Consumer basket in Bosnia reaches €1,755 in September

According to the Federation’s Statistical Office, the average salary paid in the Federation of BiH for July 2025, the most recent available data, was 1,628 marks (approx. €833), while the minimum wage, as determined by a government decision, stands at 1,000 marks (approx. €512).

This means that the average salary covers only 47.44 percent of the Trade Union Consumer Basket, while the minimum wage covers just 29.14 percent.

When compiling the Consumer Basket, the SSSBiH took into account the average salary paid in the Federation of BiH, as well as the minimum cost of living for a four-member household consisting of two adults and two children – one in secondary school and the other in primary school.

The structure of the Consumer Basket is as follows:

• Food: 41.80%
• Housing and utilities: 14.18%
• Hygiene and healthcare: 9.05%
• Education and culture: 13.99%
• Clothing and footwear: 10.49%
• Transport: 4.66%
• Household maintenance: 5.83%

In the food category, prices of 86 products were collected from three major retail chains. For hygiene and healthcare, the basket includes 10 items, while housing and utility costs are based on six items, the SSSBiH said in a statement.

The Trade Union Consumer Basket serves as an indicator of the gap between income levels and the real cost of living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighting that an average household still struggles to meet basic living standards despite wage growth in recent years.