Where to Buy Property in Montenegro: My Take on the Main Locations

In my view, Tivat and Kotor are the more upmarket part of Montenegro. The whole Bay of Kotor area is beautiful, well kept and feels more premium than much of the rest of the coast.

Because you are in a bay, you do not get the classic open Adriatic horizon. The views are across the bay towards the surrounding mountains and coastline. The beaches also tend to be smaller, and the whole area feels a little more enclosed to me.

For a family with children looking for a large beach and a classic summer seaside holiday, it would therefore not be my first choice.

On the other hand, for someone with a higher budget who wants attractive surroundings, a marina, restaurants and a more upscale feel, Tivat or Kotor makes a lot of sense.

A major advantage is Tivat’s own airport. From Podgorica Airport, allow roughly 1.5 hours by car.

My take: a beautiful area, but more suited to higher-budget buyers than to a classic family beach holiday.

Budva is probably the best-known tourist city in Montenegro. It is large and lively, with plenty of restaurants, hotels, apartments and nightlife.

To me, it feels a little like it is trying to be more upscale – and I mean that in a positive way. There is a lot of new construction, more expensive developments and generally something going on all the time.

Budva also practically runs into Bečići, so the two locations work very well together.

From Podgorica Airport, the drive is roughly one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes.

My take: a good choice for someone who wants a larger, lively seaside city and does not mind the buzz.

Bečići is my personal favourite.

It is not a large town. It is more of a classic holiday destination with hotels and apartments, but it has one major advantage – a long, wide beach, with many hotels directly along the seafront.

What I like most about Bečići is the combination of a large beach, a holiday atmosphere and Budva right next door. You do not have to stay in a large city, but if you want more restaurants or more activity, Budva is practically around the corner.

When buying here, I would pay particular attention to the hills. Some of the development continues uphill from the sea, and there is a big difference between an apartment 300 metres from the beach on flat ground and one 500 metres away up a steep hill.

From Podgorica Airport, the drive is roughly one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes.

My take: one of the best locations for a classic seaside apartment, whether for personal use or holiday rentals.

Bar is a larger, fully functioning town, not just a summer tourist resort.

It has open sea views, a long coastline and all the everyday services you would expect from a larger town. I think it is a nice location, although personally I would not rank it among the very best parts of the Montenegrin coast.

One advantage is that life here does not stop outside the summer season. If someone wanted to use the property outside the summer months or spend longer periods there, Bar would make more sense to me than a small, purely holiday resort.

From Podgorica Airport, the drive is roughly 50 minutes to one hour.

My take: a sensible all-round location and a good compromise between a proper town and the sea.

A few kilometres south of Bar is Dobra Voda, which is considerably smaller and has much more of a holiday feel.

I find it very pleasant. There are standard beaches, but also places where access to the sea is steeper and more difficult. Those spots can also be all the more beautiful visually – rocks, clear water and the open sea.

It is more suited to someone who does not want a large town and is looking for a quieter place for a holiday.

From Podgorica Airport, allow roughly one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes by car.

My take: a pleasant smaller holiday destination, but for any particular property I would also look closely at the nearest beach and how easy it is to get into the sea.

Ulcinj is in the far south of Montenegro, close to the Albanian border.

Compared with Budva or Tivat, it feels less developed to me, but that can also be part of its appeal. One of its biggest advantages is the beaches – heading away from Ulcinj you also find very long sandy beaches, which offer a somewhat different type of seaside holiday from much of Montenegro.

It is not as polished or premium as Tivat, nor as developed for tourism as Budva and Bečići. On the other hand, it has its own atmosphere and I definitely think it is worth considering when choosing a property.

From Podgorica Airport, the drive is roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1.5 hours.

My take: a less developed part of the coast, but with attractive beaches and a character of its own.

If I had to sum them up very simply:

Tivat and Kotor – beautiful and luxurious, but better suited to higher budgets.
Budva – a large and lively tourist city.
Bečići – my personal number one for a classic holiday property.
Bar – a larger, fully functioning town on the open sea.
Dobra Voda – a smaller and pleasant holiday destination.
Ulcinj – a less developed southern location with attractive beaches.

That is exactly why I would decide on the location before starting to search for a specific apartment. The differences between the various parts of Montenegro are greater than they may seem when looking at a map.

The driving times from the airport are approximate. During the main summer season, coastal traffic can make them significantly longer.