Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bijeljina and Sarajevo

For one person, living is cheaper in Bijeljina: $910 a month against $1,206 in Sarajevo, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Bijeljina
Learn more

Bijeljina Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Sarajevo
Learn more

Sarajevo Living Index

Jump to prices

Bijeljina

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$910

/mo nomad

Sarajevo

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,206

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bijeljina and in Sarajevo

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 Sarajevo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $910 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,206 in Sarajevo, rent included.

Bijeljina $910
Sarajevo $1,206

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,834 in Sarajevo, rent included.

Bijeljina $1,411
Sarajevo $1,834

A family of three spends $1,911 per month in Bijeljina vs $2,461 in Sarajevo, rent included.

Bijeljina $1,911
Sarajevo $2,461

Bijeljina is about 25% cheaper than Sarajevo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bijeljina and Sarajevo are more affordable than the global median – Bijeljina 33% lower, Sarajevo 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.33 BAM 14.49

$8.61 BAM 14.97

-3.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.75 BAM 58.7

$39.25 BAM 68.3

-14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 BAM 8.17

$8.40 BAM 14.60

-44.05%

Cappuccino

$1.46 BAM 2.55

$2.34 BAM 4.07

-37.61%

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

$1.74 BAM 3.03

$2.17 BAM 3.77

-19.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.83

$1.42 BAM 2.47

-26.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 BAM 3.03

$2.94 BAM 5.11

-40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 4.03

$2.93 BAM 5.10

-20.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.60

$1.21 BAM 2.11

23.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 BAM 2.02

$1.17 BAM 2.04

-0.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.85

$2.10 BAM 3.65

-21.90%

Eggs

$3.14 BAM 5.47

$3.10 BAM 5.39

1.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 BAM 13.32

$10.27 BAM 17.86

-25.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 BAM 13.89

$7.46 BAM 12.96

7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 BAM 20.11

$14.45 BAM 25.13

-20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 BAM 2.80

$1.41 BAM 2.45

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 BAM 3.21

$1.67 BAM 2.91

10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BAM 3.07

$1.50 BAM 2.61

18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 BAM 4.69

$2.05 BAM 3.56

31.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 BAM 2.66

$0.94 BAM 1.64

62.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.45

$1.11 BAM 1.93

27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 BAM 1.98

$1.12 BAM 1.94

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 BAM 1.07

$0.73 BAM 1.27

-16.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 BAM 6.69

$3.89 BAM 6.76

-1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.45 BAM 14.70

$7.25 BAM 12.61

16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BAM 1.43

$0.88 BAM 1.53

-6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 BAM 2.54

$1.55 BAM 2.69

-5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 BAM 3.93

$1.27 BAM 2.21

77.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.43 BAM 30.31

$34.16 BAM 59.4

-48.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BAM 2.53

$1.45 BAM 2.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 BAM 0.95

$1.16 BAM 2.02

-53.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.45 BAM 18.17

$8.38 BAM 14.58

24.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.58

$1.73 BAM 3.01

-14.45%

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

$27.1K BAM 47.2K

$30.2K BAM 52.5K

-10.15%

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

$20.5K BAM 35.6K

$23.3K BAM 40.5K

-12.14%

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

$139 BAM 242

$222 BAM 386

-37.38%

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

$18.30 BAM 31.82

$14.05 BAM 24.44

30.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.35 BAM 40.60

$27.44 BAM 47.72

-14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 BAM 51.8

$40.33 BAM 70.1

-26.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 BAM 14.70

$19.64 BAM 34.16

-56.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 BAM 8.35

$6.90 BAM 12.01

-30.43%

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

$201 BAM 349

$203 BAM 352

-0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,009 BAM 6,972

$3,817 BAM 6,638

5.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 BAM 99.1

$88.7 BAM 154

-35.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.07 BAM 45.33

$37.24 BAM 64.8

-29.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 BAM 221

$90.5 BAM 157

40.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 BAM 206

$99.4 BAM 173

18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 BAM 435

$457 BAM 794

-45.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 BAM 283

$313 BAM 544

-47.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 BAM 607

$1,014 BAM 1,762

-65.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 BAM 488

$596 BAM 1,037

-52.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,803 BAM 3,135

$3,278 BAM 5,700

-45.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,339 BAM 2,329

$2,341 BAM 4,070

-42.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$750 BAM 1,304

$1,041 BAM 1,811

-27.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

47.06%

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

Last update for Bijeljina: October 10, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Bijeljina

$226 24.9%

Sarajevo

$230 19% 1.5% $3.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bijeljina

$181 19.9%

Sarajevo

$264 21.9% 45.9% $83

Accommodation & Living

Bijeljina

$163 17.9%

Sarajevo

$313 26% 92.2% $150

Clothing & Footwear

Bijeljina

$148 16.2%

Sarajevo

$142 11.8% 3.8% $5.6

Eating Out

Bijeljina

$123 13.5%

Sarajevo

$157 13% 27.9% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Bijeljina

$39 4.3%

Sarajevo

$54 4.5% 37.5% $15

Getting Around

Bijeljina

$31 3.4%

Sarajevo

$47 3.9% 51.8% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $250 in Bijeljina versus $457 in Sarajevo. 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 39% 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 $34.00 in Bijeljina versus $39.00 in Sarajevo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $230 – making Bijeljina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Bijeljina

🇧🇦 Sarajevo

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

Same time as Bijeljina

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

42,278

271,194 Capital

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bijeljina Sarajevo 120 km

From you

Bijeljina
Sarajevo

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 Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $910 in Bijeljina, $1,206 in Sarajevo – roughly 32% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,366 per month in Bijeljina and $1,809 in Sarajevo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $910 in Bijeljina and $1,206 in Sarajevo. That's a gap of about 32%.

Public transport costs about 96% less in Bijeljina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bijeljina, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Sarajevo at $1,206. In Bijeljina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarajevo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sarajevo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $910 in Bijeljina to $1,206 in Sarajevo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bijeljina. 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.