Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ljubljana and Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,218 in Ljubljana versus $1,266 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,151 in Ljubljana versus $1,911 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,084 in Ljubljana versus $2,556 in Sarajevo.

Living in Ljubljana is roughly 75% more expensive than in Sarajevo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ljubljana is 61% above, Sarajevo is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.48 €14.22

$8.71 BAM 14.69

89.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.3

$41.99 BAM 70.8

66.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 €9.87

$9.12 BAM 15.39

25.44%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.69

$2.32 BAM 3.91

34.48%

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

$3.23 €2.79

$2.25 BAM 3.80

43.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.48 BAM 2.50

37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 €3.49

$2.94 BAM 4.96

37.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 €4.08

$2.96 BAM 4.98

59.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.27 BAM 2.14

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.24 BAM 2.09

81.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.83

$2.22 BAM 3.75

47.75%

Eggs

$4.12 €3.55

$3.26 BAM 5.50

26.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.17 €13.09

$10.85 BAM 18.30

39.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 €8.95

$7.87 BAM 13.28

31.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 €12.65

$15.22 BAM 25.68

-3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.55 BAM 2.61

52.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.69 BAM 2.85

2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.74 BAM 2.93

36.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 €3.24

$2.19 BAM 3.70

71.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.05 BAM 1.77

50.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.23 BAM 2.08

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.11 BAM 1.87

67.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.77 BAM 1.29

22.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 €5.67

$3.98 BAM 6.72

65.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.18

$8.32 BAM 14.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 €1.26

$0.90 BAM 1.52

62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.89

$1.50 BAM 2.54

46.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.31 BAM 2.22

35.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.27 €37.34

$35.61 BAM 60.1

21.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 €1.92

$1.49 BAM 2.51

48.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.23 BAM 2.07

8.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.90 €17.17

$8.85 BAM 14.92

124.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.70 BAM 2.86

11.76%

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

$30.0K €25.9K

$31.1K BAM 52.5K

-3.77%

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

$25.3K €21.9K

$23.8K BAM 40.2K

6.35%

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

$308 €266

$224 BAM 377

37.76%

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

$17.64 €15.22

$14.67 BAM 24.73

20.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.11 €38.93

$28.33 BAM 47.79

59.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 €49.19

$41.45 BAM 69.9

37.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 €21.44

$20.34 BAM 34.31

22.17%

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 €9.47

$7.06 BAM 11.90

55.52%

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

$677 €584

$216 BAM 364

213.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.7K

$3,961 BAM 6,680

270.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.2

$90.8 BAM 153

26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 €39.48

$39.75 BAM 67.0

15.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €98.7

$95.6 BAM 161

19.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €129

$104 BAM 176

42.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 €1,004

$475 BAM 802

144.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 €786

$323 BAM 545

181.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,152 €1,857

$1,076 BAM 1,815

99.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 €1,246

$603 BAM 1,017

139.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,794 €5,862

$3,397 BAM 5,728

100.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,141 €4,436

$2,491 BAM 4,201

106.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,017 €1,741

$1,089 BAM 1,836

85.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.61

4.08

-11.52%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,164 in Ljubljana and $475 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 85% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Ljubljana vs $42.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $244 per month, with Sarajevo cheaper across the board.

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

Ljubljana vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sarajevo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 85% higher in Ljubljana, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,164 in Ljubljana versus $475 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 22% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $677 in Ljubljana versus $216 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Sarajevo versus $2,218 in Ljubljana, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Ljubljana. The gap between the two cities makes Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sarajevo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ljubljana, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ljubljana and Sarajevo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Ljubljana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.