Cost Of Living For a Student in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2025

Average monthly spending for students in Bosnia and Herzegovina

How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina spend around 1,100 BAM per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 170 BAM or as high as 7,500 BAM. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

How do students spend their money in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for students

Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina typically spend from 14% to 25% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 19% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 270 BAM with expenditure ranging from 41 BAM to 1,800 BAM. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Bosnia and Herzegovina ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 45 BAM with 6.8 BAM and 300 BAM being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 12 BAM to 520 BAM in a month on commuting with 78 BAM being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 220 BAM. The cost of groceries can range between 34 BAM to 1,500 BAM. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students

Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 10 BAM to 450 BAM with 67 BAM being the norm for most students.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for students

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 8.5 BAM to 370 BAM with 56 BAM being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.

Education and schooling expenditure for students

Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 210 BAM per month with 32 BAM being the minimum spent amount and 1,400 BAM being the maximum.

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Around 64% of surveyed students think that living in Bosnia and Herzegovina is affordable with proper budgeting while 36% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options59%

Few low-cost options41%

Based on the survey, 59% of the students living in Bosnia and Herzegovina have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 41% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds For Students

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Bosnia and Herzegovina whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes62%

No38%

Based on the survey, 38% of the students living in Bosnia and Herzegovina said that they don't have an emergency fund while 62% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy59%

We asked student guardians and parents in Bosnia and Herzegovina whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 41% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 59% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether students of Bosnia and Herzegovina have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 36% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 64% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance36%

Easily manages finances64%

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Rent Cost in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

190 BAM

290 BAM

770 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$110

$160

$430

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

290 BAM

460 BAM

1,200 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$160

$260

$640

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

380 BAM

580 BAM

1,500 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$210

$320

$850

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

460 BAM

770 BAM

2,100 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$260

$430

$1,200

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

920 BAM

2,300 BAM

4,600 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$510

$1,300

$2,600

Townhouse monthly rent cost

770 BAM

1,200 BAM

3,300 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$430

$640

$1,800

House monthly rent cost

920 BAM

2,300 BAM

4,600 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$510

$1,300

$2,600

Villa monthly rent cost

1,200 BAM

2,900 BAM

4,600 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$640

$1,600

$2,600

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Bosnia and Herzegovina ranges between 190 BAM and 770 BAM, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 290 BAM to 1,200 BAM. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 380 BAM and 1,500 BAM per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 460 BAM to 2,100 BAM. The average rent of a townhouse in Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 1,200 BAM while house rental costs can be as high as 2,300 BAM per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 1,200 BAM to 4,600 BAM per month.

Apartment and house prices in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

38,000 BAM

58,000 BAM

120,000 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$21,000

$32,000

$64,000

1-bedroom apartment price

46,000 BAM

77,000 BAM

290,000 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$26,000

$43,000

$160,000

2-bedroom apartment price

77,000 BAM

230,000 BAM

460,000 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$43,000

$130,000

$260,000

3-bedroom apartment price

260,000 BAM

380,000 BAM

1.2M BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$140,000

$210,000

$640,000

Townhouse price

330,000 BAM

770,000 BAM

2.9M BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$180,000

$430,000

$1.6M

House price

380,000 BAM

2.3M BAM

3.3M BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$210,000

$1.3M

$1.8M

Villa price

460,000 BAM

2.6M BAM

3.8M BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$260,000

$1.4M

$2.1M

The average price of a studio apartment in Bosnia and Herzegovina can range from 38,000 BAM to 120,000 BAM depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 46,000 BAM to 290,000 BAM. A villa can cost you 2.6M BAM on average with prices ranging from 460,000 BAM to 3.8M BAM.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be x97 to x198 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x97 multiples of the average monthly salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 30%. This means that people pay 30% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 20% to 40% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student

6.8 BAM

45 BAM

300 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.8

$25

$170

Internet and cable cost

12 BAM

23 BAM

31 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$6.4

$13

$17

Mobile phone bill and charges

9.2 BAM

15 BAM

46 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$5.1

$8.5

$26

The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 45 BAM. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 12 BAM to 31 BAM with 23 BAM being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 15 BAM but can range between 9.2 BAM and 46 BAM depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 6%. This means that people pay 6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3% to 10% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Prices and cost of goods and services in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

2.3 BAM

4.6 BAM

7.7 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.3

$2.6

$4.3

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Bosnia and Herzegovina is approximatly 4.6 BAM with meal cost ranging from 2.3 BAM to 7.7 BAM. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

7.7 BAM

12 BAM

23 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$4.3

$6.4

$13

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 7.7 BAM and 23 BAM with 12 BAM being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Fine dining meal for one price

15 BAM

23 BAM

92 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$8.5

$13

$51

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 15 BAM to 92 BAM with the average cost being 23 BAM for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

1.9 BAM

3.1 BAM

4.6 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.1

$1.7

$2.6

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 3.1 BAM. Price ranges between 1.9 BAM and 4.6 BAM depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

1.5 BAM

1.8 BAM

2.3 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.85

$1

$1.3

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 1.8 BAM. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 2.3 BAM and the minimum being 1.5 BAM depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

1.2 BAM

1.5 BAM

2.3 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.64

$0.85

$1.3

A dozen eggs costs around 1.5 BAM on average with 1.2 BAM and 2.3 BAM being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

2.6 BAM

3.4 BAM

4.8 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.5

$1.9

$2.7

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Bosnia and Herzegovina is between 2.6 BAM and 4.8 BAM depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 3.4 BAM.

Pack of beef price

3.1 BAM

4.6 BAM

9.2 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.7

$2.6

$5.1

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 4.6 BAM. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

1.2 BAM

1.7 BAM

2.4 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.69

$0.94

$1.3

A bag of rice in Bosnia and Herzegovina costs around 1.7 BAM on average with prices rangeing between 1.2 BAM and 2.4 BAM depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

0.46 BAM

0.62 BAM

1.2 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.26

$0.34

$0.64

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 0.46 BAM to 1.2 BAM. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

0.82 BAM

1.1 BAM

1.8 BAM

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.46

$0.60

$0.98

A bag of apples costs 1.1 BAM on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in Bosnia and Herzegovina is around 27%. This means that students spend 27% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 19% to 33% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for students