Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Zimbabwe

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zimbabwe to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you would find that Bosnia and Herzegovina is 2.6% more expensive than Zimbabwe overall. A ZWL24,000,000 salary in Zimbabwe would need to be roughly BAM133,000 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 78°F in Harare, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

ZWL24,000,000 → BAM133,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 30.5% more

Groceries

pay 6.3% less

Transportation

pay 11.5% less

Housing

pay 0.9% less

Childcare

pay 9.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 18.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ZWL = 0.0054 BAM (October 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 Zimbabwe.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
6.8
BA
1.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
BA
13.7

Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZW
$103
BA
$1,989
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.4
BA
25.8

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe 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

ZW
56.0
BA
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
BA
6.5t

Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though Bosnia and Herzegovina leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZW
1.9
BA
29.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
BA
2.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ZW
9.3%
BA
11.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,021
BA
$10,382

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ZW
63.1 yrs
BA
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
62.4
BA
5.5

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

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Harare Rain: 33.1 in/yr (841 mm)
78° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Sarajevo
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 45°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 70°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 79°/56°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 51°/37°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Harare Sarajevo
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.9°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 44°/29°F (6.6°/-1.9°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 53°/35°F (11.5°/1.4°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 62°/41°F (16.5°/5.1°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/9.0°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.2°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 83°/58°F (28.3°/14.3°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.4°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 63°/44°F (17.3°/6.5°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 51°/37°F (10.6°/2.8°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 40°/29°F (4.3°/-1.7°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, 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 Zimbabwe 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.

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

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

Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa on Arrival
Bosnia and Herzegovina passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Zimbabwe.

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 Zimbabwe?

On average Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 3% pricier than Zimbabwe, with notable variation by city.

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

Budget about BAM33,250 for 3 months in Bosnia and Herzegovina (based on a ZWL24,000,000 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: 29.4 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?

Bosnia and Herzegovina performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Zimbabwe.

How is healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina compared to Zimbabwe?

Bosnia and Herzegovina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 1.4 in Zimbabwe. Bosnia and Herzegovina scores 66 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Sarajevo is 62°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Sarajevo receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.

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At a Glance

ZW BA
Population 16,950,795 3,140,095
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark (BAM)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +263 +387
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112