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: $2,054 in Ljubljana versus $1,176 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,008 in Ljubljana versus $1,784 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,962 in Ljubljana versus $2,393 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 54% above, Sarajevo is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.06

$7.14 BAM 12.19

141.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.7

$35.96 BAM 61.4

93.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 €8.26

$8.80 BAM 15.03

7.39%

Cappuccino

$2.58 €2.25

$2.07 BAM 3.54

24.64%

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

$3.04 €2.66

$2.02 BAM 3.45

50.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.39 BAM 2.38

42.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 €3.36

$2.73 BAM 4.66

41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €4.02

$2.39 BAM 4.09

92.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.41 BAM 2.41

4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.90

$1.21 BAM 2.07

79.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.52

$2.04 BAM 3.49

41.18%

Eggs

$3.87 €3.38

$3.25 BAM 5.55

19.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 €11.69

$10.46 BAM 17.88

27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.70 €9.35

$8.84 BAM 15.11

21.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 €11.14

$13.24 BAM 22.61

-3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.55 BAM 2.64

30.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.86 BAM 3.18

-5.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 €1.89

$2.08 BAM 3.55

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 €3.09

$2.30 BAM 3.94

53.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.12 BAM 1.92

22.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 €1.42

$1.21 BAM 2.07

33.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.27 BAM 2.18

34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$0.81 BAM 1.38

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 €5.22

$3.77 BAM 6.43

58.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 €7.33

$8.00 BAM 13.67

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.26

$1.05 BAM 1.80

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$1.28 BAM 2.18

58.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 €1.28

$1.03 BAM 1.76

41.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.25 €36.92

$31.73 BAM 54.2

33.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.49 BAM 2.55

50.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.02

$0.77 BAM 1.32

51.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 €17.46

$8.63 BAM 14.75

131.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.49 BAM 2.54

16.78%

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

$28.9K €25.2K

$26.6K BAM 45.4K

8.54%

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

$28.9K €25.3K

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

11.87%

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

$279 €243

$202 BAM 345

37.88%

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

$18.60 €16.25

$19.03 BAM 32.52

-2.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.84 €33.06

$32.94 BAM 56.3

14.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 €46.09

$35.14 BAM 60.0

50.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 €15.76

$16.26 BAM 27.78

10.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 €7.97

$7.20 BAM 12.30

26.67%

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

$541 €473

$258 BAM 441

109.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K €12.4K

$3,394 BAM 5,799

318.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100.0 €87.3

$91.6 BAM 156

9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 €40.37

$37.77 BAM 64.5

22.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.8

$108 BAM 184

-3.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €121

$101 BAM 172

37.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €875

$436 BAM 745

129.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 €743

$303 BAM 518

180.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 €1,809

$892 BAM 1,524

132.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 €1,283

$580 BAM 991

153.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,373 €5,568

$3,245 BAM 5,545

96.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,903 €4,284

$2,315 BAM 3,955

111.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,018 €1,763

$1,042 BAM 1,779

93.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

3.8

1.05%

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

Last update for Ljubljana: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,002 in Ljubljana and $436 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljubljana pays 94% 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: $69.0 in Ljubljana vs $36.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $246 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 94% 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: $1,002 in Ljubljana versus $436 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 33% less than in Ljubljana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $541 in Ljubljana versus $258 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $2,054 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.