How Much Does It Cost to Live In Montenegro?
Montenegro is a small country next to Serbia, known for its unique Mediterranean riviera and relatively low prices.
Montenegro is filled with many old cities that look like little forts with little narrow streets brimming with shops and restaurants.
Here, the prices are much higher than in regular cities, and Montenegro has got a lot of those, too.
It depends on where you stay but you could find cheap accommodation for around 12$ per person in the cities by the seaside, though it’s more expensive during summer and the tourist season.
Montenegro : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
You can find both cheap and expensive restaurants in Montenegro, it all depends on where you want to eat.
If you’re eating in one of the old cities, like Budva or Kotor, the food is going to cost more just because of where the restaurants are located.
Generally speaking, you can find a decent meal for around 8$ in an inexpensive restaurant.
MARKETS
There are good supermarkets just outside old towns and the food in them is very fresh.
The bread is nice, local beer (Nikšićko) is cheap and good, while soft drinks are a bit more expensive.
Local beer, vodka, and wine are all good and much cheaper than in clubs.
The fruit and veggies are also reasonably priced.
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation is mostly unreliable but you can always catch a bus or a train with a couple of minutes waiting (for trains, it’s more than a couple of minutes).
Taxis are always an option, but be careful because taxi drivers are known to overprice you for the ride if they sense that you’re a naive tourist.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities aren’t too expensive.
For an apartment of normal size (of about 85m2) they are about 115$, including electricity, heating, gas, cooling, and water.
Cell phone services are considerably lower than in most countries, while high-speed internet can get a bit pricey, varying along the lines of 30$ per month.
SPORTS & LEISURE
As expected, you will have to cash out a bit more money if you want to indulge in sports and fitness activities and pass your time this way.
However, these are reasonable prices for this part of Europe, and most tourists interested in sports will be able to pay for fitness centers that cost about 35$ a month.
Renting a tennis court for an hour costs around 10$ in Montenegro.
Other ways of pastime, like going to a cinema are mostly affordable, too.
CLOTHING & SHOES
When it comes to clothing and shoes, this is something that isn’t quite necessary for any tourist, but if you happen to want to go shopping, be careful because the prices aren’t very low.
You can find quality jeans like Levi’s for almost 62$, dresses and shirts for 32$, while quality shoes and sneakers cost around 83$.
RENT PER MONTH
Like in most countries, living and renting apartments, studios or houses depends on the neighborhood and the type of living facility you’re renting.
You can expect an apartment for one or two people in the city center to cost up to 466.51$, while apartments for larger families can cost twice as much and more, depending on the area where you’re renting.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Montenegro
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $7.61 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $2.17 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.38 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.18 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $0.79 |
| Eggs (12) | $2.53 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.09 |
| Monthly Pass | $32.62 |
| Gasoline | $1.59 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $115.81 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.15 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $27.11 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $35.75 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $10.59 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $5.44 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $61.89 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $32.62 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $82.8 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $466.51 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $334.58 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $955.23 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Montenegro?
Taking into consideration the statistics provided, it can be said that people in Montenegro spend most of their money in supermarkets and markets, buying food and necessities.
They also spend a lot of money covering their taxes, rent expenses, and utilities, which is normal, considering that these are things that need to be paid.
In Montenegro, people also spend a lot of money on transportation.
Apart from going to restaurants, it seems that people in Montenegro practice sports and leisure and enjoy this more than spending their money on clothing and shoes.
Average Costs Breakdown
Montenegro: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
The minimum wage in Montenegro is around 561.4$ which is very low and cannot cover the basic monthly expenses.
If you’re planning on living modestly in Montenegro, you will need somewhere around 700$ per month, if you’re living in the city.
However, people living in villages are used to a more modest life and spend less money.
The average salary in Montenegro is around 654.07 $, which is also not enough to cover all your expenses if you want to afford most things necessary for a living.
Montenegro Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Montenegro Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Cost of Living by City in Montenegro
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Podgorica | 39.83 |
