Moving to Russia from Bosnia and Herzegovina
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Russia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Russia, you would find that Russia is 14.0% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM130,000 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly RUB7,230,000 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 62°F in Sarajevo, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Russia.
What does your salary buy?
BAM130,000 → RUB7,230,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.7% more
Groceries
pay 8.8% less
Transportation
pay 28.2% less
Housing
pay 45.7% more
Childcare
pay 56.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.9% 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.
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 Russia cost about 11% more than cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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 Russia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
63.513
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Russia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in road traffic deaths.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on environment, though Russia leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on infrastructure, though Russia leads in electricity per capita.
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
share of people below the poverty line
Russia 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
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Russia 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), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016), Federal Tax Service of Russia (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sarajevo | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sarajevo | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Russia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Russia 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 Russia than Bosnia and Herzegovina?
No — Russia is on average about 14% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RUB1,807,500 in Russia on a BAM130,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Russia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Russia has 27.1 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 Russia safe for expats?
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 25.8 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.
