Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Trebinje Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Trebinje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $861 in Trebinje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $1,399 in Trebinje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $1,938 in Trebinje.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 37% more expensive than in Trebinje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.22

$8.31 BAM 14.22

-14.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.6

$28.10 BAM 48.13

27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.07

$8.97 BAM 15.37

-1.90%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$1.21 BAM 2.08

71.07%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.46

$1.74 BAM 2.99

16.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$1.19 BAM 2.04

16.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$2.11 BAM 3.61

29.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.10

$1.82 BAM 3.12

31.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.16 BAM 1.99

21.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$0.85 BAM 1.45

42.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.50

$1.62 BAM 2.78

25.93%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.57

$2.61 BAM 4.48

24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.92

$9.32 BAM 15.96

12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.14

$6.00 BAM 10.27

47.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.67

$12.05 BAM 20.64

9.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$1.34 BAM 2.29

15.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.58 BAM 2.70

17.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.16 BAM 1.98

79.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.95

$1.59 BAM 2.72

44.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$0.95 BAM 1.62

17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.30 BAM 2.23

-6.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.80 BAM 1.36

58.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.66 BAM 1.14

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.45

$3.69 BAM 6.32

2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.70

$5.72 BAM 9.80

39.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$0.71 BAM 1.21

47.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.09 BAM 1.86

17.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.77

$1.78 BAM 3.06

-42.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.4

$36.00 BAM 61.7

-11.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.15 BAM 1.96

29.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$0.53 BAM 0.91

45.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.78

$8.79 BAM 15.06

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.52 BAM 2.60

-1.97%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$29.1K BAM 49.9K

-8.79%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

$27.2K BAM 46.6K

-5.10%

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

$202 BAM 346

$84.4 BAM 144

139.51%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.60

$19.17 BAM 32.83

-0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.4

$23.79 BAM 40.74

38.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.2

$34.37 BAM 58.9

2.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.85

$10.95 BAM 18.76

48.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.33

$2.99 BAM 5.12

140.80%

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

$258 BAM 442

$116 BAM 199

121.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,813

$3,725 BAM 6,379

-8.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$75.9 BAM 130

20.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.7

$36.43 BAM 62.4

3.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$90.8 BAM 156

18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$119 BAM 203

-15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 747

$296 BAM 508

47.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$178 BAM 304

70.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,527

$538 BAM 922

65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 994

$391 BAM 669

48.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,559

$2,569 BAM 4,400

26.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,965

$1,801 BAM 3,084

28.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,784

$862 BAM 1,476

20.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

5.02

-24.30%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Trebinje: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $296 in Trebinje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 21% 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 $28.00 in Trebinje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $194 per month, with Trebinje 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 Trebinje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Trebinje wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Sarajevo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Trebinje the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 21% 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 $296 in Trebinje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Trebinje 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 $116 in Trebinje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $861 in Trebinje versus $1,176 in Sarajevo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Trebinje but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Trebinje the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Trebinje delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Trebinje hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Trebinje 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 Trebinje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.