How to Pay in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina uses the convertible mark (BAM), and this is a cash-heavy country. Cards are accepted at hotels and larger restaurants in Sarajevo and Mostar, but most cafes, bakeries, and smaller shops deal in cash only. ATMs are plentiful in cities. The country is divided into two entities (the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska) with somewhat different administrative systems, though this rarely affects tourists. Intercity buses are the primary way to travel between cities, and schedules can be inconsistent. English is spoken in tourist areas but limited elsewhere.

Payment & Finance Apps

Revolut

Pays in convertible marks at the interbank rate wherever Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka take cards, sparing you double conversion on a currency you cannot exchange once back home.

Pro tip: The mark is pegged at exactly 1.95583 to the euro. Withdraw small amounts, since leftover marks are nearly impossible to exchange outside Bosnia, and always decline ATM offers to convert to your home currency.

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Wise

Converts to Bosnian marks at the mid-market rate with fees shown upfront. Useful for card payments in city restaurants and hotels while cash covers the rest of the country.

Pro tip: Use Wise to check the true rate before exchanging cash. Some Sarajevo shops accept euros informally at roughly two marks per euro, but the rate is worse than paying in marks.

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