Cost of Living Comparison Between Podgorica and Zabljak Cost of Living Comparison Between Podgorica and Zabljak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,300 per month in Podgorica vs $1,246 in Zabljak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in Podgorica vs $1,848 in Zabljak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,710 per month in Podgorica vs $2,451 in Zabljak, rent included.

Podgorica costs about 4% more than Zabljak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Podgorica and Zabljak are more affordable than the global median – Podgorica 3% lower, Zabljak 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 €8.33

$8.14 €6.94

19.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.48 €38.79

$32.49 €27.71

39.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 €7.92

$6.99 €5.96

32.76%

Cappuccino

$2.12 €1.81

$1.77 €1.51

19.77%

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

$2.35 €2.01

$2.24 €1.91

4.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.18

$1.42 €1.21

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 €2.52

$3.23 €2.76

-8.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €2.97

$3.81 €3.25

-8.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.42 €1.21

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 €0.88

$0.66 €0.56

56.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.02

$1.42 €1.21

66.90%

Eggs

$3.23 €2.76

$3.09 €2.64

4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 €7.45

$7.33 €6.25

19.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.05 €6.87

$7.53 €6.42

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 €10.39

$11.63 €9.92

4.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.24 €1.06

23.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 €1.55

$1.75 €1.49

3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 €1.42

$1.60 €1.37

4.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 €2.13

$1.53 €1.31

62.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 €0.82

$0.72 €0.62

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 €0.95

$0.71 €0.60

56.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 €1.63

$0.95 €0.81

101.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.22 €1.04

-35.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 €3.53

$4.08 €3.48

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 €5.10

$4.83 €4.12

23.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.93

$1.23 €1.05

-11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.55

$1.79 €1.53

1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.43 €1.22

-26.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.74 €29.63

$38.21 €32.59

-9.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 €0.57

$1.14 €0.97

-41.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.59 €0.50

18.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.76 €10.03

$17.68 €15.08

-33.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.49

$1.79 €1.52

-2.23%

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

$28.8K €24.6K

$29.9K €25.5K

-3.49%

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

$33.0K €28.2K

$26.7K €22.8K

23.75%

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

$113 €96.8

$118 €101

-3.84%

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

$18.45 €15.74

$18.57 €15.84

-0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.49 €27.71

$22.78 €19.43

42.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.66 €38.09

$44.86 €38.26

-0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.77 €11.74

$14.55 €12.41

-5.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 €5.09

$5.73 €4.89

4.01%

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

$289 €247

$422 €360

-31.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,340 €6,261

$10.1K €8,581

-27.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 €70.4

$22.75 €19.40

262.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.63 €38.07

$29.26 €24.96

52.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 €79.9

$59.0 €50.3

58.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €95.6

$70.4 €60.0

59.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 €538

$720 €615

-12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 €418

$545 €464

-9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 €989

$1,278 €1,090

-9.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 €737

$917 €782

-5.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,087 €2,634

$3,935 €3,357

-21.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 €1,946

$2,628 €2,241

-13.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 €998

$856 €730

36.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.73

5.93

-3.37%

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

Last update for Podgorica: April 19, 2026

Last update for Zabljak: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $630 in Podgorica 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 37% 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 in Podgorica versus $32 in Zabljak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 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

Podgorica vs Zabljak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,300 in Podgorica, $1,246 in Zabljak – roughly 4% apart. Podgorica costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,950 per month in Podgorica 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.

Kindergarten costs $289 per month in Podgorica and $422 in Zabljak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $1,246, than in Podgorica at $1,300. 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.