Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bijeljina and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Bijeljina: $919 a month against $1,527 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cape Town, South Africa
Bijeljina
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$919
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bijeljina and in Cape Town

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

A single person spends $919 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Bijeljina $919
  • Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Bijeljina vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Bijeljina $1,430
  • Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in Bijeljina vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Bijeljina $1,941
  • Cape Town $3,306

Bijeljina is about 40% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bijeljina sits 32% below the global median, while Cape Town is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.37 BAM 14.58
$12.01 R 198
-30.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.71 BAM 60.5
$42.92 R 707
-19.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.66 BAM 8.11
$6.15 R 101
-24.23%
Cappuccino
$1.47 BAM 2.56
$2.37 R 39.04
-37.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 BAM 3.03
$1.27 R 20.96
37.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 BAM 1.84
$0.94 R 15.46
11.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 BAM 2.93
$2.96 R 48.77
-43.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 BAM 3.88
$3.69 R 60.8
-39.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 BAM 2.77
$1.32 R 21.73
20.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 BAM 2.12
$1.21 R 19.87
0.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 BAM 2.95
$2.20 R 36.26
-23.18%
Eggs
$3.07 BAM 5.35
$3.10 R 51.1
-0.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.77 BAM 13.54
$8.73 R 144
-11.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.15 BAM 14.19
$6.89 R 114
18.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.50 BAM 20.03
$9.26 R 153
24.19%
Apples (1kg)
$1.58 BAM 2.76
$1.83 R 30.08
-13.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 BAM 3.16
$1.95 R 32.12
-7.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 BAM 3.12
$1.66 R 27.32
7.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 BAM 4.51
$2.14 R 35.19
21.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 BAM 2.66
$1.58 R 26.01
-3.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 BAM 2.64
$1.47 R 24.29
3.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 BAM 2.55
$1.35 R 22.18
8.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 BAM 1.07
$1.14 R 18.85
-46.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 BAM 6.66
$3.58 R 59.0
6.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.66 BAM 15.09
$6.05 R 99.7
43.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 BAM 1.44
$1.39 R 22.95
-40.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 BAM 2.47
$2.18 R 35.90
-34.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.30 BAM 4.01
$1.40 R 23.02
64.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.32 BAM 30.18
$60.8 R 1,001
-71.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.45 BAM 2.52
$0.93 R 15.26
55.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.89 BAM 1.56
$0.90 R 14.83
-1.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.28 BAM 17.90
$4.96 R 81.7
107.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 BAM 2.46
$1.54 R 25.37
-8.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K BAM 47.7K
$35.4K R 582.8K
-22.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.9K BAM 39.8K
$33.4K R 549.9K
-31.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$137 BAM 238
$117 R 1,929
16.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.39 BAM 32.04
$25.71 R 424
-28.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.03 BAM 41.87
$39.41 R 649
-39.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.40 BAM 53.0
$51.6 R 850
-41.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.67 BAM 22.08
$11.35 R 187
11.63%
Cinema Ticket
$4.81 BAM 8.37
$8.89 R 146
-45.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$205 BAM 357
$308 R 5,069
-33.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K BAM 27.9K
$8,141 R 134.2K
96.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3 BAM 96.4
$57.4 R 946
-3.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.69 BAM 44.76
$31.75 R 523
-19.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 BAM 226
$116 R 1,911
11.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 BAM 209
$101 R 1,660
19.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$248 BAM 433
$1,047 R 17.2K
-76.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$167 BAM 291
$669 R 11.0K
-75.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$348 BAM 606
$1,861 R 30.7K
-81.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$289 BAM 504
$1,407 R 23.2K
-79.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,798 BAM 3,132
$2,410 R 39.7K
-25.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,350 BAM 2,352
$1,570 R 25.9K
-13.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bijeljina
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$742 BAM 1,293
$1,630 R 26.9K
-54.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
10.89
-44.90%

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

Last update for Bijeljina: November 3, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Bijeljina
$230
Cape Town
$223 2.8% $6.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bijeljina
$179
Cape Town
$182 1.7% $3
Accommodation & Living
Bijeljina
$167
Cape Town
$669 301% $502
Clothing & Footwear
Bijeljina
$149
Cape Town
$138 7.5% $11
Eating Out
Bijeljina
$123
Cape Town
$174 42% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Bijeljina
$40
Cape Town
$69 73.4% $29
Getting Around
Bijeljina
$32
Cape Town
$72 121% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Bijeljina versus $1,047 in Cape Town. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Cape Town are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Bijeljina versus $43 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Bijeljina vs $223 in Cape Town – so Cape Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇦 Bijeljina
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
09:14 9:14 AM
10:14 10:14 AM
1 h ahead of Bijeljina
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
42,278
3,740,026 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.574 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (1 BAM = 0.511 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.51 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bijeljina Cape Town 8,750 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bijeljina
  • Cape Town

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
Bijeljina vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Bijeljina and in Cape Town compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $919 in Bijeljina, $1,527 in Cape Town – Bijeljina comes out roughly 40% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Bijeljina compared to Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,379 per month in Bijeljina and $2,291 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Bijeljina and Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bijeljina, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $248 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bijeljina or Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $919 in Bijeljina and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Bijeljina about 40% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Bijeljina and in Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 71% less in Bijeljina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Bijeljina, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Cape Town at $1,527. In Bijeljina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Bijeljina or Cape Town?
Families tend to lean toward Bijeljina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Bijeljina and Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Bijeljina. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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