According to Serbian Economist, more than 160,000 apartments in Montenegro are not used for permanent residence: according to the 2023 census, there were 392,909 residential units in the country, of which 89,083 were used seasonally, and 71,204 were listed as temporarily vacant or abandoned. Thus, the total volume of such housing exceeds 160,000 units.
The Montenegro Tenants’ Association pointed out this imbalance. The organization stated that with such a large volume of vacant and seasonal housing stock, tens of thousands of families remain in precarious rental situations, often without formal contracts or legal protection. The association also warned of further increases in rent and real estate prices as long as a large “gray area” persists in the market.
For Montenegro’s economy, this means that the housing market is increasingly moving away from serving permanent residents and is increasingly catering to seasonal demand, tourism, and investment-based real estate models.
This problem is compounded by the continuing influx of foreigners. According to data previously cited by the Montenegrin Ministry of the Interior, as of September 10, 2025, there were 100,867 foreign citizens residing in the country, including 71,250 with temporary residence and 29,617 with permanent residence.
Among temporary residents, the largest groups were citizens of Serbia—about 24,538 people, Russia—21,153, and Turkey—13,396.
Specifically regarding the labor market in 2025, Montenegro issued 40,567 work and residence permits to foreigners from 107 countries. The largest group here was Turkish citizens—10,346 permits—followed by citizens of Serbia—8,148—and Russia—7,429. Other notable groups included citizens of Azerbaijan, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
Ukrainians remain one of the largest foreign groups in the country, although their status is partially based on temporary protection rather than a standard residence permit. According to the Montenegrin government, temporary protection for individuals from Ukraine has been extended until March 4, 2027. Earlier reports citing the Montenegrin Ministry of the Interior indicated that as of June 1, 2024, 5,000 Ukrainian citizens were under temporary protection.
