Moving to Poland from Bosnia and Herzegovina

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Poland, you would find that Poland is 45.5% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM128,216 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly PLN379,924 in Poland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Polish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

BAM128,216 PLN379,924

To maintain the same standard of living in Poland

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 28.6% more

Groceries

pay 0.7% less

Transportation

pay 9.8% more

Housing

pay 97.8% more

Childcare

pay 2.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 62.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 2.22 PLN (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?

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

Living there in 2020
4,584 ↑ 34% vs 2015

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

Who's moving to Poland?

Top countries of origin for Poland'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 Poland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BA
1.1
PL
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
PL
6.5

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BA
$1,989
PL
$3,939
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BA
23.2
PL
33.9

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland 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
PL
41.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.4t
PL
7.6t

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on environment, though Poland 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
PL
23.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.0%
PL
32.1%

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on infrastructure, though Poland leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BA
10.4%
PL
2.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$19,900
PL
$44,100

Poland 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
PL
78.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.2
PL
4.2

Poland 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

Warsaw Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
55° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Warsaw
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 66°/46°F (19°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 72°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 44°/33°F (7°/1°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Warsaw
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Poland

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

Poland passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Poland 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 Poland than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

No — Poland is on average about 34% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Poland?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly PLN94,981 in Poland on a BAM128,216 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Poland?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Poland has 23.0 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 Poland safe for expats?

Poland performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Poland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How is healthcare in Poland compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 23.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Poland scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Warsaw is 55°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Warsaw receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Poland?

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

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At a Glance

BA PL
Population 3,816,459 38,093,101
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) Polish Zloty (PLN)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Polish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +48
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112