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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,206 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,811 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $2,416 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs are close between Tbilisi and Sarajevo; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$7.21 BAM 12.15

49.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$35.65 BAM 60.1

21.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$8.96 BAM 15.10

-7.48%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$2.04 BAM 3.43

47.06%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$2.01 BAM 3.39

-59.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$1.42 BAM 2.39

-67.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.69 BAM 4.54

-17.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.32 BAM 3.91

25.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.43 BAM 2.40

34.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.21 BAM 2.04

-43.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$2.08 BAM 3.51

-9.62%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$3.24 BAM 5.47

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$10.29 BAM 17.34

-27.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$8.86 BAM 14.92

-30.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$13.44 BAM 22.64

-30.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.55 BAM 2.60

-21.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.87 BAM 3.15

-11.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$2.05 BAM 3.45

-12.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$2.29 BAM 3.86

-2.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.12 BAM 1.88

-36.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.20 BAM 2.02

-44.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.22 BAM 2.06

-3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.76 BAM 1.28

-13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.76 BAM 6.34

-20.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$8.33 BAM 14.03

-8.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.04 BAM 1.76

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.31 BAM 2.21

71.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.08 BAM 1.82

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$31.31 BAM 52.7

-53.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.44 BAM 2.42

3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.78 BAM 1.32

-12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$9.08 BAM 15.29

-20.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.52 BAM 2.55

-25.00%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$26.7K BAM 45.1K

-30.98%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$25.9K BAM 43.7K

-22.96%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$197 BAM 332

-62.57%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$19.00 BAM 32.01

-38.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$33.37 BAM 56.2

-46.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$35.64 BAM 60.1

68.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$16.44 BAM 27.70

2.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$6.94 BAM 11.70

-4.90%

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

$266 ₾708

$255 BAM 429

4.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$3,323 BAM 5,599

56.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$91.3 BAM 154

-14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$36.66 BAM 61.8

22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$108 BAM 183

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$99.9 BAM 168

12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$432 BAM 728

60.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$313 BAM 527

47.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$877 BAM 1,478

50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$600 BAM 1,011

29.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$3,430 BAM 5,779

-29.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$2,383 BAM 4,014

-39.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$1,064 BAM 1,793

-36.78%

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 Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $432 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 58% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $36.00 in Sarajevo. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $246, 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 Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Sarajevo earns 58% 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 $432 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sarajevo runs roughly 117% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,206 in Sarajevo versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sarajevo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,206 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sarajevo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and 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.

It comes down to priorities – Sarajevo wins on affordability, Tbilisi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.