Cost of Living Comparison Between Tesanj and Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tesanj and Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $872 in Tesanj versus $1,206 in Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Tesanj versus $1,811 in Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,772 in Tesanj versus $2,416 in Sarajevo.

Living in Tesanj costs roughly 28% less than in Sarajevo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tesanj 35% lower, Sarajevo 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 BAM 5.89

$7.21 BAM 12.11

-51.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.66 BAM 27.99

$35.65 BAM 59.9

-53.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 BAM 5.04

$8.96 BAM 15.05

-66.52%

Cappuccino

$0.85 BAM 1.43

$2.04 BAM 3.42

-58.33%

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

$1.48 BAM 2.49

$2.01 BAM 3.38

-26.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 BAM 1.50

$1.42 BAM 2.38

-36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 BAM 3.51

$2.69 BAM 4.52

-22.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.05

$2.32 BAM 3.90

-21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 BAM 1.43

$1.43 BAM 2.40

-40.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 BAM 1.51

$1.21 BAM 2.03

-25.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 BAM 4.03

$2.08 BAM 3.50

15.38%

Eggs

$2.78 BAM 4.67

$3.24 BAM 5.45

-14.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 BAM 16.40

$10.29 BAM 17.29

-5.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 BAM 12.27

$8.86 BAM 14.88

-17.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 BAM 22.10

$13.44 BAM 22.58

-2.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.09

$1.55 BAM 2.60

-19.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 BAM 2.85

$1.87 BAM 3.15

-9.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 BAM 3.22

$2.05 BAM 3.44

-6.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 BAM 2.78

$2.29 BAM 3.84

-27.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 BAM 1.34

$1.12 BAM 1.88

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 BAM 1.18

$1.20 BAM 2.02

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BAM 1.56

$1.22 BAM 2.06

-23.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 BAM 1.62

$0.76 BAM 1.27

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 BAM 5.86

$3.76 BAM 6.33

-7.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 BAM 14.26

$8.33 BAM 13.99

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.11

$1.04 BAM 1.75

20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 BAM 3.46

$1.31 BAM 2.21

57.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$1.08 BAM 1.82

71.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.58 BAM 59.8

$31.31 BAM 52.6

13.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BAM 1.95

$1.44 BAM 2.42

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BAM 0.88

$0.78 BAM 1.31

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.67 BAM 17.93

$9.08 BAM 15.25

17.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.52 BAM 2.55

-5.26%

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

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

-12.64%

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

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

$25.9K BAM 43.5K

3.09%

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

$124 BAM 209

$197 BAM 331

-36.90%

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

$19.29 BAM 32.41

$19.00 BAM 31.92

1.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.67 BAM 48.17

$33.37 BAM 56.1

-14.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 BAM 49.58

$35.64 BAM 59.9

-17.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.80 BAM 18.15

$16.44 BAM 27.62

-34.31%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 BAM 4.94

$6.94 BAM 11.67

-57.64%

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

$150 BAM 251

$255 BAM 428

-41.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,312 BAM 5,565

$3,323 BAM 5,583

-0.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 BAM 121

$91.3 BAM 153

-21.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 BAM 59.5

$36.66 BAM 61.6

-3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 BAM 168

$108 BAM 182

-7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 BAM 201

$99.9 BAM 168

19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 BAM 440

$432 BAM 726

-39.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 BAM 283

$313 BAM 526

-46.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 BAM 621

$877 BAM 1,474

-57.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 526

$600 BAM 1,008

-47.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,603 BAM 4,373

$3,430 BAM 5,762

-24.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,839 BAM 3,090

$2,383 BAM 4,003

-22.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 BAM 1,201

$1,064 BAM 1,788

-32.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.8

8.95%

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

Last update for Tesanj: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Tesanj and $432 in Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 49% 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: $17.00 in Tesanj vs $36.00 in Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $246 per month, with Tesanj 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

Tesanj vs Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tesanj wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Sarajevo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tesanj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Sarajevo earns 49% 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: $262 in Tesanj versus $432 in Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tesanj runs roughly 14% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $150 in Tesanj versus $255 in Sarajevo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $872 in Tesanj versus $1,206 in Sarajevo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tesanj but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Tesanj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tesanj delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $872 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tesanj hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tesanj 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 Tesanj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.