Trebinje vs Dubrovnik Accommodation: Which Is Better Value?

Trebinje vs Dubrovnik accommodation: guests ask us this as soon as they start planning a holiday in the south. From our experience the answer is clear. For the same comfort, you pay roughly half in Trebinje of what a similar apartment costs in Dubrovnik. In this article we share what our guests notice when they compare the two towns, where else you save besides the room, who is still better off in Dubrovnik, and how to see Dubrovnik from Trebinje without spending more than you need to.

Is accommodation in Trebinje cheaper than in Dubrovnik?

Yes, and noticeably so. Guests who compare what is on offer in both towns usually tell us the same thing: in Trebinje they get an apartment of the same standard, with air conditioning, a full kitchen and parking, and pay roughly half the price.

To give you an idea: an apartment by the night in Trebinje on Trebistan starts at 45 KM per night, and most apartments are between 70 and 100 KM per night. You will see the exact price for your dates on each listing in our accommodation in Trebinje.

The difference is not only in the nightly price. For the same money in Trebinje you usually get more space too, which you feel most when you travel as a family or a group.

Where else you save besides the room

When guests add up the whole stay, not just the nights, the gap gets even bigger. These are the things they mention most:

• Restaurants and food. Dinner in Trebinje costs much less than in Dubrovnik, and it is home-style Herzegovinian cooking.
• Coffee and drinks. A coffee under the plane trees in the Old Town or a drink by the Trebišnjica river does not strain your budget the way it does on the coast.
• Parking. In Trebinje parking is usually right by the apartment, free or cheap. In Dubrovnik, parking is one of the bigger costs of the day.
• The market and groceries. At the Trebinje market you buy local fruit, vegetables, cheese and honey, and ordinary shopping at the store also comes out cheaper.
• Wine and wineries. Trebinje is wine country. A visit to a local winery or a bottle of local wine for dinner costs far less than on the coast.

What guests value in Trebinje, beyond the price

The lower price is what brings guests to Trebinje, but they tell us they end up liking the rest of it too. These are the things they mention most:

• No crowds. Trebinje is a calm town. While Dubrovnik is packed, here you can stroll through the Old Town and along the river in peace.
• Bigger apartments for the money. More space, especially when you travel with children or with friends.
• Parking at the door. No hunting for a spot, no dragging suitcases through narrow streets.
• Warm hosts. Apartment owners in Trebinje welcome you as guests, not as a booking number. On Trebistan you message them directly in the chat, before and during your stay.

Who is better off in Dubrovnik

To be fair, Trebinje is not the best choice for everyone. There are two kinds of guests we advise to stay in Dubrovnik:

• If you want the beach every day and have no car. Trebinje is not on the sea, and without a car a daily trip to the beach gets tiring.
• If the Dubrovnik Old Town at night is the point of your trip. If you came for nightlife by the sea, or you arrive on a cruise ship, it is more practical to sleep in Dubrovnik.

For everyone else, and especially if you have a car and want to see more than one town, Trebinje is the smarter choice.

Who most often chooses Trebinje over Dubrovnik

• Families with children, who need space, parking and a quiet town.
• Groups of friends, who share a bigger apartment or a villa and save even more.
• Road trippers touring the region, for whom Trebinje is a handy base for Dubrovnik, the Bay of Kotor, Mostar and the rest of Herzegovina.

If you are travelling as a family or a group, also have a look at villas in Trebinje.

How to visit Dubrovnik from Trebinje and save

Our guests save the most when they sleep in Trebinje and visit Dubrovnik as a day trip. This is the advice we give guests before they set off:

1. Leave early. That way you beat the queue at the border and the worst of the heat in the Old Town.
2. Park outside the Old Town. Leave the car away from the walls, then walk or take the local bus.
3. Bring water and snacks from the Trebinje market. A small thing, but it adds up over a day.
4. Have dinner in Trebinje. Come back to Trebinje for dinner instead of eating at a restaurant in Dubrovnik’s Old Town.

We wrote more about the drive, the border and day trips to Montenegro in Stay in Trebinje, Visit Dubrovnik.

How to book accommodation in Trebinje on Trebistan

Booking on Trebistan is simple and has no hidden costs:

• there is no booking fee;
• nothing is paid online: you pay the owner in cash when you arrive;
• cancellation is free up to 3 days before arrival;
• you don’t need an account;
• you chat with the owner and agree everything before you arrive.

Browse accommodation in Trebinje or apartments in Trebinje city centre, and for free days between trips there is our guide to things to do in Trebinje. For questions, write to info@trebistan.com, and you will find answers to common questions on our Help page.

Our advice

If you are torn between Trebinje and Dubrovnik, we always tell guests the same thing: sleep in Trebinje, see Dubrovnik in a day, and spend what you save on good food and trips around Herzegovina.