Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Kotor Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Kotor

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,696 per month in Budva vs $1,551 in Kotor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,769 per month in Budva vs $2,452 in Kotor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,842 per month in Budva vs $3,352 in Kotor, rent included.

Budva costs about 9% more than Kotor, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Budva and Kotor sit above the global median – Budva by 27%, Kotor by 16%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.40 €14.12

$16.27 €14.01

0.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 €57.1

$57.4 €49.43

15.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.61 €9.99

$9.07 €7.81

28.00%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.56

$2.69 €2.31

10.41%

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

$2.18 €1.88

$2.25 €1.94

-3.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.48 €1.27

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.91

$2.88 €2.48

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 €3.33

$3.69 €3.18

4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.38 €1.19

2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.99 €0.85

15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.32 €2.00

3.88%

Eggs

$3.20 €2.76

$3.14 €2.70

1.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 €7.58

$8.91 €7.67

-1.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 €7.25

$8.00 €6.89

5.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 €9.96

$12.14 €10.46

-4.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.80 €1.55

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.60 €1.37

-0.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.48 €2.14

18.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.00 €0.86

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.14 €0.98

14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.74 €1.50

-1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.03

$0.87 €0.75

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 €3.76

$4.25 €3.66

2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 €5.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.27 €1.10

-1.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.79 €1.54

1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.41 €1.22

59.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.46 €34.84

$37.92 €32.65

6.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.67 €0.58

76.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.07 €0.92

-1.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.11 €14.74

$11.47 €9.87

49.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.74 €1.49

-0.57%

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

$29.7K €25.6K

$28.8K €24.8K

3.34%

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

$26.6K €22.9K

$26.8K €23.1K

-1.02%

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

$160 €138

$125 €108

27.80%

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

$18.57 €15.99

$18.32 €15.78

1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.80 €28.25

$31.55 €27.17

3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 €53.5

$44.43 €38.26

39.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.67 €20.38

$14.59 €12.56

62.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 €4.89

$5.85 €5.04

-3.08%

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

$418 €360

$289 €249

44.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,774

$7,421 €6,391

37.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 €101

$84.8 €73.0

37.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.85 €41.20

$44.62 €38.42

7.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 €97.1

$93.7 €80.7

20.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 €178

$109 €94.2

88.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 €810

$692 €596

36.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 €589

$673 €580

1.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 €1,507

$1,266 €1,090

38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 €1,235

$1,355 €1,167

5.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,231 €3,643

$4,010 €3,453

5.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,092 €2,663

$2,847 €2,452

8.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,034 €891

$979 €843

5.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

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

Last update for Budva: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kotor: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $941 in Budva versus $692 in Kotor. 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 6% higher in Budva, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Budva versus $57.0 in Kotor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $231 – making Kotor 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 Kotor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,696 in Budva, $1,551 in Kotor – roughly 9% apart. Budva costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,543 per month in Budva and $2,326 in Kotor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kotor, 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 $1,696 in Budva and $1,551 in Kotor. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Kotor. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kotor, where all-in costs run around $1,551, than in Budva at $1,696. In Kotor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kotor has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,551 in Kotor to $1,696 in Budva. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kotor. 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.