Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Montenegro Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Montenegro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $1,392 in Montenegro, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $2,126 in Montenegro, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,071 per month in United States vs $2,859 in Montenegro, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 90% higher than in Montenegro on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both United States and Montenegro are pricier than the global median – United States by 98%, Montenegro by 4%.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($1,341$5,102) than in Montenegro ($948$1,756), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United States
Montenegro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.02 $20.02
$11.66 €10.25
71.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.7 $74.7
$45.37 €39.88
64.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.67 $11.67
$9.05 €7.95
28.95%
Cappuccino
$5.30 $5.30
$2.39 €2.10
121.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 $2.48
$2.31 €2.03
7.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.44 €1.26
46.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.82 $5.82
$2.94 €2.59
97.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.92 $6.92
$3.46 €3.04
100.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United States
Montenegro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.31 €1.15
-18.32%
White Bread (500g)
$3.62 $3.62
$0.98 €0.86
269.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.68 $4.68
$2.28 €2.00
105.26%
Eggs
$4.23 $4.23
$3.09 €2.72
36.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.07 $13.07
$8.74 €7.68
49.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.42 $12.42
$7.66 €6.73
62.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.12 $16.12
$11.41 €10.03
41.28%
Apples (1kg)
$5.27 $5.27
$1.35 €1.19
290.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.77 €1.56
-6.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.56 €1.37
189.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.02 $5.02
$2.66 €2.33
88.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.97 $2.97
$1.06 €0.93
180.19%
Onion (1kg)
$3.16 $3.16
$1.19 €1.04
165.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.62 €1.42
34.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$0.84 €0.74
171.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.07 $10.07
$4.28 €3.77
135.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.27 $15.27
$5.65 €4.97
170.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.18 €1.04
64.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 $3.55
$1.80 €1.58
97.22%
🚌 Getting Around
United States
Montenegro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.14 €1.00
114.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.0 $65.0
$35.28 €31.02
84.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 $3.84
$1.15 €1.01
233.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.07 €0.94
59.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.30 $30.30
$13.92 €12.24
117.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.76 €1.54
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K $29.7K
$32.0K €28.1K
-7.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$30.3K €26.7K
-12.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
Montenegro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 $204
$128 €113
59.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.4 $57.4
$18.63 €16.37
208.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.5 $70.5
$30.91 €27.18
128.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United States
Montenegro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.43 $45.43
$45.69 €40.17
-0.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.15 $22.15
$13.50 €11.86
64.07%
Cinema Ticket
$14.14 $14.14
$5.71 €5.02
147.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United States
Montenegro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,373 $1,373
$321 €282
327.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K $23.0K
$8,706 €7,653
163.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United States
Montenegro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.5 $51.5
$83.3 €73.2
-38.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.10 $43.10
$40.53 €35.63
6.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 $90.1
$98.2 €86.4
-8.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$121 €106
-4.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United States
Montenegro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,703 $1,703
$685 €602
148.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,451 $1,451
$515 €453
181.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,834 $2,834
$1,211 €1,064
134.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,365 $2,365
$907 €797
160.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,338 $3,338
$3,246 €2,854
2.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,570 $2,570
$2,267 €1,993
13.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United States
Montenegro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,326 $4,326
$1,051 €924
311.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
5.66
15.02%

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

Last update for United States: July 19, 2026

Last update for Montenegro: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $690 in Montenegro. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,604 in Washington, MI and $638 in Podgorica.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $920 in Montenegro. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 137% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 52% more in United States.

Public transport is 52% more expensive in Montenegro.

Salaries are 389% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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
United States vs Montenegro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Montenegro or United States?
Montenegro is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 138% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Montenegro or in United States?
Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Montenegro vs United States?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Montenegro, contributing to the overall 138% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Montenegro and United States on $2,000 per month?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Montenegro, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Montenegro or United States?
Montenegro is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

United States vs other spots: cost of living compared

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