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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,282 in Herceg Novi versus $1,380 in Podgorica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,079 in Herceg Novi versus $2,149 in Podgorica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Herceg Novi versus $2,917 in Podgorica.

Living in Herceg Novi costs roughly 7% less than in Podgorica, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Herceg Novi is 7% below, Podgorica is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.40 €9.80

$11.47 €9.86

-0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.04 €32.71

$46.41 €39.90

-18.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 €7.86

$10.27 €8.83

-11.00%

Cappuccino

$2.61 €2.24

$2.31 €1.98

12.99%

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

$2.56 €2.20

$2.63 €2.26

-2.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.44 €1.24

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 €2.51

$3.14 €2.70

-7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.03

$3.55 €3.05

-0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.43 €1.23

-16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 €0.86

$1.01 €0.87

-0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.05 €1.76

43.41%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.66

$3.53 €3.04

-12.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 €7.90

$8.99 €7.73

2.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 €6.39

$8.60 €7.39

-13.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.00 €11.18

$12.81 €11.01

1.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.69 €1.45

-20.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.84 €1.58

-14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.96 €1.69

-14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.41 €2.07

24.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.99 €0.85

-8.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.07 €0.92

27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.74 €1.50

-13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.85

$0.80 €0.69

23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 €3.44

$4.49 €3.86

-10.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.53 €3.90

$5.90 €5.07

-23.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.07 €0.92

23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.88 €1.61

-2.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.07 €0.92

67.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.38 €40.73

$34.82 €29.93

36.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 €2.66

$0.82 €0.70

278.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.85 €0.73

38.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.63 €15.15

$11.51 €9.89

53.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.86 €1.60

-3.23%

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

$33.8K €29.0K

$32.3K €27.7K

4.62%

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

$21.8K €18.8K

$28.1K €24.1K

-22.18%

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

$137 €118

$127 €109

8.46%

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

$13.28 €11.42

$20.04 €17.23

-33.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.68 €30.67

$35.01 €30.10

1.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 €49.67

$46.66 €40.12

23.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 €10.07

$13.52 €11.62

-13.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.31 €7.14

$6.86 €5.90

21.14%

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

$466 €400

$375 €323

24.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,235 €6,220

$7,659 €6,585

-5.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 €73.9

$91.1 €78.3

-5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 €30.41

$48.43 €41.64

-26.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 €64.2

$99.5 €85.6

-25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 €84.0

$114 €98.2

-14.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 €587

$658 €566

3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 €357

$523 €449

-20.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 €1,120

$1,379 €1,185

-5.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 €797

$1,000 €860

-7.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,887 €3,342

$3,132 €2,692

24.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,457 €2,112

$2,342 €2,013

4.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 €919

$1,187 €1,021

-9.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

-5.84%

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

Last update for Herceg Novi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Podgorica: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Herceg Novi and $658 in Podgorica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Podgorica pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Herceg Novi vs $46.00 in Podgorica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $237 per month, with Herceg Novi cheaper across the board.

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

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

Herceg Novi and Podgorica differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,282 vs $1,380 including rent). Herceg Novi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Podgorica. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $682 in Herceg Novi versus $658 in Podgorica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Podgorica. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Herceg Novi – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $46.00 in Podgorica. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,282 in Herceg Novi versus $1,380 in Podgorica, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Herceg Novi but tight or insufficient in Podgorica. The gap between the two cities makes Herceg Novi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Herceg Novi and Podgorica are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Herceg Novi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Podgorica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.