Moving to Spain from Bosnia and Herzegovina

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Spain, you would find that Spain is 70.8% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM128,216 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly €105,099 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

BAM128,216 €105,099

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 62.8% more

Groceries

pay 32.5% more

Transportation

pay 37.4% more

Housing

pay 2.4 times more

Childcare

pay 2.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 68.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 0.5115 EUR (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 Spain, based on official data.

Moved in 2019
99 ↓ 7% vs 2018

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

Who's moving to Spain?

Top countries of origin for Spain'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 Spain.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
ES
3.5

Spain 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
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BA
23.2
ES
44.8

Spain 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
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.4t
ES
4.5t

Spain 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
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.0%
ES
43.2%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Bosnia and Herzegovina 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%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$19,900
ES
$46,400

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BA
78.0 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.2
ES
2.5

Spain 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

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Madrid
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Madrid
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Spain

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

Spain passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
Spain 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 Spain than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

No — Spain is on average about 60% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €26,275 in Spain on a BAM128,216 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Spain?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Spain has 36.0 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 Spain safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 23.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

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At a Glance

BA ES
Population 3,816,459 47,163,418
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) Euro (€)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112