The average monthly net salary paid to employees in legal entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 2026 amounted to 1,691 KM, or 864.59 euros.

Compared with April, it increased nominally by 0.4%, while real growth, after accounting for changes in consumer prices, amounted to 1.3%. This is shown by the latest data from the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The amounts were converted according to the fixed exchange rate under which 1 euro is worth 1.95583 KM. The value in euros is obtained by dividing the amount in convertible marks by 1.95583.

Salaries are rising, but purchasing power much more slowly

Compared with May 2025, the average net salary in BiH increased nominally by 7.4%. Employees thus received on average about 117 KM more, which corresponds to an amount of approximately 59.82 euros.

However, growth in the amount in the account does not mean that the standard of living increased by the same percentage. When price increases are taken into account, the real annual salary growth amounted to 1.7%. Expressed in money, the increase in purchasing power corresponds to an amount of approximately 27 KM, or 13.80 euros.

Average gross salary exceeded 2,600 KM

The average monthly gross salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina in May amounted to 2,631 KM, or 1,345.21 euros. Compared with April, it was higher nominally by 0.5%, and in real terms by 1.4%.

On an annual level, the gross salary increased nominally by 7.8%. After accounting for inflation, real growth amounted to 2.1%.

Croatian average higher by 687 euros

For comparison, the average net salary in legal entities in Croatia according to DZS data in May 2026 amounted to 1,552 euros. The Croatian average was thus 687.41 euros higher than the average net salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or almost 80%.

Interestingly, salaries in both countries grew at a similar rate on an annual level. The average net salary in BiH increased nominally by 7.4%, and in Croatia by 7%. Real growth in both countries amounted to 1.7%, which shows that a large part of the salary increase was offset by rising living costs.

Growth continues, but the gap remains large

The latest data confirm that average salaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to rise, but the actual increase in purchasing power is noticeably more modest than the nominal one. At the same time, the comparison with Croatia shows that the difference in average earnings still exceeds 680 euros per month.

However, the average salary alone does not fully reflect the population's standard of living. For a more realistic comparison, it is necessary to take into account housing, food, transport, and other basic costs, as well as the fact that tax systems and the statistical coverage of employees differ from country to country.