Moving to Montenegro from New Zealand

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Zealand to Montenegro — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from New Zealand to Montenegro, you would find that Montenegro is 29.2% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly €46,800 in Montenegro to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Montenegrin. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Is Montenegro cheaper than New Zealand?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.8% less

Groceries

pay 35.3% less

Transportation

pay 17.3% less

Housing

pay 35.5% less

Childcare

pay 54.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 36.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NZD = 0.5083 EUR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Montenegro?

What does your salary buy?

NZ$130,000 → €46,800

To maintain the same standard of living in Montenegro

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Montenegro cost about 13% less than cities in New Zealand.

New Zealand

Tauranga 52%
Auckland 52%
Nelson 48%

Montenegro

Tivat 43%
Kotor 42%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

How New Zealand and Montenegro stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
1.5
ME
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NZ
6.6
ME
9.1

New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Montenegro leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NZ
$5,576
ME
$2,908
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

NZ
36.1
ME
27.8

Montenegro generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NZ
12.0
ME
60.0

New Zealand performs better than Montenegro across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NZ
38.0
ME
32.3
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2024

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

NZ
7,989 kWh
ME
4,564 kWh

New Zealand performs better than Montenegro across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NZ
5.1%
ME
13.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NZ
$49,591
ME
$14,817

New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Montenegro leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

NZ
82.0 yrs
ME
77.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NZ
4.0
ME
1.9

New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Montenegro leads in infant mortality.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Department of Public Revenues, Montenegro (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Montenegro vs New Zealand

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Auckland Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
66° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Podgorica Rain: 65.4 in/yr (1661 mm)
69° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Auckland Podgorica
Jan–Mar 74°/61°F (23°/16°C) 53°/38°F (12°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/51°F (18°/11°C) 75°/56°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 60°/47°F (15°/8°C) 86°/66°F (30°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 67°/55°F (20°/13°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
View all months
Month Auckland Podgorica
Jan 74°/61°F (23.6°/16.0°C) 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.4°C)
Feb 75°/62°F (24.1°/16.5°C) 52°/38°F (11.3°/3.1°C)
Mar 73°/59°F (22.6°/14.9°C) 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.8°C)
Apr 68°/55°F (20.0°/12.7°C) 66°/48°F (19.1°/9.1°C)
May 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.6°C) 76°/56°F (24.3°/13.5°C)
Jun 59°/47°F (15.2°/8.4°C) 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.3°C)
Jul 58°/46°F (14.3°/7.5°C) 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.3°C)
Aug 59°/47°F (14.9°/8.2°C) 89°/68°F (31.7°/20.2°C)
Sep 62°/49°F (16.4°/9.7°C) 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.5°C)
Oct 64°/52°F (17.7°/11.2°C) 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.6°C)
Nov 67°/55°F (19.5°/12.8°C) 60°/44°F (15.4°/6.8°C)
Dec 71°/59°F (21.8°/14.9°C) 52°/37°F (11.1°/2.9°C)

Data: New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service, Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology

Can you move from New Zealand to Montenegro?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Montenegro. To live, work, or study long-term in Montenegro, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Montenegro's immigration authority.

New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Montenegro

Visa Free
New Zealand passport holders can enter Montenegro without a visa.
Montenegro passport

Montenegro passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Montenegro passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Montenegro than New Zealand?

Generally yes: Montenegro runs about 29% cheaper than New Zealand on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Montenegro?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NZ$130,000 comparable salary, that's around €11,700 in Montenegro for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Montenegro?

With 32.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Montenegro can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in New Zealand and Montenegro.

Is Montenegro safe for expats?

New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Montenegro leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Montenegro is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.

How is healthcare in Montenegro compared to New Zealand?

Montenegro generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 27.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Montenegro, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Montenegro scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).

What's the weather like in Montenegro compared to New Zealand?

The average high temperature in Podgorica is 69°F, compared to 66°F in Auckland. Podgorica receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Auckland gets 43.3 in.

What language do they speak in Montenegro?

The official language in Montenegro is Montenegrin. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.

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At a Glance

NZ ME
Population 5,324,700 623,129
Currency New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) Euro (€)
Languages English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language Montenegrin
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +64 +382
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 111 112