Moving to Belgium from Bosnia and Herzegovina

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 2.4 times more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM128,216 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly €120,536 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

BAM128,216 €120,536

To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.2 times more

Groceries

pay 57.4% more

Transportation

pay 83.0% more

Housing

pay 2.9 times more

Childcare

pay 4.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.6 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 0.5115 EUR (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 Bosnia and Herzegovina to Belgium, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
161 ↓ 10% vs 2022

people moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Belgium?

Top countries of origin for Belgium's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BA
1.1
BE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
BE
4.6

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BA
$1,989
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BA
23.2
BE
63.9

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium 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

BA
55.0
BE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.4t
BE
7.3t

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on environment, though Belgium leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BA
27.1
BE
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.0%
BE
51.9%

Belgium 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

BA
10.4%
BE
5.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$19,900
BE
$63,600

Belgium 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

BA
78.0 yrs
BE
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.2
BE
3.2

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

Data: Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Brussels
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Brussels
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Belgium

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

Belgium passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina 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 Belgium than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Day-to-day costs in Belgium run about 84% higher than Bosnia and Herzegovina on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Belgium?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a BAM128,216 comparable salary, that's around €30,134 in Belgium for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Belgium?

With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium.

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 23.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

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At a Glance

BA BE
Population 3,816,459 11,847,338
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) Euro (€)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112