Bosnia & Herzegovina for Digital Nomads

Bosnia & Herzegovina for Digital Nomads

Is Bosnia and Herzegovina a good destination for digital nomads? In short – YES, and here we will explain why. But first: WHAT is a Digital Nomad? 

Digital nomads are people who are location-independent and use technology to perform their job, living a nomadic lifestyle. Digital nomads work remotely, telecommuting rather than being physically present at a company’s headquarters or office. Read more here.

What Digital Nomads Need?

Having the right base will be crucial to your overall success as a digital nomad. You’ll want to select a location that suits your lifestyle, preferences, and is well within your comfort zone and budget. To do this effectively, start by taking a look at the following elements that will impact your experience as a digital nomad:

• Visa requirements – Need to select a destination that one ca n travel to legally on the passport you hold.
• Infrastructure – Things like lodging, getting around, medical care, and other infrastructure elements that are important to nomad lifestyles.
• Internet Access – As a digital nomad, one’s need for internet access is literally right in the job title — digital nomad.
• Cost of Living – It is important to understand the initial and everyday expenses one will face as a digital nomad and whether they fit their budget.
• Safety – Perhaps the most important concern one should have when traveling anywhere is the safety of the region they plan to visit.
• Working/Co-working Spaces – Working/co-working spaces are safe and reliable places with solid internet connectivity to get work done.
• Cultural Offer/Things to Do – Pick a digital nomad base that offers a good balance of nature, culture, cuisine, and activities to suit one’s tastes and preferences.
• Shopping – Ample shopping infrastructure where one can find everything they may have forgotten to bring with them. 

What Bosnia & Herzegovina Offers to Digital Nomads?

Visa requirements: Bosnia & Herzegovina is an open country with open access to citizens of many countries. You can read more about visa requirements here: Entry, Visa & Insurance Info – Bosnia4u.com. Holders of passports of 97 jurisdictions may enter and stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina for up to 90 days within 180 days without a visa. So, if you have a passport of one of these 97 countries, you can spend up to 90 days in Bosnia & Herzegovina without any need for additional visas or documents. 

If you wish to stay longer than 90 days or if you have a passport other than these 97 countries, you can find more information about what you need to do here: http://msb.gov.ba/inf_za_strance/default.aspx?id=14555&langTag=en-US. 

Infrastructure: 

Transportation – Getting around Bosnia & Herzegovina will likely involve a combination of the train and buses. Getting around cities like Sarajevo will involve taxis and public transportation. Either way, all options are inexpensive. Do not expect to spend more than $200 per month on transportation. You can find more information here: Getting Around – Bosnia4u.com.

Lodging – As a digital nomad, you will probably be looking for inexpensive accommodations. Well, you are in luck. Bosnia & Herzegovina offers some of the most affordable rates for hostels, hotels and apartment rentals. Hostels in average cost $10-18 per night. There are plenty of hostels in all major cities and they offer reasonably good accommodations and other infrastructure for work and living. Hotels are naturally pricier, particularly during the high tourist season from June-August, but still more affordable than in Croatia for example. When it comes to apartments, if you are staying long term, that would be the best option. Average one-bedroom apartments in Sarajevo would cost you between $180-265, without utilities. You can expect to spend about $145 for utilities. 

Medical care – Medical care in public facilities is average at best. If you need medical assistance, you can seek care in one of many private clinics that offer much better care at reasonable prices. Hospital emergency services should be used only in serious situations (serious injury, poisoning, burns, infarction, thromboses, breathing difficulties, etc.). Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation. Your insurance should also include cover for evacuation by air ambulance. More info can be found here: Health & Safety.

Internet access: Internet access is widely available in Bosnia & Herzegovina at decent speeds and digital nomads will not have issues with this requirement. Most hostels/hotels offer free internet access, albeit at variable quality. If you rent an apartment, the cost of high-speed internet will be in the vicinity of $20 per month, and that probably includes cable TV as well. Most restaurants, cafes and shopping centers offer free internet access. Mobile internet can be pricey if you use top-up option, so it is better to get a monthly plan. For $15 per month you can get a plan that would cover all your monthly internet and local call needs. The mobile internet network in the country still stands at 4G. 

Cost of living: This is probably the best aspect of living in Bosnia & Herzegovina as a digital nomad. A single person’s estimated monthly costs of living are $509 without rent. With rent (described above) you can comfortably modestly live on $700-800 per month. If you are going to be eating out (likely option), you can get by with $1,000 per month. Not many places can compete with this, particularly in Europe. More detailed info: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Sarajevo?displayCurrency=USD.

Safety: The level of crime is generally low, and crime against foreigners is particularly low. More info can be found here: Health & Safety.

Working/co-working spaces: Unlike in the west, the concept of co-working is fairly new in Bosnia & Herzegovina. However, such options are now available in large cities such as Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla and Mostar. In Sarajevo, there are many co-working options available at the cost of $4-15 per day per desk space. If you are renting weekly or monthly, you can save more. Private offices and meeting rooms are available as well. If you are willing to work at home, hostel or a cafe, you can avoid this expenditure. 

Cultural offer/things to do: There are many reasons why you should opt for spending some time as a digital nomad in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Whether you are looking for history, adventure or gourmet food, this country has it all. More info is available here: Why Visit Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Shopping: Bosnia & Herzegovina is an interesting place to shop. Whether you are looking for a cultural blend of shopping options or modern shopping centers, you can find it all here. Most importantly, most things that you need as a digital nomad can be found in some of the local shopping centers, particularly in large cities such as Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla and Mostar. More info is available here: Shopping.

All in all, Bosnia & Herzegovina is a great and inexpensive option for digital nomads. You will find everything you need to live and work here for a short period of time. You will be welcomed with open arms and leave with great memories! So, make Bosnia & Herzegovina your next destination in your digital nomad itinerary! Please contact us if you have any questions how to make this happen. 

LATEST: Tuzla was voted the cheapest city for digital nomads in Europe for 2024. Sarajevo came in the 10th place in the same category. Read more here.