Moving to Macedonia from Bosnia and Herzegovina

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Macedonia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Macedonia, you would find that Macedonia is 7.3% cheaper than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM130,000 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly MKD3,800,000 in Macedonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Macedonian.

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Is Macedonia cheaper than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 11.2% less

Groceries

pay 17.1% less

Transportation

pay 6.7% less

Housing

pay 3.6% less

Childcare

pay 15.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 5.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 31.52 MKD (October 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.

What salary do you need in Macedonia?

What does your salary buy?

BAM130,000 → MKD3,800,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Macedonia

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Macedonia cost about 5% more than cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar 34%

Macedonia

Kumanovo 38%
Tetovo 37%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Macedonia.

Living there in 2020
8,750

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

Who's moving to Macedonia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Macedonia compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BA
1.2
MK
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
MK
5.7

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Macedonia 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
MK
$1,808
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BA
25.8
MK
29.4

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BA
55.0
MK
62.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.5t
MK
4.0t

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on environment, though Macedonia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BA
29.4
MK
29.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.1%
MK
52.5%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BA
11.0%
MK
12.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$10,382
MK
$10,490

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on employment & economy, though Macedonia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BA
78.0 yrs
MK
76.6 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.5
MK
2.5

Macedonia generally does better on family life, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020–2021), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016), Public Revenue Office (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Macedonia vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Skopje Rain: 19.8 in/yr (504 mm)
65° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Skopje
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 54°/35°F (12°/2°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Skopje
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia

Can you move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Macedonia?

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Macedonia

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

Macedonia passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Macedonia 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 Macedonia than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

On average Macedonia is about 7% less expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Macedonia?

Budget about MKD950,000 for 3 months in Macedonia (based on a BAM130,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Macedonia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Macedonia: 29.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Macedonia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Macedonia safe for expats?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Macedonia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Macedonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How is healthcare in Macedonia compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in adult obesity rate. There are 29.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Macedonia, compared to 25.8 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Macedonia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Skopje is 65°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Skopje receives around 19.8 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Macedonia?

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

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At a Glance

BA MK
Population 3,140,095 1,820,909
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) Macedonian Denar (MKD)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Macedonian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +389
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112