Moving to Portugal from Bosnia and Herzegovina
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Portugal — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Portugal, you would find that Portugal is 71.3% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM125,999 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly €99,333 in Portugal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Portugal.
What does your salary buy?
BAM125,999 → €99,333
To maintain the same standard of living in Portugal
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 36.0% more
Groceries
pay 22.4% more
Transportation
pay 31.3% more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 3.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.6% more
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 Portugal, based on official data.
people born in Bosnia and Herzegovina live in Portugal · UN DESA
Who's moving to Portugal?
Top countries of origin for Portugal's foreign-born residents.
- 179,524
- 154,017
- 104,164
- 80,570
- 68,299
- 53,384
- · · ·
-
116.46
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal generally does better on family life, though Bosnia and Herzegovina 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sarajevo | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sarajevo | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal. To live, work, or study long-term in Portugal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Portugal's immigration authority.
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Free
Portugal passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Portugal than Bosnia and Herzegovina?
No — Portugal is on average about 54% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Portugal?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €24,833 in Portugal on a BAM125,999 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Portugal?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Portugal has 43.5 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 Portugal safe for expats?
Portugal performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 23.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.
