Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Sri Lanka

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Sri Lanka to Bosnia and Herzegovina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Sri Lanka to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 2.5 times more expensive than Sri Lanka overall. A LKR25,169,825 salary in Sri Lanka would need to be roughly BAM155,224 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 87°F in Colombo, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Sri Lanka and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

What does your salary buy?

LKR25,169,825 BAM155,224

To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.2 times more

Groceries

pay 22.2% more

Transportation

pay 2.1 times more

Housing

pay 90.0% more

Childcare

pay 6.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 LKR = 0.0051 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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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Sri Lanka.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

LK
3.4
BA
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
BA
13.7

Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LK
$507
BA
$1,989
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
BA
23.2

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LK
37.0
BA
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
BA
6.4t

Sri Lanka 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

LK
10.1
BA
27.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
BA
2.0%

Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
BA
10.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
BA
$19,900

Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LK
77.5 yrs
BA
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
BA
5.2

Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all family life metrics.

Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Sarajevo
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 70°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 79°/56°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 51°/37°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Sarajevo
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, 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 Sri Lanka 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.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Visa Required
Sri Lanka passport holders need a visa to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.

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 Sri Lanka?

On average Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 21% pricier than Sri Lanka, with notable variation by city.

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

Budget about BAM38,806 for 3 months in Bosnia and Herzegovina (based on a LKR25,169,825 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: 27.1 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?

Sri Lanka generally does better on safety, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

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

The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK BA
Population 23,187,516 3,816,459
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +94 +387
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 112