Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from New Zealand
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Bosnia and Herzegovina — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from New Zealand to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 49.2% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly BAM65,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Bosnia and Herzegovina cheaper than New Zealand?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 35.3% less
Groceries
pay 35.7% less
Transportation
pay 22.8% less
Housing
pay 67.0% less
Childcare
pay 63.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 54.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → BAM65,000
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 26% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How New Zealand and Bosnia and Herzegovina stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand 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 New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Bosnia and Herzegovina vs New Zealand
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Auckland | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) | 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) | 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Auckland | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) | 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) | 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) |
| Apr | 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) | 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) |
| May | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) |
| Aug | 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) | 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) |
| Sep | 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) | 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) | 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) |
| Nov | 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) | 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) |
| Dec | 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) | 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Can you move from New Zealand to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina
Visa Free
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa RequiredData: 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 New Zealand?
Generally yes: Bosnia and Herzegovina runs about 49% cheaper than New Zealand 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 NZ$130,000 comparable salary, that's around BAM16,250 in Bosnia and Herzegovina for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Bosnia and Herzegovina?
With 29.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Bosnia and Herzegovina can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in New Zealand and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Is Bosnia and Herzegovina safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to New Zealand?
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.
What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
Compare further: New Zealand vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
At a Glance
NZ
|
BA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,324,700 | 3,140,095 |
| Currency | New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) | Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) |
| Languages | English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language | Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +64 | +387 |
| Time zones | 5 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 111 | 112 |