Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Norway

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Norway to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 48.6% cheaper than Norway overall. A NOK694,005 salary in Norway would need to be roughly BAM63,775 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 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Norway to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

What does your salary buy?

NOK694,005 BAM63,775

To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 54.9% less

Groceries

pay 44.5% less

Transportation

pay 42.4% less

Housing

pay 60.3% less

Childcare

pay 48.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 67.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NOK = 0.1816 BAM (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 Norway to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NO
0.6
BA
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NO
1.5
BA
13.7

Norway performs 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

NO
$9,523
BA
$1,989
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NO
51.7
BA
23.2

Norway 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

NO
8.0
BA
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NO
7.2t
BA
6.4t

Norway generally does better on environment, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NO
45.9
BA
27.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NO
2.0%
BA
2.0%

Norway performs better than Bosnia and Herzegovina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NO
3.6%
BA
10.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NO
$90,500
BA
$19,900

Norway 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

NO
82.5 yrs
BA
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NO
2.3
BA
5.2

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

Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oslo Sarajevo
Jan–Mar 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) 70°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) 79°/56°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 51°/37°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Oslo Sarajevo
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C)
Mar 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C)
Apr 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C)
May 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C)
Aug 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C)
Sep 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C)
Oct 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C)
Nov 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C)
Dec 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute, 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 Norway 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.

Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Free
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holders can enter Norway 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 Norway?

Yes — Bosnia and Herzegovina is on average about 49% cheaper than Norway. 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 BAM15,944 in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a NOK694,005 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Bosnia and Herzegovina has 27.1 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?

Norway 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 Norway.

How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Norway?

Norway 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 51.7 in Norway. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).

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

The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.

What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

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At a Glance

NO BA
Population 5,553,840 3,816,459
Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM)
Languages Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +47 +387
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112