Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Niksic Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Niksic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,723 per month in Budva vs $974 in Niksic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,769 per month in Budva vs $1,475 in Niksic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,815 per month in Budva vs $1,977 in Niksic, rent included.

Budva costs about 77% more than Niksic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budva sits 29% above the global median, while Niksic is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 €14.21

$7.95 €6.84

107.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 €56.6

$31.29 €26.92

110.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 €9.90

$5.70 €4.91

101.93%

Cappuccino

$2.86 €2.46

$1.79 €1.54

59.78%

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

$2.20 €1.89

$1.97 €1.69

11.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.19 €1.03

20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.06 €1.77

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.27

$2.35 €2.02

61.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.17 €1.00

17.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 €0.95

$0.96 €0.82

15.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.00 €1.72

18.50%

Eggs

$3.26 €2.81

$3.11 €2.67

4.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 €7.77

$7.73 €6.65

16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 €6.90

$6.09 €5.24

31.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 €10.21

$10.39 €8.93

14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.21 €1.04

7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.36 €1.17

31.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.55 €1.34

7.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.16 €1.86

35.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.89

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.05 €0.91

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.05 €0.90

62.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.85 €0.74

38.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 €3.86

$4.21 €3.62

6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 €5.64

$5.30 €4.56

23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.94 €0.81

36.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.21 €1.04

42.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.13 €0.97

102.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.39 €34.75

$34.63 €29.79

16.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.56 €0.48

110.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$0.54 €0.46

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.20 €14.80

$7.59 €6.53

126.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.76 €1.51

1.14%

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

$29.8K €25.7K

$22.1K €19.0K

34.80%

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

$26.2K €22.6K

$26.5K €22.8K

-1.14%

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

$159 €137

$127 €109

25.67%

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

$18.52 €15.93

$23.28 €20.03

-20.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.49 €28.81

$24.28 €20.89

37.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 €51.8

$35.40 €30.45

69.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.86 €20.52

$10.74 €9.24

122.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 €4.89

$5.88 €5.05

-3.40%

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

$419 €361

$83.3 €71.7

403.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,803

$4,547 €3,911

125.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €101

$84.3 €72.5

39.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.05 €42.19

$32.47 €27.93

51.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €96.1

$93.3 €80.3

19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 €177

$115 €98.8

79.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 €807

$382 €329

145.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 €601

$227 €196

207.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 €1,503

$540 €464

223.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 €1,217

$383 €329

269.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,240 €3,648

$1,402 €1,206

202.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,169 €2,726

$986 €848

221.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 €900

$833 €716

25.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

5.5

7.82%

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

Last update for Budva: June 2, 2026

Last update for Niksic: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Budva versus $382 in Niksic. 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 26% 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 $31.00 in Niksic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $195 – making Niksic 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 Niksic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,723 in Budva, $974 in Niksic – roughly 77% apart. Budva costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,584 per month in Budva and $1,461 in Niksic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Niksic, 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 $1,723 in Budva and $974 in Niksic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Niksic. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Niksic, where all-in costs run around $974, than in Budva at $1,723. In Niksic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Niksic – 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 Niksic. 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.