The prices of food, hygiene items, utilities, housing, health and numerous other services are increasing day by day. Between paying utilities, buying food and trying to preserve at least a semblance of normality, the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are not living but surviving.
According to the data of the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, food and overhead costs rose more than alcohol last year. In December 2025, compared to the same month of the previous year, food and non-alcoholic beverages are more expensive by 5.3 percent, while alcoholic beverages and tobacco are more expensive by 4.1 percent. In addition, the cost of housing and utilities experienced a significant rise in prices, with a growth of 7.3 percent. Furniture, household appliances, communication services, and healthcare are also more expensive.
Food and utilities
All this raises the question of how families with several children survive. The six-member Junuzović family told “Avaz” that the most important thing is that the children have everything they need, and the rest more or less.
– For us multi-member families, these price increases are difficult. Four children requires a lot of expense. In our country, there is one salary and child allowances, the consumer basket for a family of four is over 3,000 KM, and what about a family of six, where there are four children who have needs – said Anela, a mother of four, for “Avaz”.
He says they live paycheck to paycheck.
– While utilities are paid, you buy the basics of food and hygiene, and you stretch the rest to cover the month. The most we noticed was that the price of electricity went up, followed by basic foodstuffs, milk and dairy products, eggs, chicken, red meat, but they all raised their prices – said Anela Junuzović.
She said that she hopes that lower prices will be introduced at least for basic food items so that all those who are in some way financially threatened can afford them without thinking about what will happen tomorrow.
Everything became more expensive
Economic expert Igor Gavran told “Avaz” that the trend of rising prices has been present in the real estate market for years, which, he said, have long been inaccessible to “ordinary mortals” and fall more into the domain of investments than regular consumption.
– The differences in the growth of the cost of living are also significant between individual areas, so the highest price increase was in Sarajevo, where the prices of water and communal services were also increased, the quality of which is the worst ever, with the inability to provide even basic services such as snow removal and garbage collection for that higher price – said Gavran.
He also said that the trends in the future will be dictated to the greatest extent by the (in)action of the government, as it has been until now.
– If the government continues to ignore and even encourage price growth by refusing to prevent unjustified price increases, abuse of market position and extra profits, and by increasing the costs of doing business in the economy, then we will surely have the continuation of the same trends as before – explains the economic expert.
Pre-election promises
– This information of the Agency for Statistics could be sarcastically commented that either the citizens have been given the opportunity to seek solace in alcohol or perhaps it is a preparation for the election year because only in an alcoholic state can someone believe in empty pre-election promises.
The policy of equal tax rates on food and basic products and services as well as on alcohol, cigarettes or luxury has long been irrational – said economic expert Igor Gavran.
