Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Italy

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 39.5% cheaper than Italy overall. A €65,577 salary in Italy would need to be roughly BAM78,241 in Bosnia and Herzegovina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 BAM78,241

To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 38.5% less

Groceries

pay 33.8% less

Transportation

pay 32.4% less

Housing

pay 45.0% less

Childcare

pay 66.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 46.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (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?

Real numbers on people moving from Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
106 ↓ 9% vs 2015

people born in Italy live in Bosnia and Herzegovina · UN DESA

Who's moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Top countries of origin for Bosnia and Herzegovina's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IT
0.6
BA
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IT
5.0
BA
13.7

Italy performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IT
$4,993
BA
$1,989
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IT
42.5
BA
23.2

Italy 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IT
5.1t
BA
6.4t

Italy performs 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

IT
31.5
BA
27.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IT
29.6%
BA
2.0%

Italy 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

IT
7.6%
BA
10.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IT
$52,700
BA
$19,900

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IT
82.6 yrs
BA
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IT
3.2
BA
5.2

Italy performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all family life metrics.

Data: Italian Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rome Sarajevo
Jan–Mar 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 70°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 79°/56°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 51°/37°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Rome Sarajevo
Jan 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C)
Feb 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C)
Mar 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C)
May 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C)
Aug 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C)
Sep 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C)
Oct 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C)
Nov 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C)
Dec 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C)

Data: Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology, 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 Italy 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.

Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holders can enter Italy 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 Bosnia and Herzegovina than Italy?

Generally yes: Bosnia and Herzegovina runs about 39% cheaper than Italy on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around BAM19,560 in Bosnia and Herzegovina for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Bosnia and Herzegovina?

With 27.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Bosnia and Herzegovina can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Is Bosnia and Herzegovina safe for expats?

Italy performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy.

How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Italy?

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 42.5 in Italy. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).

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

The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.

What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.

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At a Glance

IT BA
Population 61,095,551 3,816,459
Currency Euro (€) Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM)
Languages Catalan, Italian Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +39 +387
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112