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: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $850 in Tesanj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $1,310 in Tesanj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $1,769 in Tesanj.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 38% more expensive than in Tesanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 12% lower, Tesanj 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.21

$3.45 BAM 5.91

106.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.5

$16.59 BAM 28.37

116.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.05

$2.89 BAM 4.95

204.50%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.54

$0.92 BAM 1.57

125.00%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$1.43 BAM 2.45

41.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$0.91 BAM 1.55

52.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$2.01 BAM 3.43

35.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.09

$1.75 BAM 2.99

36.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$0.81 BAM 1.39

74.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$0.92 BAM 1.57

31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.49

$2.30 BAM 3.93

-11.30%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.56

$2.89 BAM 4.94

12.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.90

$10.17 BAM 17.39

2.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.12

$7.50 BAM 12.83

17.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.64

$13.13 BAM 22.46

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$1.25 BAM 2.14

24.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.62 BAM 2.77

14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.93 BAM 3.30

7.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$1.68 BAM 2.86

36.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$0.84 BAM 1.43

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$0.75 BAM 1.28

61.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.92 BAM 1.57

38.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$1.02 BAM 1.74

-20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.44

$3.61 BAM 6.17

4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.68

$8.06 BAM 13.78

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.22 BAM 2.08

-13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.96 BAM 3.36

-34.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.76

$1.82 BAM 3.12

-43.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.3

$35.82 BAM 61.3

-11.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.16 BAM 1.98

28.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$0.56 BAM 0.96

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.76

$10.47 BAM 17.91

-17.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.48 BAM 2.54

0.68%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$23.1K BAM 39.5K

14.97%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

-0.94%

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

$202 BAM 346

$124 BAM 212

63.22%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.55

$19.14 BAM 32.74

-0.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.3

$28.79 BAM 49.24

14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.1

$29.97 BAM 51.3

17.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.81

$11.05 BAM 18.90

47.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.31

$2.97 BAM 5.08

142.42%

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

$258 BAM 441

$151 BAM 257

71.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,805

$3,244 BAM 5,548

4.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$70.3 BAM 120

30.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.6

$34.36 BAM 58.8

9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$97.4 BAM 167

10.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$117 BAM 201

-14.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 746

$255 BAM 437

70.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$170 BAM 291

78.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,525

$363 BAM 620

145.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 992

$315 BAM 539

84.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,551

$2,468 BAM 4,222

31.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,959

$1,816 BAM 3,106

27.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,781

$687 BAM 1,175

51.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.14

-8.21%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $255 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: $36.00 in Sarajevo vs $17.00 in Tesanj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $224 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 38% 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: $436 in Sarajevo versus $255 in Tesanj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tesanj runs roughly 13% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $258 in Sarajevo versus $151 in Tesanj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $850 in Tesanj versus $1,176 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 $850 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 38% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.