Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Herceg Novi Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Herceg Novi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,664 per month in Budva vs $1,282 in Herceg Novi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,659 per month in Budva vs $2,079 in Herceg Novi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,654 per month in Budva vs $2,876 in Herceg Novi, rent included.

Budva costs about 30% more than Herceg Novi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budva sits 21% above the global median, while Herceg Novi is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 €12.91

$11.40 €9.80

31.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 €60.2

$38.04 €32.71

83.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.13

$9.14 €7.86

54.38%

Cappuccino

$3.62 €3.11

$2.61 €2.24

38.70%

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

$2.30 €1.98

$2.56 €2.20

-10.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.37

$1.64 €1.41

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 €4.17

$2.92 €2.51

66.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 €3.80

$3.53 €3.03

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.20 €1.03

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.00 €0.86

14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.94 €2.53

-23.13%

Eggs

$3.21 €2.76

$3.10 €2.66

3.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 €7.90

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.22

$7.43 €6.39

28.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 €11.05

$13.00 €11.18

-1.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.34 €1.15

2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.57 €1.35

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.67 €1.44

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 €2.49

$2.99 €2.57

-3.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.82

$0.91 €0.78

4.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.36 €1.17

-15.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.50 €1.29

19.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.80

$0.99 €0.85

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 €3.96

$4.00 €3.44

15.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 €6.87

$4.53 €3.90

76.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.32 €1.14

-14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.84 €1.59

-1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.47

$1.79 €1.54

60.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.02 €35.27

$47.38 €40.73

-13.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.10 €2.66

-63.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.18 €1.02

0.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.54 €15.08

$17.63 €15.15

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.80 €1.55

-2.22%

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

$29.8K €25.6K

$33.8K €29.0K

-11.87%

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

$26.3K €22.6K

$21.8K €18.8K

20.61%

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

$169 €146

$137 €118

23.38%

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

$15.41 €13.24

$13.28 €11.42

16.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 €29.66

$35.68 €30.67

-3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 €51.5

$57.8 €49.67

3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 €19.21

$11.71 €10.07

90.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 €5.55

$8.31 €7.14

-22.26%

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

$413 €355

$466 €400

-11.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,800

$7,235 €6,220

41.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.5

$85.9 €73.9

29.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.10 €39.64

$35.37 €30.41

30.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

$74.6 €64.2

36.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 €163

$97.7 €84.0

93.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 €698

$682 €587

18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 €509

$415 €357

42.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,327

$1,303 €1,120

18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 €1,010

$927 €797

26.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,272 €3,672

$3,887 €3,342

9.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,029 €2,604

$2,457 €2,112

23.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,056 €908

$1,069 €919

-1.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

19.00%

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

Last update for Budva: August 29, 2026

Last update for Herceg Novi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Budva versus $682 in Herceg Novi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Herceg Novi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Budva versus $38.00 in Herceg Novi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $230 – making Herceg Novi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Budva vs Herceg Novi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,664 in Budva, $1,282 in Herceg Novi – roughly 30% apart. Budva costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,497 per month in Budva and $1,923 in Herceg Novi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Herceg Novi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,664 in Budva and $1,282 in Herceg Novi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Herceg Novi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Herceg Novi, where all-in costs run around $1,282, than in Budva at $1,664. In Herceg Novi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herceg Novi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Herceg Novi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.