Budget · Sarajevo · Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo on a budget
What a trip to Sarajevo really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Matěj Baťha, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Sarajevo is very affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $35–$60 per person per day on a tight budget, $80–$140 mid-range and $200–$400 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in October–April.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $35–$60 a day
- Mid-range
- $80–$140 a day
- Luxury
- $200–$400 a day
- Local currency
- BAM
- Free sights
- 6
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $35–$60 | $105–$180 | $175–$300 | $245–$420 |
| Mid-range | $80–$140 | $240–$420 | $400–$700 | $560–$980 |
| Luxury | $200–$400 | $600–$1,200 | $1,000–$2,000 | $1,400–$2,800 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Sarajevo, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Tram single ticket | about 1.80–2 KM |
| Portion of ćevapi (10) with somun | about 8–12 KM |
| Bosnian coffee | about 2–4 KM |
| Portion of burek or pita | about 4–7 KM |
| Local beer in a bar | about 3–5 KM |
| Restaurant dinner with drinks | about 25–45 KM per person |
| Museum ticket | about 5–20 KM |
Money-saving tips
- The convertible mark (KM/BAM) is pegged to the euro at roughly 2 KM per euro; some places accept euros, but at less favourable rates.
- Eat in ćevabdžinicas, buregdžinicas and aščinicas for filling meals at very low prices.
- Many of the best sights — Baščaršija, the cathedrals, the Sarajevo Roses and the Yellow Fortress — are free.
- Buy tram tickets at kiosks rather than from the driver.
- Accommodation prices rise sharply during the film festival in August; book early or avoid those dates.
Free things to do
- Baščaršija and the Sebilj — The old bazaar, founded in the 15th century, centres on the Sebilj, a wooden Ottoman-style fountain in Pigeon Square.
- Ferhadija and the Meeting of Cultures — A line on the paving of Ferhadija Street, marked 'Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures', shows where the Ottoman bazaar gives way to the Austro-Hungarian city.
- Sacred Heart Cathedral — Sarajevo's Catholic cathedral, completed in 1889, is a neo-Gothic church modelled partly on Notre-Dame in Dijon, with twin towers that are one of the city's best-known landmarks.
- Yellow Fortress (Žuta Tabija) — An 18th-century bastion on the hillside above Baščaršija, now a café terrace and the city's favourite sunset viewpoint.
- Morića Han — The last surviving Ottoman caravanserai in Sarajevo, dating from the 16th century, once sheltered merchants and their horses around a central courtyard.
- Sarajevo Roses — Across the city, scars left in the pavement by mortar shells that killed people during the siege were filled with red resin, creating 'roses' that serve as memorials.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, food lovers and budget
Baščaršija
The Ottoman old bazaar of copper workshops, mosques and ćevabdžinicas
$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, couples and culture
Ferhadija and the Austro-Hungarian centre
Pedestrian streets, cafés and Habsburg façades west of the bazaar
$$ · Best for quiet stays and couples
Bistrik
Hillside lanes across the river with views of the old town
Eating well for less
- Burek and pita — Buregdžinicas in Baščaršija and across the city; the best come out of the oven under a metal lid (sač).
- Somun — Bakeries across Sarajevo; every ćevapi shop serves it.
Getting around for less
Sarajevo's centre is compact and walkable along the Miljacka river, with Baščaršija at the eastern end. An east–west tram line runs the length of the valley from Baščaršija to Ilidža, supplemented by trolleybuses, buses and inexpensive taxis.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Sarajevo cost?
About $400–$700 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $175–$300 on a tight budget.
+Is Sarajevo expensive?
It is very affordable for international visitors. The convertible mark (KM/BAM) is pegged to the euro at roughly 2 KM per euro; some places accept euros, but at less favourable rates.
+How much money do I need per day in Sarajevo?
Roughly $35–$60 on a budget and $80–$140 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Sarajevo?
Usually in October–April.