Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Bosnia and Herzegovina — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 17.0% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly BAM105,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Sarajevo averages 62°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Bosnia and Herzegovina cheaper than South Africa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.9% less
Groceries
pay 2.1% less
Transportation
pay 14.1% less
Housing
pay 36.0% less
Childcare
pay 29.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.2% 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?
ZAR1,200,000 → BAM105,000
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 9% less than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa 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
Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
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 South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Africa generally does better on environment, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Bosnia and Herzegovina vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 79°/56°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 51°/37°F (11°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Sarajevo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Federal Hydrometeorological Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Can you move from South Africa to Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina
Visa Required
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting South Africa
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 South Africa?
Generally yes: Bosnia and Herzegovina runs about 17% cheaper than South Africa 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 ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary, that's around BAM26,250 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 South Africa and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Is Bosnia and Herzegovina safe for expats?
Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to South Africa?
Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
At a Glance
ZA
|
BA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 3,140,095 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +387 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |