Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Turkey

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkey to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 9.5% more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,523,838 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly BAM99,308 in Bosnia and Herzegovina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,523,838 BAM99,308

To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 51.8% more

Groceries

pay 44.5% more

Transportation

pay 2.4% more

Housing

pay 34.7% more

Childcare

pay 65.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.0364 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 Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TR
2.7
BA
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
BA
13.7

Turkey 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

TR
$1,769
BA
$1,989
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
BA
23.2

Turkey 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

TR
39.0
BA
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
BA
6.4t

Turkey 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

TR
22.3
BA
27.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
BA
2.0%

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkey leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
BA
10.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
BA
$19,900

Turkey 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

TR
76.2 yrs
BA
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
BA
5.2

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

Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Sarajevo
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 70°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 79°/56°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 51°/37°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Sarajevo
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, 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 Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Turkey

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

On average Bosnia and Herzegovina is about 23% less expensive than Turkey, with major cities narrowing the gap.

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

Budget about BAM24,827 for 3 months in Bosnia and Herzegovina (based on a TRY3,523,838 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?

Turkey 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 2.7 in Turkey.

How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Turkey?

Turkey 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 21.7 in Turkey. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR BA
Population 83,047,706 3,816,459
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM)
Languages Turkish Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +387
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112