Life in Montenegro

Cost of Living in Montenegro

Monthly expenses vary depending on the region and your lifestyle, but it is easily possible for a single person to live with under €1,000 (ca. USD 1,131) per month, including rent and utilities. This is more understandable if you know that the average net salary in Montenegro is around €527 (ca. USD 596).

For an ex-pat, the main part of expenses will be rent, utilities and food, although food prices are lower for Western standards. Rent can take up from €150-400 per month (or more if you want luxury) and basic utilities will be around €80-100 (this includes electricity, wi-fi, cable TV, water and garbage). We don’t know your food habits but expect to need at least around €30-50 per week for groceries.

Long-term car rental can be had for as low as €300 per month and gas will be around €50-100 per month, depending on your mileage. Basic health insurance will set you back around €30 per month. Private doctor appointments go from €30 and up, while dentists are much more affordable than in Western Europe or the USA.

If you like to go out, eat in restaurants or explore the country via some interesting tours, you’ll find the prices usually very affordable, except in some more luxurious venues. A nice dinner for two can cost you as low as €30 and a night in a club or a pub €30 or more, depending on your preference.

Housing and Accommodation

No matter which part of the country you are interested in, Montenegro can offer various types and prices of accommodation. The coast and Podgorica are more expensive than the northern cities, especially during the summer season. Like A Bird can offer you a vast choice of apartments and town or village houses, as well as hotels that offer long-term rent. A one-bedroom apartment’s monthly rent price varies from around €150 in the north to around €250-350 in Podgorica and over €300 on the coast. Utility bills are usually not included in the price, which means an extra €50-100 per month. When it comes to houses, they are more expensive to rent but can be a very interesting alternative if you are coming with your family or you like privacy and the countryside.

Hotels are also offering long-term rentals with all amenities a hotel gives – you don’t have to think about cleaning and cooking. Contact us for special hotel staycation offers.

Check out our long-term rentals offer page.

Food and Drinks

You can find various cuisines in Montenegro, as the national dishes are a result of influence by several cultures in our history. Although meat and dough dominate traditional dishes, Montenegro is a vegan and vegetarian-friendly country, with choices for every preference. When it comes to foreign cuisines, it will be very easy to find Italian and Turkish dishes, as well as many variations of Mediterranean food.

We surely recommend you try local specialties that are based on corn dough, meat and fresh fish. Be sure to try “cicvara” and “kačamak”, traditional dishes in the north of the country as well as homemade cheese and prosciutto. In the central region, we recommend “popeci” and carp fish from Skadar Lake. If you are in the coastal region, don’t miss fresh sea fish and seafood prepared in the traditional way.

You can also find a large number of international cuisine restaurants in Montenegro, so if you like Italian, Chinese or Turkish cuisine, you can enjoy it. Montenegro is also a vegan and vegetarian-friendly place, having a wide choice for any food preference.

When it comes to drinks, Montenegro has fantastic wines and is even home to the biggest single-piece vineyard in Europe. The national wine is Vranac which is made of native grape that originates in Montenegro and is only grown in our country. Montenegrin wines are strong but tasteful with a rich sentiment. Be sure to try homemade “rakija”, a spirit made by distilling grapes, plums, apricots, or peaches. Also, if you like fresh homemade juices, you will definitely enjoy Montenegro.

Climate

The climate in Montenegro is a combination of Mediterranean and continental. Summers are warm, while winters in the central and coastal region are mild, rarely going under 0°C. In the Northern part of the country, dominated by mountains, winters are colder, with a lot of snow. There are a lot of sunny days in the south, and spring and autumn are usually warm and sometimes pretty dry. In short, you will use your sun crème and sunglasses a lot more often than your umbrella.

Healthcare and Insurance

As a foreigner in Montenegro, we recommend one of the private health insurance packages offered by the local companies. We are working with renowned insurance houses as well as private clinics with high standards. Whether you have a specific problem, or just want to have a routine check-up, we can recommend a clinic for you. Montenegro is also known to have brilliant dentists who have very favorable prices by Western standards, so don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment if needed.

Feel free to contact us for a recommendation.

Schools and Education

Montenegro relies heavily on public education, for elementary and high schools, as well as universities. There are, however, several private institutions, offering every stage of education in English. Feel free to contact us for more information.

Sports and Recreation

Montenegro is a great place for individual or group sports activities. Gyms are literally at every corner, usually with personal trainer options. In addition, there is a number of various courts and clubs, so you can play football, basketball, tennis or table tennis on indoor or outdoor courts. There is also a wide variety of clubs and schools for your kids, including handball, volleyball, water polo, karate, judo, and taekwondo. Personal trainers are available for recreational or professional athletes. If you are interested in more extreme sports, like climbing, mountaineering, bike riding, or canyoning, we can put you in touch with some of the clubs or guides who can help. Yoga teachers are also available. Sailing, kayaking, and diving are also part of our partners’ offer.

Personal Development

Personal development and mental health are always important, but more so during and in post-pandemic times. Whether you want to learn a new skill or just improve your emotional intelligence, you can find the right professionals in Montenegro to help.

Administration

We really wish we could say that the Montenegrin administration is a piece of cake, but you probably know how it is with bureaucracy. Luckily, it’s not extremely complicated. To start, be ready to have your foreign documents translated by a licensed translator and notarized by a public notary. In some institutions, people speak English, but in some, you’ll need someone who speaks Montenegrin. Some procedures are very simple, while others require a bunch of documentation and visiting several counters. Therefore, we are here to make this process easy for you and help you with documentation, translation and communication with the administration. Feel free to contact us and consult about the documentation you will need for your plan.

Explore Montenegro with Us

Although a small country, Montenegro is full of treasures and a perfect spot for exploration. Whether you want to explore nature, cultural heritage sights, or just wine and food, you’ll be overwhelmed with options. We are offering organization of various tours, including sightseeing, hiking, biking, rafting, sailing, wine tours and more. You can check out our Montenegro Tours page for more information.