Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Zabljak Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Zabljak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,705 per month in Budva vs $1,246 in Zabljak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,731 per month in Budva vs $1,848 in Zabljak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Budva vs $2,451 in Zabljak, rent included.

Budva costs about 37% more than Zabljak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budva sits 27% above the global median, while Zabljak is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 €13.65

$8.14 €6.94

96.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 €56.9

$32.49 €27.71

105.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 €9.78

$6.99 €5.96

64.09%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.53

$1.77 €1.51

67.80%

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

$2.19 €1.87

$2.24 €1.91

-2.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.42 €1.21

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$3.23 €2.76

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 €3.22

$3.81 €3.25

-1.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.42 €1.21

1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 €0.95

$0.66 €0.56

68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 €2.05

$1.42 €1.21

69.01%

Eggs

$3.23 €2.76

$3.09 €2.64

4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 €7.46

$7.33 €6.25

19.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 €7.13

$7.53 €6.42

11.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.59 €9.89

$11.63 €9.92

-0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.24 €1.06

4.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 €1.55

$1.75 €1.49

3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.60 €1.37

3.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.38

$1.53 €1.31

82.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.89

$0.72 €0.62

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.71 €0.60

76.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.46

$0.95 €0.81

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.05

$1.22 €1.04

0.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 €3.74

$4.08 €3.48

7.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.55 €5.59

$4.83 €4.12

35.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.23 €1.05

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.79 €1.53

-2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €1.98

$1.43 €1.22

62.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.97 €34.10

$38.21 €32.59

4.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.14 €0.97

4.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.59 €0.50

71.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.22 €14.69

$17.68 €15.08

-2.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.47

$1.79 €1.52

-3.35%

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

$30.1K €25.7K

$29.9K €25.5K

0.87%

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

$27.0K €23.0K

$26.7K €22.8K

1.15%

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

$162 €138

$118 €101

36.92%

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

$18.71 €15.96

$18.57 €15.84

0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.69 €28.74

$22.78 €19.43

47.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 €53.0

$44.86 €38.26

38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.22 €20.66

$14.55 €12.41

66.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 €5.03

$5.73 €4.89

2.97%

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

$420 €358

$422 €360

-0.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,687

$10.1K €8,581

1.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €97.6

$22.75 €19.40

402.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.09 €41.02

$29.26 €24.96

64.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €95.1

$59.0 €50.3

88.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 €176

$70.4 €60.0

193.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 €808

$720 €615

31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 €583

$545 €464

25.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 €1,493

$1,278 €1,090

36.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 €1,206

$917 €782

54.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,260 €3,634

$3,935 €3,357

8.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,133 €2,672

$2,628 €2,241

19.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,065 €909

$856 €730

24.40%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Zabljak: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Budva versus $720 in Zabljak. 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 24% 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 $67 in Budva versus $32 in Zabljak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $206 – making Zabljak 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 Zabljak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,705 in Budva, $1,246 in Zabljak – roughly 37% apart. Budva costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,558 per month in Budva and $1,868 in Zabljak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zabljak, 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 $1,705 in Budva and $1,246 in Zabljak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Zabljak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zabljak, where all-in costs run around $1,246, than in Budva at $1,705. In Zabljak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zabljak – 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 Zabljak. 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.