Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Podgorica and Zabljak

For one person, living is cheaper in Zabljak: $1,128 a month against $1,340 in Podgorica, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Podgorica
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Podgorica Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Zabljak
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Zabljak Living Index

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Podgorica

🇲🇪 Montenegro

$1,340

/mo nomad

Zabljak

🇲🇪 Montenegro

$1,128

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Podgorica and in Zabljak

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Podgorica and in Zabljak actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Podgorica vs $1,128 in Zabljak, rent included.

Podgorica $1,340
Zabljak $1,128

A couple spends around $2,094 per month in Podgorica vs $1,769 in Zabljak, rent included.

Podgorica $2,094
Zabljak $1,769

A family of three spends $2,848 per month in Podgorica vs $2,410 in Zabljak, rent included.

Podgorica $2,848
Zabljak $2,410

Podgorica costs about 19% more than Zabljak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Podgorica and Zabljak are more affordable than the global median – Podgorica 1% lower, Zabljak 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.13 €9.90

$7.95 €7.08

40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.93 €39.97

$31.82 €28.30

41.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.66 €9.48

$6.55 €5.82

62.75%

Cappuccino

$2.16 €1.92

$1.63 €1.45

32.52%

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

$2.63 €2.34

$2.24 €2.00

17.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.26

$1.45 €1.29

-2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 €2.66

$3.00 €2.66

-0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 €3.07

$3.54 €3.15

-2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.14

$1.27 €1.13

0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 €0.89

$0.65 €0.57

55.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 €1.69

$1.31 €1.17

45.80%

Eggs

$3.41 €3.03

$2.97 €2.64

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 €7.86

$7.08 €6.30

24.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 €7.50

$7.22 €6.42

16.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 €11.02

$12.23 €10.88

1.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 €1.38

$1.32 €1.17

17.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 €1.46

$1.67 €1.49

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 €1.59

$1.51 €1.34

18.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.06

$1.41 €1.26

64.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 €0.88

$0.65 €0.58

52.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 €0.95

$0.70 €0.62

51.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.29

$0.91 €0.81

59.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.70

$0.96 €0.86

-17.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 €3.92

$4.01 €3.57

9.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.51 €4.90

$4.41 €3.92

24.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.96

$1.07 €0.95

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.51

$1.73 €1.54

-2.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 €0.92

$1.63 €1.45

-36.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.05 €30.28

$39.55 €35.18

-13.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 €0.65

$1.14 €1.02

-35.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 €0.69

$0.64 €0.57

20.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.13 €9.90

$17.00 €15.12

-34.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.68

$1.77 €1.57

6.78%

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

$27.6K €24.6K

$29.3K €26.1K

-5.83%

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

$23.4K €20.8K

$25.6K €22.7K

-8.49%

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

$130 €115

$113 €101

14.67%

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

$18.67 €16.61

$15.02 €13.36

24.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.22 €28.66

$22.02 €19.58

46.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.07 €43.64

$46.30 €41.18

5.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.60 €12.10

$14.72 €13.10

-7.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 €5.65

$6.21 €5.53

2.25%

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

$345 €306

$392 €349

-12.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,339 €6,528

$9,812 €8,728

-25.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.0 €79.2

$22.65 €20.15

292.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.98 €41.79

$27.47 €24.43

71.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 €85.7

$55.0 €48.89

75.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €96.0

$67.7 €60.2

59.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 €567

$645 €573

-1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 €436

$455 €405

7.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 €1,152

$1,277 €1,135

1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 €852

$937 €834

2.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,084 €2,743

$3,324 €2,956

-7.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 €2,037

$2,357 €2,097

-2.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,147 €1,021

$801 €713

43.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.22

5.95

-12.27%

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

Last update for Podgorica: October 18, 2026

Last update for Zabljak: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Podgorica

$490 36.6%

Zabljak

$455 40.3% 7.2% $35

Groceries & Markets

Podgorica

$227 16.9%

Zabljak

$196 17.4% 13.4% $30

Eating Out

Podgorica

$185 13.8%

Zabljak

$140 12.4% 24.5% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Podgorica

$181 13.5%

Zabljak

$150 13.3% 16.9% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Podgorica

$153 11.4%

Zabljak

$78 6.9% 49.2% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Podgorica

$62 4.6%

Zabljak

$59 5.2% 4.9% $3.1

Getting Around

Podgorica

$43 3.2%

Zabljak

$50 4.5% 17.9% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $638 in Podgorica versus $645 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 43% higher in Podgorica, 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 $45.00 in Podgorica versus $32.00 in Zabljak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $196 – making Zabljak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇪 Podgorica

🇲🇪 Zabljak

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

Same time as Podgorica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

150,799 Capital

1,900

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Podgorica Zabljak 80 km

From you

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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 Zabljak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,340 in Podgorica, $1,128 in Zabljak – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,010 per month in Podgorica and $1,692 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.

Kindergarten costs $345 per month in Podgorica and $392 in Zabljak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Podgorica, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zabljak, where all-in costs run around $1,128, than in Podgorica at $1,340. In Zabljak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Podgorica 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, Podgorica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.