Cost of Living Comparison Between Podgorica and Kolasin Cost of Living Comparison Between Podgorica and Kolasin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,371 in Podgorica versus $1,244 in Kolasin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Podgorica versus $1,935 in Kolasin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,966 in Podgorica versus $2,626 in Kolasin.

Living in Podgorica is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kolasin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Podgorica is 0% above, Kolasin is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 €10.25

$5.76 €5.02

104.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.90 €39.99

$29.03 €25.29

58.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 €8.47

$9.35 €8.15

3.96%

Cappuccino

$2.21 €1.93

$1.46 €1.27

51.37%

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

$2.59 €2.25

$1.88 €1.64

37.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.18 €1.03

19.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 €2.48

$2.87 €2.50

-0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.94

$2.90 €2.53

16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.22 €1.07

12.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 €0.89

$0.99 €0.86

3.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$2.95 €2.57

-30.85%

Eggs

$3.60 €3.13

$3.07 €2.68

17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 €7.92

$9.05 €7.89

0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 €7.48

$7.79 €6.79

10.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 €10.84

$12.92 €11.26

-3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.32 €1.15

26.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.61 €1.41

9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$1.62 €1.41

20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$3.11 €2.71

-22.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 €0.90

$0.92 €0.80

11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.33 €1.16

-16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.51 €1.32

12.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.97 €0.84

-16.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 €3.95

$4.06 €3.54

11.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 €5.09

$4.72 €4.11

23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.93

$1.32 €1.15

-18.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.82 €1.59

-2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.55 €1.35

-34.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.36 €29.93

$45.60 €39.73

-24.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.17 €1.02

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.18 €1.03

-32.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.61 €10.11

$16.99 €14.80

-31.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.63

$1.77 €1.54

5.65%

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

$31.2K €27.2K

$33.9K €29.5K

-7.94%

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

$27.4K €23.9K

$21.9K €19.1K

25.16%

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

$123 €107

$92.0 €80.1

33.68%

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

$19.33 €16.84

$13.51 €11.77

43.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.12 €30.60

$28.90 €25.18

21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.36 €40.39

$44.92 €39.13

3.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 €12.04

$14.72 €12.83

-6.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 €5.64

$7.95 €6.92

-18.62%

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

$365 €318

$467 €407

-21.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,507 €6,540

$7,177 €6,252

4.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 €77.4

$87.0 €75.8

2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.25 €42.90

$35.22 €30.68

39.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 €87.0

$76.3 €66.5

30.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$98.8 €86.0

17.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 €585

$659 €574

1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 €454

$473 €412

10.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 €1,167

$1,324 €1,154

1.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 €871

$957 €834

4.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,149 €2,744

$3,427 €2,985

-8.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,327 €2,027

$2,419 €2,107

-3.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,202 €1,047

$902 €786

33.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-23.86%

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

Last update for Podgorica: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kolasin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $672 in Podgorica and $659 in Kolasin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Podgorica pays 33% 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: $46.00 in Podgorica vs $29.00 in Kolasin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $232 per month, with Kolasin 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

Podgorica vs Kolasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Podgorica and Kolasin differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,371 vs $1,244 including rent). Kolasin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Podgorica, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $672 in Podgorica versus $659 in Kolasin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,371 per month in Podgorica versus $1,244 in Kolasin – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolasin runs roughly 33% less than in Podgorica. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,244 in Kolasin versus $1,371 in Podgorica, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kolasin but tight or insufficient in Podgorica. The gap between the two cities makes Kolasin 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, Podgorica and Kolasin 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 Kolasin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Podgorica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.