAM 331
$79.9Rp 1.4M
146.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.00BAM 31.92
$4.06Rp 72.6K
367.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.37BAM 56.1
$23.52Rp 420.0K
41.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.64BAM 59.9
$98.7Rp 1.8M
-63.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.44BAM 27.62
$6.63Rp 118.4K
147.96%
Cinema Ticket
$6.94BAM 11.67
$4.15Rp 74.1K
67.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$255BAM 428
$304Rp 5.4M
-16.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,323BAM 5,583
$6,613Rp 118.1M
-49.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.3BAM 153
$55.5Rp 991.8K
64.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.66BAM 61.6
$38.31Rp 684.1K
-4.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108BAM 182
$88.6Rp 1.6M
22.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.9BAM 168
$77.9Rp 1.4M
28.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$432BAM 726
$1,006Rp 18.0M
-57.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$313BAM 526
$675Rp 12.1M
-53.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$877BAM 1,474
$3,442Rp 61.5M
-74.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$600BAM 1,008
$2,039Rp 36.4M
-70.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,430BAM 5,762
$2,841Rp 50.7M
20.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,383BAM 4,003
$2,264Rp 40.4M
5.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarajevo
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,064BAM 1,788
$165Rp 3.0M
544.01%
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: May 31, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Sarajevo and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sarajevo pays 544% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $302, 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 18% 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 Ubud, Bali?
Sarajevo pays 544% more on average, 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 vs Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Sarajevo versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Sarajevo vs Ubud, Bali?
A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 290% 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 Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $255 in Sarajevo versus $304 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 Ubud, Bali?
At $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $1,419 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 $1,206 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 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.