Moving to Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia, you would find that Croatia is 60.3% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM125,999 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly HRK712,361 in Croatia to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia.

What does your salary buy?

BAM125,999 HRK712,361

To maintain the same standard of living in Croatia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 71.8% more

Groceries

pay 12.0% more

Transportation

pay 42.7% more

Housing

pay 98.3% more

Childcare

pay 2.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 74.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 3.85 HRK (June 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?

How many people actually move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
381,100 ↓ 6% vs 2015

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

Who's moving to Croatia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BA
1.1
HR
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
HR
8.1

Croatia performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BA
$1,989
HR
$3,229
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BA
23.2
HR
36.1

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia 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
HR
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.4t
HR
4.8t

Croatia performs significantly 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

BA
27.1
HR
27.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.0%
HR
1.5%

Croatia generally does better on infrastructure, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BA
10.4%
HR
6.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$19,900
HR
$41,300

Croatia 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
HR
77.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.2
HR
8.7

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on family life, though Croatia leads in literacy rate.

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

Zagreb Rain: 33.7 in/yr (856 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Zagreb
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 69°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 50°/35°F (10°/2°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Zagreb
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Croatia

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

Croatia passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Croatia 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 Croatia than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

No — Croatia is on average about 47% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Croatia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly HRK178,090 in Croatia on a BAM125,999 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Croatia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Croatia has 27.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Croatia safe for expats?

Croatia performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Croatia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How is healthcare in Croatia compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Croatia, compared to 23.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Zagreb is 60°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Zagreb receives around 33.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Croatia?

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

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At a Glance

BA HR
Population 3,816,459 4,188,853
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) Croatian Kuna (HRK)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Croatian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +385
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112