Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austria

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Austria to Bosnia and Herzegovina — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Austria to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 49.9% cheaper than Austria overall. A €65,577 salary in Austria would need to be roughly BAM66,858 in Bosnia and Herzegovina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Austria to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 BAM66,858

To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 53.7% less

Groceries

pay 45.7% less

Transportation

pay 33.4% less

Housing

pay 61.6% less

Childcare

pay 73.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 57.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Austria to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
194 ↓ 7% vs 2015

people born in Austria live in Bosnia and Herzegovina · UN DESA

Who's moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Top countries of origin for Bosnia and Herzegovina's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AT
0.9
BA
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AT
4.6
BA
13.7

Austria performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

AT
$8,250
BA
$1,989
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AT
55.1
BA
23.2

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Austria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AT
17.0
BA
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AT
6.3t
BA
6.4t

Austria performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AT
29.6
BA
27.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AT
8.7%
BA
2.0%

Austria generally does better on infrastructure, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AT
5.2%
BA
10.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AT
$64,600
BA
$19,900

Austria generally does better on employment & economy, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AT
82.3 yrs
BA
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AT
3.2
BA
5.2

Austria performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Vienna Rain: 24.4 in/yr (620 mm)
58° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Sarajevo Rain: 37.4 in/yr (950 mm)
62° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Vienna Sarajevo
Jan–Mar 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) 70°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) 79°/56°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) 51°/37°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Vienna Sarajevo
Jan 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C)
Feb 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C)
Mar 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C)
Apr 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C)
May 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C)
Jun 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C)
Aug 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C)
Sep 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C)
Oct 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C)
Nov 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C)
Dec 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C)

Data: GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria, Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina. To live, work, or study long-term in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Bosnia and Herzegovina's immigration authority.

Austria passport

Austria passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Austria passport holders can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina without a visa.
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Austria

Visa Free
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holders can enter Austria without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Bosnia and Herzegovina than Austria?

Generally yes: Bosnia and Herzegovina runs about 48% cheaper than Austria on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around BAM16,714 in Bosnia and Herzegovina for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Bosnia and Herzegovina?

With 27.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Bosnia and Herzegovina can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Is Bosnia and Herzegovina safe for expats?

Austria performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Austria.

How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Austria?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Austria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 55.1 in Austria. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Austria: 85).

What's the weather like in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Austria?

The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 58°F in Vienna. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Vienna gets 24.4 in.

What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Austria, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

AT BA
Population 8,913,088 3,816,459
Currency Euro (€) Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM)
Languages German Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +43 +387
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112