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: $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $858 in Trebinje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,811 in Sarajevo versus $1,372 in Trebinje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Sarajevo versus $1,886 in Trebinje.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 41% more expensive than Trebinje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 10% lower, Trebinje 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 BAM 12.11

$8.23 BAM 13.83

-12.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.65 BAM 59.9

$28.49 BAM 47.87

25.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 15.05

$8.76 BAM 14.72

2.28%

Cappuccino

$2.04 BAM 3.42

$1.15 BAM 1.93

77.39%

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

$2.01 BAM 3.38

$1.73 BAM 2.90

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.38

$1.20 BAM 2.02

18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BAM 4.52

$2.00 BAM 3.37

34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.90

$1.78 BAM 3.00

30.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.21 BAM 2.04

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$0.91 BAM 1.53

32.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.50

$1.65 BAM 2.77

26.06%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.45

$2.70 BAM 4.54

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 BAM 17.29

$9.50 BAM 15.96

8.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 BAM 14.88

$5.78 BAM 9.72

53.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 BAM 22.58

$12.19 BAM 20.48

10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$1.28 BAM 2.15

21.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.15

$1.56 BAM 2.63

19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.44

$1.16 BAM 1.94

76.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.84

$1.61 BAM 2.71

42.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$0.95 BAM 1.59

17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.25 BAM 2.10

-4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.06

$0.87 BAM 1.46

40.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.27

$0.67 BAM 1.13

13.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BAM 6.33

$3.56 BAM 5.98

5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 13.99

$5.98 BAM 10.04

39.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.75

$0.76 BAM 1.27

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.21

$1.08 BAM 1.82

21.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.76 BAM 2.95

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BAM 52.6

$34.93 BAM 58.7

-10.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.15 BAM 1.94

25.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$0.51 BAM 0.86

52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.25

$8.60 BAM 14.46

5.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.55

$1.46 BAM 2.46

4.11%

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

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

$28.3K BAM 47.6K

-5.54%

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

$25.9K BAM 43.5K

$26.8K BAM 45.0K

-3.20%

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

$197 BAM 331

$85.9 BAM 144

129.23%

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

$19.00 BAM 31.92

$19.10 BAM 32.10

-0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.37 BAM 56.1

$23.44 BAM 39.38

42.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 BAM 59.9

$33.46 BAM 56.2

6.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 BAM 27.62

$10.81 BAM 18.16

52.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BAM 11.67

$2.87 BAM 4.82

141.81%

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

$255 BAM 428

$116 BAM 195

119.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,583

$3,670 BAM 6,167

-9.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 BAM 153

$74.0 BAM 124

23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 BAM 61.6

$36.02 BAM 60.5

1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 182

$90.0 BAM 151

20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 BAM 168

$120 BAM 201

-16.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 726

$299 BAM 503

44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 526

$179 BAM 301

74.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 BAM 1,474

$523 BAM 879

67.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$383 BAM 643

56.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,430 BAM 5,762

$2,603 BAM 4,374

31.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 BAM 4,003

$1,814 BAM 3,048

31.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,788

$887 BAM 1,491

19.95%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Trebinje: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Sarajevo and $299 in Trebinje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 20% 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 $196 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 41% 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.

Sarajevo pays 20% 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 $299 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 12% 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 $116 in Trebinje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $858 in Trebinje versus $1,206 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 $858 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 41% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.