According to Serbian Economist, Montenegro’s long-term residential rental market entered a cooling phase in 2026: following the rapid growth of previous years, oversupply began to shift the balance in favor of tenants.
Currently, studios in Montenegro are offered at an average price of 300–400 euros per month, one-bedroom apartments at 400–800 euros, two-bedroom apartments at 600–1,200 euros, and houses starting at 1,000 euros. In the premium segment, villas and luxury properties can cost from 2,000 to 10,000 euros per month and higher.
The main reasons for the market stagnation are the decrease in the number of foreign residents staying in the country long-term and the accumulated oversupply. According to a representative of a local real estate agency, property owners are increasingly finding that apartments remain vacant longer than they did a year ago, while tenants have more room to negotiate prices and terms.
The market is no longer operating according to the 2022–2024 model, when owners could quickly rent out properties amid an influx of foreigners and limited supply. Now, in a number of locations, tenants are increasingly choosing between several options, securing discounts, or demanding better terms regarding the lease, furnishings, and utility bills.
For Montenegro, this shift is significant not only for the housing sector but also for the broader demand model, which in recent years has relied heavily on the influx of foreigners, relocators, and investors. If the number of long-term tenants continues to decline, some landlords may increasingly switch to short-term rentals or adjust their price expectations downward.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2698
According to Serbian Economist, Ulcinj, Montenegro, has welcomed a group of Ukrainian children who lost one or both parents as a result of the war. As reported by Montenegro’s Ministry of Human Rights and Minorities, an eight-day vacation with additional activities and optional excursions was organized for 40 Ukrainian children and the teachers accompanying them.
According to the ministry, the program was implemented in cooperation with the Ukrainian Embassy in Montenegro, the Municipality of Ulcinj, and the Ulcinj Tourism Organization. The children were shown the city, its natural landmarks, and historical sites, and walks in the surrounding areas were organized.
For Montenegro, such initiatives have not only humanitarian but also socio-political significance. Since 2022, Montenegro has remained one of the most welcoming countries for Ukrainians relative to its own population, and supporting children affected by the war reinforces Montenegro’s image as one of Ukraine’s most committed partners in the Balkans.
According to UN data, more than 200,000 Ukrainian citizens have entered the country since the start of the war, although a significant portion subsequently moved on. Currently, according to various estimates, at least 10,000 Ukrainian citizens reside in Montenegro. This makes Montenegro an important humanitarian and social hub for Ukrainians in the Adriatic region, despite the country’s relatively small size.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2677
According to Serbian Economist, Europol has reported new progress in the investigation against the so-called “Balkan Cartel”: one of the alleged key members of the network, which investigators link to the supply of large shipments of cocaine from South America to the European market, has been detained in Montenegro. According to the agency, the case involves the smuggling of 2.7 tons of drugs.
As Europol clarifies, Montenegrin judicial authorities have filed charges against several suspects, and the investigation is focused on the international logistics of drug trafficking, financial flows, and the coordination of shipments within Europe. This involves a network that, according to investigators, operated across several countries and used the Balkans as part of a broader criminal network.
Earlier, in December 2025, the agency reported on a separate operation in Germany targeting key figures in this network; at that time, three individuals were detained and assets worth approximately 5 million euros were seized.
For Balkan countries, such cases have not only a criminal but also an economic dimension. Intensified international investigations, expanded data sharing between police and financial intelligence agencies, and pressure on illicit cross-border flows are becoming part of a broader agenda to reduce reputational and institutional risks in the region. For Montenegro, Serbia, and neighboring markets, this is also important from the perspective of investment image, as the fight against organized crime remains one of the EU’s key evaluation criteria.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2642
The Montenegrin government has approved a draft decision to grant a 30-year concession for Podgorica and Tivat airports to the highest-ranked bidder – the South Korean Incheon International Airport Corporation / Incheon Airport Consortium – according to the Telegram channel Serbian Economist. However, the final decision has not yet been taken: it must be approved by the Montenegrin Parliament.
Parliamentary approval is required because the value of Aerodromi Crne Gore’s assets is estimated at approximately EUR265 million, and in Montenegro, decisions regarding state property of such value fall within the remit of the legislature. Transport Minister Filip Radulović has separately emphasised that this is not a matter of sale or privatisation, but rather a management model under which the land, existing infrastructure and all newly constructed facilities remain the property of the state upon the expiry of the concession.
The financial model presented by the government amounts to a total of around EUR1 billion, but there is an important caveat here. This is not just direct budgetary revenue, but the cumulative financial effect of the deal: EUR100 million as a one-off payment upon signing the contract, around EUR600 million in variable concession fees amounting to 35% of the airports’ annual gross revenue over 30 years, and a further EUR300 million in mandatory investments in the modernisation and expansion of infrastructure.
According to the published parameters, by the end of 2029 the concessionaire must invest EUR132 million, including EUR54 million in Podgorica Airport and EUR78 million in Tivat Airport. The overall investment programme provides for the construction of new terminals, the modernisation of existing facilities, the expansion of the total area of airport infrastructure to approximately 40,000 square metres, and an increase in passenger throughput.
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.
According to Serbian Economist, the authorities in Kotor, Montenegro, welcomed a group of 40 children from Ukraine aged 14 to 18, who arrived in the city as part of a humanitarian visit organized with the participation of the municipality and the Ukrainian Embassy in Montenegro.
According to a municipal announcement, the children are staying in Kotor from March 23 to 28, and the Ukrainian association “Dobro djelo” also participated in organizing the trip. At an official reception at the Byzantine Palace, the guests were welcomed by the Mayor of Kotor, Vladimir Jokić; the Ambassador of Ukraine to Montenegro, Oleg Gerasymenko; the Chairman of the Municipal Assembly, Vojin Batuta; Deputy Mayor Stojan Milović; and the Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Community Activities, Tatjana Krieštorac.
As Jokić noted, the host’s mission is to give the children at least a few days of peace and a sense of a normal childhood, interrupted by the war. During the meeting, city representatives emphasized that they want the stay in Kotor to become a bright memory for the Ukrainian teenagers and a time of respite from the realities of war.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Montenegro thanked the municipality and residents of Kotor for their support, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives for children experiencing the consequences of war.
A packed program was prepared for the guests, including visits to Kotor’s museums, a boat ride around the bay, a trip to Perast, a tour of St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, a trip to Plavi Horizonti, a walk along the city’s fortress walls, as well as sports and other group activities.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2518
