Lima vs Sarajevo
Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.
Lima
The gastronomic capital of the Americas — Lima pairs world-class Miraflores dining and a Pacific cliffside lifestyle with South America's most underrated value, fast internet, and a growing creative scene.
Sarajevo
Where East meets West — Ottoman bazaars, Habsburg avenues, and a 90-day free stay make Sarajevo Europe's most underrated affordable base.
The short answer
- Lima scores higher overall, 74/100 vs 66/100
- Sarajevo is cheaper by $367/mo — about $4,404 a year
- Sarajevo is the safer of the two, 56/100 vs 52/100
- Lima has faster internet, 100 Mbps vs 45 Mbps
Cost of living
Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.
| Expense | Lima | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable budgetper month, all in | $1,367 | $1,000✓ |
| Rent, 1BR city centre | $774 | $400✓ |
| Meal, mid-range | $12 | $8✓ |
| Coworking deskper month | $160✓ | $215 |
| Cost of living indexlower is cheaper | 54.0 | 40.0✓ |
Quality of life
Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.
| Measure | Lima | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | ||
| Healthcare | ||
| Walkability | ||
| English spoken | ||
| Food & dining | ||
| Nightlife | ||
| Outdoors | ||
| Nomad community | ||
| Climate quality | ||
| Public transit |
Scores, connectivity and paperwork
| Measure | Lima | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Score | 74/100✓ | 66/100 |
| Global rankof 100 cities | #35✓ | #61 |
| Internet | 100 Mbps✓ | 45 Mbps |
| Average temperature | 66°F | 53°F |
| Air quality | 55/100 | 68/100✓ |
| Airport connectivity | 78/100✓ | 48/100 |
| Nomad visa | 90 days | 90 days free |
| Headline tax rateon local income | 15% | 10% |
Which should you choose?
Choose Lima if internet is faster at 100 Mbps and the nomad community is larger.
Choose Sarajevo if runs $367/mo cheaper, rent is $374/mo lower, it scores higher on safety (56 vs 52) and it is more walkable.
What each city is known for
Lima
- Back-to-back World's 50 Best Restaurant wins — unmatched food scene
- Fast 100 Mbps fiber and a growing Barranco/Miraflores creative hub
- Pacific cliffside malecón living at a fraction of coastal-city prices
- Perfect US market alignment — open at 10:30am local time
Sarajevo
- 90-day visa-free for most Western passports
- Baščaršija Ottoman old town with ćevapi
- Most affordable European capital
- Turkish coffee culture and layered history