Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Podgorica Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Podgorica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,664 per month in Budva vs $1,380 in Podgorica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,659 per month in Budva vs $2,149 in Podgorica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,654 per month in Budva vs $2,917 in Podgorica, rent included.

Budva costs about 21% more than Podgorica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budva and Podgorica sit above the global median – Budva by 21%, Podgorica by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 €12.96

$11.47 €9.90

30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 €60.4

$46.41 €40.05

50.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.18

$10.27 €8.86

37.39%

Cappuccino

$3.62 €3.13

$2.31 €1.99

56.71%

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

$2.30 €1.99

$2.63 €2.27

-12.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.44 €1.25

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 €4.19

$3.14 €2.71

54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 €3.82

$3.55 €3.06

24.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.43 €1.23

-11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.01 €0.87

12.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.05 €1.77

10.24%

Eggs

$3.21 €2.77

$3.53 €3.05

-9.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 €7.93

$8.99 €7.76

2.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.25

$8.60 €7.42

11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 €11.09

$12.81 €11.05

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.69 €1.46

-18.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.84 €1.59

-5.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.96 €1.69

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 €2.50

$2.41 €2.08

20.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.82

$0.99 €0.85

-4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.07 €0.92

7.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.74 €1.50

2.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.80

$0.80 €0.69

16.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 €3.97

$4.49 €3.88

2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 €6.89

$5.90 €5.09

35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.07 €0.92

5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.88 €1.62

-3.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.07 €0.92

169.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.02 €35.40

$34.82 €30.05

17.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.82 €0.71

39.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.85 €0.73

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.54 €15.14

$11.51 €9.93

52.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.86 €1.60

-5.38%

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

$29.8K €25.7K

$32.3K €27.8K

-7.80%

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

$26.3K €22.7K

$28.1K €24.2K

-6.14%

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

$169 €146

$127 €109

33.82%

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

$15.41 €13.29

$20.04 €17.29

-23.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 €29.77

$35.01 €30.21

-1.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 €51.7

$46.66 €40.27

28.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 €19.28

$13.52 €11.67

65.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 €5.57

$6.86 €5.92

-5.83%

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

$413 €356

$375 €324

10.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,833

$7,659 €6,609

33.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.8

$91.1 €78.6

21.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.10 €39.78

$48.43 €41.79

-4.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$99.5 €85.9

2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 €163

$114 €98.6

65.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 €701

$658 €568

23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 €511

$523 €451

13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,332

$1,379 €1,190

11.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 €1,014

$1,000 €863

17.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,272 €3,686

$3,132 €2,702

36.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,029 €2,614

$2,342 €2,021

29.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,056 €911

$1,187 €1,025

-11.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.31

12.05%

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

Last update for Budva: August 29, 2026

Last update for Podgorica: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Budva versus $658 in Podgorica. 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 12% higher in Podgorica, 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 $46.00 in Podgorica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $237 – making Podgorica 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 Podgorica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,664 in Budva, $1,380 in Podgorica – roughly 21% apart. Budva costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,497 per month in Budva and $2,070 in Podgorica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Podgorica, 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 $1,380 in Podgorica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Podgorica. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Podgorica, where all-in costs run around $1,380, than in Budva at $1,664. In Podgorica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Podgorica – 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 Podgorica. 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.