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: $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $872 in Tesanj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,811 in Sarajevo versus $1,322 in Tesanj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Sarajevo versus $1,772 in Tesanj.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Tesanj 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 BAM 12.11

$3.51 BAM 5.89

105.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.65 BAM 59.9

$16.66 BAM 27.99

113.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 15.05

$3.00 BAM 5.04

198.67%

Cappuccino

$2.04 BAM 3.42

$0.85 BAM 1.43

140.00%

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

$2.01 BAM 3.38

$1.48 BAM 2.49

35.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.38

$0.90 BAM 1.50

57.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BAM 4.52

$2.09 BAM 3.51

28.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.90

$1.81 BAM 3.05

28.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$0.85 BAM 1.43

68.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$0.90 BAM 1.51

34.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.50

$2.40 BAM 4.03

-13.33%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.45

$2.78 BAM 4.67

16.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 BAM 17.29

$9.76 BAM 16.40

5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 BAM 14.88

$7.30 BAM 12.27

21.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 BAM 22.58

$13.16 BAM 22.10

2.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$1.25 BAM 2.09

24.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.15

$1.69 BAM 2.85

10.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.44

$1.92 BAM 3.22

6.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.84

$1.66 BAM 2.78

37.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$0.80 BAM 1.34

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$0.70 BAM 1.18

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.06

$0.93 BAM 1.56

31.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.27

$0.96 BAM 1.62

-20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BAM 6.33

$3.49 BAM 5.86

7.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 13.99

$8.49 BAM 14.26

-1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.75

$1.25 BAM 2.11

-16.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.21

$2.06 BAM 3.46

-36.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-41.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BAM 52.6

$35.58 BAM 59.8

-12.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.16 BAM 1.95

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$0.52 BAM 0.88

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.25

$10.67 BAM 17.93

-14.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.55

$1.44 BAM 2.42

5.56%

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

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

14.47%

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

$25.9K BAM 43.5K

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

-2.99%

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

$197 BAM 331

$124 BAM 209

58.48%

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

$19.00 BAM 31.92

$19.29 BAM 32.41

-1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.37 BAM 56.1

$28.67 BAM 48.17

16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 BAM 59.9

$29.51 BAM 49.58

20.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 BAM 27.62

$10.80 BAM 18.15

52.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BAM 11.67

$2.94 BAM 4.94

136.05%

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

$255 BAM 428

$150 BAM 251

70.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,583

$3,312 BAM 5,565

0.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 BAM 153

$71.8 BAM 121

27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 BAM 61.6

$35.38 BAM 59.5

3.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 182

$99.9 BAM 168

8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 BAM 168

$120 BAM 201

-16.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 726

$262 BAM 440

65.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 526

$168 BAM 283

85.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 BAM 1,474

$370 BAM 621

137.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$313 BAM 526

91.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,430 BAM 5,762

$2,603 BAM 4,373

31.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 BAM 4,003

$1,839 BAM 3,090

29.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,788

$715 BAM 1,201

48.85%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Sarajevo and $262 in Tesanj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 49% 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 $222 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.

Sarajevo pays 49% more on average, 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: $432 in Sarajevo versus $262 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 14% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $255 in Sarajevo versus $150 in Tesanj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $872 in Tesanj versus $1,206 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 $872 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.