Cost of Living in Montenegro

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.

HEALTHCARE

Montenegro has a public healthcare system funded through payroll contributions of about 12.5 percent of salary, with private insurance optional and costing roughly 25 to 60 USD per month.

Out-of-pocket expenses average around 300 to 600 USD per person per year, primarily for medications, private visits, and specialist care.

With average monthly salaries near 700 USD, healthcare costs are a moderate but noticeable portion of income.

EDUCATION

Public schools are tuition-free, though families pay for books, uniforms, and supplies.

Private schools charge $3,000 to $10,000 per year.

Public universities charge tuition of about $1,000 to $3,000 per year, while private universities cost $4,000 to $8,000 annually.

Students also pay for housing, food, transport, and textbooks.

Average monthly income is approximately $600, so education expenses, especially private tuition and living costs, are a notable share of income.