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: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $943 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,428 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $1,913 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 27% more expensive than in Istočno Sarajevo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Istočno Sarajevo 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$7.05 BAM 12.07

53.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$34.79 BAM 59.6

26.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$5.50 BAM 9.42

51.09%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.81 BAM 3.10

64.09%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$2.07 BAM 3.55

-62.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$1.41 BAM 2.42

-67.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.32 BAM 3.97

-7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.11 BAM 3.61

36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.41 BAM 2.41

34.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.35 BAM 2.31

-47.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$2.16 BAM 3.69

-11.57%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$3.17 BAM 5.43

-21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$10.16 BAM 17.41

-23.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$8.31 BAM 14.24

-25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$13.11 BAM 22.45

-27.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-20.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.63 BAM 2.78

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.79 BAM 3.07

3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.73 BAM 2.96

34.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$1.09 BAM 1.86

-34.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.16 BAM 1.98

-42.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.93 BAM 1.59

27.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$1.00 BAM 1.71

-34.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$3.75 BAM 6.42

-22.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$7.94 BAM 13.60

-3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.08 BAM 1.86

47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.33 BAM 2.27

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.84 BAM 3.15

-79.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$35.82 BAM 61.4

-58.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.49 BAM 2.56

0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.76 BAM 1.31

-10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$10.56 BAM 18.09

-31.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.57 BAM 2.70

-30.57%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$23.6K BAM 40.5K

-21.24%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$25.5K BAM 43.7K

-19.79%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$123 BAM 210

-40.41%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$18.78 BAM 32.17

-36.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$28.36 BAM 48.58

-36.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$28.91 BAM 49.51

110.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$10.81 BAM 18.51

52.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$5.63 BAM 9.64

19.01%

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

$269 ₾705

$154 BAM 265

74.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$3,321 BAM 5,688

55.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$92.0 BAM 158

-16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$34.81 BAM 59.6

24.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$98.2 BAM 168

22.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$103 BAM 177

7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$221 BAM 378

211.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$194 BAM 332

142.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$265 BAM 454

410.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$220 BAM 377

258.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$1,767 BAM 3,026

39.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$1,375 BAM 2,354

5.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$734 BAM 1,256

-10.15%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $221 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 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 27% in total monthly costs ($1,197 vs $943 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Istočno Sarajevo. 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $221 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 16% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $943 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,197 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 27% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.