Moving to Switzerland from Bosnia and Herzegovina
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 3.5 times more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM130,000 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly CHF215,000 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
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 Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
BAM130,000 → CHF215,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.5 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 2.0 times more
Housing
pay 5.6 times more
Childcare
pay 7.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.8 times 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 Switzerland cost about 144% 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 Switzerland, based on official data.
people moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
share of households with internet
Switzerland 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
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland 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
Switzerland performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016). 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 | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sarajevo | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland 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 Switzerland than Bosnia and Herzegovina?
No — Switzerland is on average about 249% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CHF53,750 in Switzerland on a BAM130,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Switzerland has 47.0 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 Switzerland safe for expats?
Switzerland performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Switzerland 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 Switzerland, compared to 25.8 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.
