Moving to United Arab Emirates from Bosnia and Herzegovina

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates, you would find that United Arab Emirates is 98.1% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina overall. A BAM125,999 salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina would need to be roughly AED498,450 in United Arab Emirates to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abu Dhabi averages 93°F vs 62°F in Sarajevo, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates.

What does your salary buy?

BAM125,999 AED498,450

To maintain the same standard of living in United Arab Emirates

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 16.1% less

Groceries

pay 7.2% more

Transportation

pay 15.2% more

Housing

pay 3.9 times more

Childcare

pay 2.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 BAM = 2.19 AED (June 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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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bosnia and Herzegovina to United Arab Emirates.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BA
1.1
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BA
13.7
AE
5.9

United Arab Emirates 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
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

BA
23.2
AE
29.1

United Arab Emirates 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
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BA
6.4t
AE
18.3t

Bosnia and Herzegovina performs better than United Arab Emirates 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
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BA
2.0%
AE
1533.3%

United Arab Emirates 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%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BA
$19,900
AE
$75,600

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BA
78.0 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BA
5.2
AE
5.1

United Arab Emirates 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.

Sarajevo Rain: 37.4 in/yr (950 mm)
62° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sarajevo Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Sarajevo Abu Dhabi
Jan 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Free
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holders can enter United Arab Emirates without a visa.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates than Bosnia and Herzegovina?

No — United Arab Emirates is on average about 81% more expensive than Bosnia and Herzegovina. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United Arab Emirates?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly AED124,612 in United Arab Emirates on a BAM125,999 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?

Internet is rarely the blocker — United Arab Emirates has 40.0 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 United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 23.2 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 66).

What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 62°F in Sarajevo. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Sarajevo gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the official languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

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At a Glance

BA AE
Population 3,816,459 9,915,803
Currency Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +387 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999