Cost of Living Comparison Between Bar and Budva Cost of Living Comparison Between Bar and Budva

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Bar versus $1,664 in Budva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Bar versus $2,659 in Budva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,744 in Bar versus $3,654 in Budva.

Living in Bar costs roughly 23% less than in Budva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bar is 6% below, Budva is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 €10.14

$15.02 €12.95

-21.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.94 €43.08

$70.0 €60.3

-28.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 €9.15

$14.11 €12.17

-24.81%

Cappuccino

$2.84 €2.45

$3.62 €3.12

-21.55%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.30 €1.99

-0.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.60 €1.38

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 €2.43

$4.85 €4.18

-41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 €2.73

$4.42 €3.82

-28.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.26 €1.09

-3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.14 €0.98

17.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$2.26 €1.95

17.70%

Eggs

$3.24 €2.80

$3.21 €2.77

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 €7.75

$9.19 €7.93

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 €7.16

$9.56 €8.25

-13.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 €10.19

$12.85 €11.09

-8.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.37 €1.19

8.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.73 €1.50

16.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.53 €1.32

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.90 €2.50

-5.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 €0.88

$0.95 €0.82

7.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.15 €0.99

-8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.79 €1.55

17.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.93 €0.80

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.59 €3.96

$4.60 €3.97

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.48 €7.31

$7.99 €6.89

6.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.13 €0.97

-15.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.82 €1.57

-20.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.88 €2.48

-19.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.38 €20.17

$41.02 €35.38

-43.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.14 €0.98

107.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.19 €1.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.46 €12.47

$17.54 €15.13

-17.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.1K €27.7K

$29.8K €25.7K

8.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.0K €25.9K

$26.3K €22.7K

13.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$114 €98.3

$169 €146

-32.68%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.53 €14.26

$15.41 €13.29

7.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.80 €26.57

$34.50 €29.76

-10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 €38.64

$59.9 €51.7

-25.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.35 €13.24

$22.34 €19.27

-31.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 €3.91

$6.46 €5.57

-29.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$328 €283

$413 €356

-20.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,162 €6,178

$10.2K €8,829

-30.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 €56.4

$111 €95.8

-41.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.19 €26.04

$46.10 €39.76

-34.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 €85.3

$102 €87.9

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$189 €163

-36.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 €544

$812 €700

-22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 €387

$592 €511

-24.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 €1,022

$1,543 €1,331

-23.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 €727

$1,175 €1,014

-28.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,039 €2,621

$4,272 €3,684

-28.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,246 €1,937

$3,029 €2,613

-25.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 €790

$1,056 €911

-13.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

-15.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bar: August 30, 2026

Last update for Budva: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $631 in Bar and $812 in Budva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Budva pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Bar vs $70.0 in Budva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $246 per month, with Bar cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bar vs Budva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bar wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Budva. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Budva. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $631 in Bar versus $812 in Budva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $328 in Bar versus $413 in Budva. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Budva. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,289 in Bar versus $1,664 in Budva, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bar but tight or insufficient in Budva. The gap between the two cities makes Bar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bar and Budva are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Budva. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.