Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Istočno Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Istočno Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $962 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,440 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,918 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 26% more expensive than Istočno Sarajevo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Istočno Sarajevo 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$7.15 BAM 12.05

51.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$35.34 BAM 59.5

22.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$5.46 BAM 9.20

51.83%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.79 BAM 3.01

67.60%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$2.00 BAM 3.37

-59.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$1.40 BAM 2.36

-67.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.40 BAM 4.04

-7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.12 BAM 3.57

37.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.41 BAM 2.38

36.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.34 BAM 2.26

-49.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$2.09 BAM 3.52

-10.05%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$3.29 BAM 5.54

-22.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$10.15 BAM 17.11

-26.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$8.28 BAM 13.95

-25.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$13.05 BAM 21.99

-28.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.54 BAM 2.59

-20.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.63 BAM 2.75

1.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.72 BAM 2.89

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.74 BAM 2.93

28.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.08 BAM 1.82

-34.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.20 BAM 2.02

-44.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.99 BAM 1.67

19.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.93 BAM 1.57

-29.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.67 BAM 6.19

-18.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$8.20 BAM 13.82

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.08 BAM 1.82

42.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.30 BAM 2.20

73.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.83 BAM 3.08

-80.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$35.83 BAM 60.4

-59.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.43 BAM 2.40

4.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.78 BAM 1.31

-12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$10.61 BAM 17.87

-31.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.50 BAM 2.53

-24.00%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$23.1K BAM 39.0K

-20.18%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

-23.20%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$121 BAM 204

-39.02%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$18.94 BAM 31.91

-38.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$29.07 BAM 48.97

-38.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$29.97 BAM 50.5

100.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$11.02 BAM 18.57

52.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$5.62 BAM 9.47

17.44%

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

$266 ₾708

$154 BAM 259

73.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$3,306 BAM 5,570

57.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$90.7 BAM 153

-14.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$35.26 BAM 59.4

26.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$98.2 BAM 165

18.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$101 BAM 171

11.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$219 BAM 369

216.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$194 BAM 327

138.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$269 BAM 454

390.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$217 BAM 365

257.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$1,826 BAM 3,076

33.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$1,425 BAM 2,401

1.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$725 BAM 1,221

-7.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

3.8

212.89%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $238, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tbilisi vs Istočno Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Istočno Sarajevo differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $962 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Istočno Sarajevo earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Istočno Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Istočno Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Istočno Sarajevo 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 Istočno Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.