Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Tesanj Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Tesanj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,241 in Sarajevo versus $954 in Tesanj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Sarajevo versus $1,390 in Tesanj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,598 in Sarajevo versus $1,825 in Tesanj.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 30% more expensive than in Tesanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Tesanj 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 BAM 14.68

$3.46 BAM 5.81

152.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.93 BAM 68.7

$16.42 BAM 27.59

149.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BAM 14.72

$2.94 BAM 4.93

198.30%

Cappuccino

$2.36 BAM 3.97

$0.91 BAM 1.53

159.34%

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

$2.25 BAM 3.78

$1.44 BAM 2.42

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 BAM 2.57

$0.86 BAM 1.44

77.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BAM 5.01

$2.07 BAM 3.48

43.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BAM 4.92

$1.81 BAM 3.03

61.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$0.81 BAM 1.36

50.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.07

$0.86 BAM 1.44

43.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.85

$2.31 BAM 3.88

-0.87%

Eggs

$3.28 BAM 5.51

$3.06 BAM 5.13

7.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 BAM 18.58

$9.88 BAM 16.60

11.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 BAM 13.38

$7.27 BAM 12.22

9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 BAM 25.48

$13.43 BAM 22.55

12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.63

$1.25 BAM 2.10

25.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BAM 2.96

$1.81 BAM 3.04

-2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$1.85 BAM 3.10

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 BAM 3.54

$1.74 BAM 2.93

21.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BAM 1.67

$0.79 BAM 1.33

26.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 BAM 2.06

$0.68 BAM 1.15

80.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.93

$0.95 BAM 1.59

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.20

$1.01 BAM 1.70

-29.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 BAM 6.81

$4.00 BAM 6.72

1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 BAM 14.10

$8.02 BAM 13.48

4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.54

$1.31 BAM 2.19

-29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$2.32 BAM 3.90

-33.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 BAM 2.16

$1.31 BAM 2.20

-2.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.13 BAM 60.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.17 BAM 1.97

24.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$0.57 BAM 0.96

112.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.17 BAM 15.39

$10.75 BAM 18.06

-14.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 BAM 2.87

$1.53 BAM 2.57

11.76%

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

$31.1K BAM 52.2K

$31.6K BAM 53.1K

-1.63%

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

$24.5K BAM 41.1K

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

9.32%

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

$226 BAM 380

$124 BAM 209

82.11%

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

$14.70 BAM 24.69

$18.92 BAM 31.78

-22.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 BAM 48.14

$28.33 BAM 47.59

1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.96 BAM 70.5

$34.48 BAM 57.9

21.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 BAM 33.85

$30.09 BAM 50.6

-33.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 BAM 11.62

$3.01 BAM 5.05

129.90%

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

$218 BAM 367

$152 BAM 256

43.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,055 BAM 6,811

$3,994 BAM 6,709

1.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 BAM 154

$116 BAM 195

-21.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 BAM 65.5

$34.80 BAM 58.5

11.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 BAM 160

$97.6 BAM 164

-2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 174

$117 BAM 197

-11.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 BAM 785

$349 BAM 586

33.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 BAM 551

$262 BAM 441

24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 BAM 1,819

$528 BAM 888

104.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$380 BAM 638

57.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,438 BAM 5,774

$2,544 BAM 4,272

35.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,422 BAM 4,068

$1,825 BAM 3,065

32.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 BAM 1,823

$715 BAM 1,201

51.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

4.3

-5.12%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $467 in Sarajevo and $349 in Tesanj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 52% 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: $41.00 in Sarajevo vs $16.00 in Tesanj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $225 per month, with Tesanj 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

Sarajevo vs Tesanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tesanj wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Sarajevo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tesanj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 52% higher in Sarajevo, 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: $467 in Sarajevo versus $349 in Tesanj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Sarajevo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,241 per month in Sarajevo versus $954 in Tesanj – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Tesanj versus $1,241 in Sarajevo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tesanj but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Tesanj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tesanj delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $954 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tesanj hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Tesanj 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 Tesanj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.