Is Bosnia expensive? No – it’s a lot cheaper than many destinations in Europe. I spent £121 per day on my recent three-day trip, but I wasn’t trying to budget at all. I stayed in boutique hotels and had a couple of meals out with wine; along with plenty of coffee and ice cream!
That said, although it’s definitely an affordable place to visit compared to places like Italy or Split in Croatia, where I headed next – there were parts that were a bit pricier than I thought they would be!
I’m going to break my Bosnia travel budget down in this post!
Cost of travel in Bosnia
- Currency: Bosnian Convertible Mark (also called konvertibilna marka and abbreviated to BAM or KM), although I could have paid for everything in EUR and it’s pegged at two to one
- Total spend over three days: €428.75 (approx. £366.65)
- My trip length: three days and three nights in Sarajevo and Mostar
- Average daily spend: €214.37 (£122)
How much I spent in Bosnia
Accommodation: €151.72
I stayed in Sarajevo for two nights and Mostar for one.
I stayed in the same place (Guesthouse Halvat) for both nights in Sarajevo; it was walking distance to the old town and was a lovely boutique-style room. Click here to see its listing.
I paid €63 for the first night and €50 for the second. The reason it’s a different price is that I accidentally only booked one night and booked and paid for the other when I arrived. Luckily, there was space!
The price I was quoted was cheaper than the price on Hotels.com – but I’d still recommend reserving your room online.
In Mostar, I stayed at Pansion Infinity (booked in advance). This was self check in, but I found the property without a problem.
It was a comfy room with great AC, and was a five minute walk from the famous bridge.
When I travelled to Split after (which is SO expensive), I couldn’t believe I got a night stay in such a great guesthouse for just €38.72 in Mostar! Take a look at it here.
Transport: €116.60
I spent €116.60 on transport, which included buses to and from Bosnia and Herzegovina and all transport within the country.
I booked at bus from Podgorica to Sarajevo, which took 7 hours, for €30.70. I booked it on https://busticket4.me, which is a Montenegro bus company – I booked my tickets a few days before.
When I left Bosnia, I took a bus to Split, which took about five hours. I booked this via Flixbus (it was a branded Flixbus!), which cost €28.00.
I arrived into East Sarajevo Bus Station, which is about a 20 minute drive to the old city. I was quoted €20 for a taxi. I thought this was a little steep, but it seemed to be the going rate (at least for tourists!).
I also took a taxi from Mostar Station to my guesthouse, which was a 10 minute drive and cost me €10. Both taxis only accepted cash (like a lot of places in Bosnia). On the way back to the bus station, which was close to the train station, I ended up walking as I’d run out of cash!
The train from Sarajevo to Mostar was a lot cheaper, just €6 for a two hour trip through along the Neratva River – and it was incredible! Here’s my full post on it.
I also took one tram in Sarajevo, which cost €0.80 – again, cash only.
Food & drink: €68.11
I spent €89.45 on food and drink – the most biggest cost was a meal at Arabic Restaurant Abu Zadallah, which was €24.00. I did, however, buy enough to cover two meals! I also had a lovely meal at Hindin Han in Mostar; €13.25 for a large plate of grilled veggies and a glass of wine.
I grabbed coffee from Fabrika Coffee in Sarajevo (soy cappucinos); they cost €3.25 for a coffee on its own, although one day I grabbed a pastry as well and it came to €5.25. There’s also a Fabrika Coffee in Mostar, and coffee was only €3.00 there!
Coffee at Caffe Bar Andar in Sarajevo was €3.00 too, and I also got two ice creams for €3.50 each.
On my first day, I got really hungry when I got to Sarajevo’s cable car top station so I grabbed a orange juice and a cake (€5.85), and then I grabbed some sweets for the walk (€3.51) form there.
Attractions: €26.53
I didn’t spent that much on attractions while I was there, as most of the time I was walking around cities (which is how I tend to explore them). The Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide was €10 for entrance and is well worth going to. I also spent €16 on the Sarajevo Cable Car for a return ticket, which enabled me to reach the Olympic Bobsleigh Track.
Finally, I paid €10 for this walking tour in Mostar. I was the only person on this tour and it was a pay-as-you-feel, and I felt a bit bad only tipping €10 – however, because I’d had some issues with getting cash, it was all the cash I had remaining. I did buy the guide a drink at the end of the tour as well!
Groceries: €14.41
I shopped in Konzum supermarket a couple of times in Mostar and spent €14.41. For this, I bought dinner one evening, breakfast the next day and some dinner snacks to eat on the bus to Split later on that day. I was able to pay with card here!
Coworking/workspace: €16.38
This was a random expense, but I had to use a coworking space for a few hours in Sarajevo and paid €16 for it. It’s called HUB387 and I highly recommend it if you need any meeting rooms or high-speed internet while you’re there.
Withdrawal fees: €35
This was the most annoying thing about my trip to Bosnia – I ended up paying €10-15 in withdrawal fees each time, and I didn’t realise I’d need more cash each time. That meant I ended up getting cash out three times!
Total: €428.75 (approx. £366.65)
See my Sarajevo video below!
So, is Bosnia expensive?
The tourist areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina aren’t cheap to visit, but they’re certainly less expensive than Western Europe and the touristy parts of Croatia!
My partner remarked that prices have seemed to go up a lot since from when he was there ten years ago – but I hope that means that the economy has grown and wages for locals has increased.
I found Sarajevo a bit more expensive than Mostar – my room (at a similar quality) was around 30% more, and food and drinks were a little bit pricier. Most of the things I did in Sarajevo were free or cheap, however, and when just visiting for a few days, the difference was fairly negligible!
The one thing that I struggled with cost-wise was the expense of taking cash out. It ended up spending around €35 just on withdrawals! So I’d highly recommend bringing euros with you – they’re pegged 2:1 to BAM and are accepted in pretty much all touristy places!
How to Save Money in Bosnia
Take public transport if you can
I saved SO much money when I took a tram in Sarajevo compared to taking a taxi! Working out the public transport network of a new city is always a bit confusing at first, but I asked at my guesthouse, who told me to get exact change and just pay the driver. I think it wouldnbe best to have cash in local currency for this (so it’s 1.60 BAM for a tram ride in the centre).
Spend time walking around the cities
Sarajevo has an Ottoman centre, which leads to the Austro-Hungarian area; there’s so much history just walking around the city!
There are also lots of nature trails around the city; I loved Dariva, which starts just 10 minutes from the old town!
Mostar is a stunning old city with a famous bridge and narrow pedestrian streets. I spent nearly an hour people watching on the bridge, waiting for the divers!
Drink tap water
Tap water is drinkable in Sarajevo and Mostar, and it’s delicious! It comes right from the mountains and is crisp and fresh. I filled my water bottle from Sebilj, an Ottoman-era fountain. Legend has it that if you drink from the fountain, you’ll return to Sarajevo!
Visit less touristy spots
I’m quite conscious that I visited two of the most touristy parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As with anywhere, visiting less touristy places in the country will be cheaper!
Bosnia vs Croatia cost
I went to Split after Mostar, and it was SO expensive! A hotel that wasn’t as nice cost around €90, and I went ot a restaurant that charged €12 for a side of sweet potato fries!
Bosnia vs Montenegro cost
I paid €38.11 for a hotel room in Montenegro; it was a more basic room than I had in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so I’d say hotels were about on par. I also paid €12 for pasta and a coke zero – again, I think I was eating more expensive meals in Bosnia so I can’t really compare them, but I’d say prices are fairly comparable.
It’s also worth noting that I was in lesser touristy Montenegro, and more touristy Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Bosnia vs Serbia cost
I found Belgrade to be a bit more expensive than Sarajevo. I paid €68 for a room that wasn’t quite as nice as the one I stayed at in Sarajevo, and a dinner with a drink was €21.
Cost of travel in Bosnia FAQs
What currency does Bosnia use?
Bosnia uses the Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM), which is known as Konvertibilna Marka (KM) in Bosnian. It’s pegged 2:1 to Euro, and Euro is accepted at pretty much every tourist site or restaurant in Sarajevo and Mostar.
Is Bosnia cheaper than Croatia?
YES, at least compared to the tourist sites in Croatia, Bosnia is MUCH more affordable! I went to Split straight after and the prices were up to 4x more expensive. If yo’ure looking for cheap places in the Balkans, I’d definitely recommend Bosnia over Croatia!
Do I need cash in Bosnia?
You definitely need cash in Bosnia. In fact, I’d recommend bringing Euros into the country, as I found ATM fees could be very high – up to 15 euros in some parts!
