Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Israel

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Israel to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 65.5% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪230,000 salary in Israel would need to be roughly BAM44,600 in Bosnia and Herzegovina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Sarajevo averages 62°F vs 72°F in Jerusalem, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Bosnia and Herzegovina cheaper than Israel?

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

Restaurants

pay 64.8% less

Groceries

pay 47.3% less

Transportation

pay 48.7% less

Housing

pay 77.9% less

Childcare

pay 77.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 69.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 0.5622 BAM (October 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.

What salary do you need in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

What does your salary buy?

₪230,000 → BAM44,600

To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Calculate with your salary →

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 Bosnia and Herzegovina cost about 54% less than cities in Israel.

Israel

Ramat Gan 79%
Netanya 74%
Beersheba 72%

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Israel to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
BA
1.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IL
4.2
BA
13.7

Israel generally does better on safety, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IL
$4,033
BA
$1,989
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IL
38.0
BA
25.8

Israel 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

IL
15.0
BA
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
BA
6.5t

Israel performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IL
29.2
BA
29.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
BA
2.1%

Israel generally does better on infrastructure, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.5%
BA
11.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$60,337
BA
$10,382

Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IL
83.2 yrs
BA
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
2.7
BA
5.5

Israel generally does better on family life, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in literacy rate.

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Israel

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Sarajevo
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 70°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 79°/56°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 51°/37°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Sarajevo
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Can you move from Israel to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

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

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Israel

Visa Required
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holders need a visa to enter Israel.

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 Bosnia and Herzegovina than Israel?

Yes — Bosnia and Herzegovina is on average about 65% cheaper than Israel. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly BAM11,150 in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a ₪230,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Bosnia and Herzegovina has 29.4 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 Bosnia and Herzegovina safe for expats?

Israel generally does better on safety, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel.

How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Israel?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 38.0 in Israel. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL BA
Population 10,122,800 3,140,095
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +972 +387
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 112