Moving to Norway from Bosnia and Herzegovina

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Norway, you would find that Norway is 2.7 times more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM130,000 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly NOK1,900,000 in Norway to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oslo averages 49°F vs 62°F in Sarajevo, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Norway cheaper than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

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

Restaurants

pay 2.7 times more

Groceries

pay 2.2 times more

Transportation

pay 79.9% more

Housing

pay 4.2 times more

Childcare

pay 23.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.4 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 5.42 NOK (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 Norway?

What does your salary buy?

BAM130,000 → NOK1,900,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Norway

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 Norway cost about 88% more than cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar 34%

Norway

Oslo ★ 78%
Arendal 69%
Drammen 69%
Sandnes 68%
Haugesund 68%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
155 ↓ 10% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Norway?

Top countries of origin for Norway'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 Norway.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BA
1.2
NO
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
NO
1.5

Norway 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
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BA
25.8
NO
49.8

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BA
55.0
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.5t
NO
7.2t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BA
29.4
NO
45.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.1%
NO
2.0%

Norway performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BA
11.0%
NO
4.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$10,382
NO
$94,594

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BA
78.0 yrs
NO
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.5
NO
2.0

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

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016), Norwegian Tax Administration (2017). How we calculate this

Weather in Norway 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

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Oslo
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Oslo
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Can you move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Norway?

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Norway 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 Norway than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

No — Norway is on average about 170% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Norway?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NOK475,000 in Norway on a BAM130,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Norway?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Norway has 45.2 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 Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 49.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 25.8 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

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At a Glance

BA NO
Population 3,140,095 5,610,870
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112