Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Latvia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Latvia to Bosnia and Herzegovina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Latvia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 23.5% cheaper than Latvia overall. A €67,000 salary in Latvia would need to be roughly BAM100,000 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 50°F in Riga, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Latvia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → BAM100,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 24.1% less
Groceries
pay 11.1% less
Transportation
pay 6.7% less
Housing
pay 27.4% less
Childcare
pay 53.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.4% less
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 Bosnia and Herzegovina cost about 6% less than cities in Latvia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Latvia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Latvia generally does better on safety, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in homicide rate.
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
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Latvia performs 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
Latvia generally does better on infrastructure, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Latvia 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Latvia generally does better on family life, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (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 | Riga | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) | 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) | 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) | 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riga | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) | 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) | 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) |
| Apr | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) | 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) |
| May | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) |
| Aug | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) |
| Sep | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) | 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) | 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) |
| Nov | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) | 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) |
| Dec | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) | 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre,
Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Latvia 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.
Latvia passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina
Visa Free
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Latvia
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 Bosnia and Herzegovina than Latvia?
On average Bosnia and Herzegovina is about 23% less expensive than Latvia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Budget about BAM25,000 for 3 months in Bosnia and Herzegovina (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Connectivity is usually fine (Bosnia and Herzegovina: 29.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Bosnia and Herzegovina offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Bosnia and Herzegovina safe for expats?
Latvia 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 2.5 in Latvia.
How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Latvia?
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 34.0 in Latvia. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Latvia: 75).
What's the weather like in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Latvia?
The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 50°F in Riga. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Riga gets 24.9 in.
What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Latvia, the official language is Latvian.
