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: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,176 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,784 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $2,393 in Sarajevo.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 2% more expensive than in Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Sarajevo 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$7.14 BAM 12.22

51.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$35.96 BAM 61.6

21.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$8.80 BAM 15.07

-5.57%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.07 BAM 3.55

43.48%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$2.02 BAM 3.46

-61.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$1.39 BAM 2.38

-66.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.73 BAM 4.67

-21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.39 BAM 4.10

20.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.41 BAM 2.41

34.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.21 BAM 2.08

-41.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$2.04 BAM 3.50

-6.37%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$3.25 BAM 5.57

-23.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$10.46 BAM 17.92

-26.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$8.84 BAM 15.14

-30.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$13.24 BAM 22.67

-27.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.55 BAM 2.65

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.86 BAM 3.18

-11.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$2.08 BAM 3.55

-11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$2.30 BAM 3.95

1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$1.12 BAM 1.92

-36.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.21 BAM 2.08

-44.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.27 BAM 2.18

-6.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.81 BAM 1.38

-18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$3.77 BAM 6.45

-22.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$8.00 BAM 13.70

-3.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.05 BAM 1.80

51.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.28 BAM 2.19

80.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.03 BAM 1.77

-63.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$31.73 BAM 54.4

-53.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.49 BAM 2.56

0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.77 BAM 1.32

-11.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$8.63 BAM 14.78

-15.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.49 BAM 2.55

-26.85%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

-30.00%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

-20.81%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$202 BAM 346

-63.87%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$19.03 BAM 32.60

-37.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$32.94 BAM 56.4

-45.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$35.14 BAM 60.2

73.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$16.26 BAM 27.85

1.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$7.20 BAM 12.33

-6.94%

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

$269 ₾705

$258 BAM 442

4.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$3,394 BAM 5,813

51.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$91.6 BAM 157

-16.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$37.77 BAM 64.7

14.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$108 BAM 184

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$101 BAM 172

9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$436 BAM 747

57.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$303 BAM 519

55.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$892 BAM 1,527

51.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$580 BAM 994

35.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$3,245 BAM 5,559

-23.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$2,315 BAM 3,965

-37.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$1,042 BAM 1,784

-36.72%

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 Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $436 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 58% 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 $36.00 in Sarajevo. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 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

Sarajevo wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sarajevo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in 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 $436 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 115% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $258 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $1,197 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 $1,176 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.

Expats usually find Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.