Moving to Panama 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 Panama — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Panama, you would find that Panama is 54.3% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM128,429 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly PAB100,349 in Panama to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Panama City averages 93°F vs 62°F in Sarajevo, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

BAM128,429 PAB100,349

To maintain the same standard of living in Panama

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 1.7% more

Groceries

pay 61.0% more

Transportation

pay 14.5% more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 2.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 54.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 0.584 PAB (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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Key Indicator Comparison

How Bosnia and Herzegovina and Panama 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
PA
11.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
PA
7.3

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Panama 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
PA
$3,318
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BA
23.2
PA
17.3

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.4t
PA
2.7t

Panama 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
PA
15.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.0%
PA
0.9%

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on infrastructure, though Panama 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%
PA
6.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$19,900
PA
$35,800

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on employment & economy, though Panama leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BA
78.0 yrs
PA
77.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.2
PA
16.4

Bosnia and Herzegovina performs better than Panama 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

Panama City Rain: 75.1 in/yr (1907 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Panama City
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 94°/65°F (34°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 94°/69°F (35°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 92°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 91°/68°F (33°/20°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Panama City
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 92°/65°F (33.4°/18.5°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 94°/65°F (34.2°/18.4°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 95°/65°F (34.8°/18.4°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 96°/67°F (35.4°/19.5°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 94°/70°F (34.5°/21.1°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 93°/70°F (33.8°/21.3°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/21.0°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 93°/70°F (33.9°/20.9°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 91°/70°F (32.9°/21.0°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 91°/69°F (32.6°/20.8°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.3°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 92°/67°F (33.3°/19.2°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá IMHPA - Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Panama

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

Panama passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Panama 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 Panama than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Day-to-day costs in Panama run about 34% higher than Bosnia and Herzegovina on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Panama?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a BAM128,429 comparable salary, that's around PAB25,087 in Panama for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Panama?

With 15.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Panama 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 Panama.

Is Panama safe for expats?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Panama leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Panama is 11.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How is healthcare in Panama compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Panama leads in health coverage index. There are 17.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Panama, compared to 23.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Panama scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Panama City is 93°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Panama City receives around 75.1 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Panama?

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

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At a Glance

BA PA
Population 3,816,459 4,337,768
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) Panamanian Balboa (PAB)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +507
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911