Budva and Kotor after ten years: how the coast changed

The Montenegrin coast between Budva and the Bay of Kotor is one of the places where ten years show most clearly. Budva grew fast and densely, Kotor stayed a heritage town under heavy visitor pressure, Montenegro joined NATO and kept negotiating with the EU, and prices of new flats climbed. This article sets out what changed according to statistical and encyclopedic sources, what we could and could not learn from people who have lived there for a decade or more, and what a newcomer can take from it. Figures are as of October 2026.

How we researched this

We searched public pages in English, Russian and Polish for first-hand accounts by people who say they have lived on this coast for eight years or more. We could not find one that met our standard. Some were by newcomers of 2022 and 2023, some by short-stay nomads, one was a visitor whose relative had lived there for years, and the closest candidate, a nine-year resident in Bar in 2017, was written by a consultant of a relocation firm and is mostly a how-to, so we left it out. The article therefore rests on data. We do not quote, invent or paraphrase any resident.

What changed in ten years

• Visitors. Tourist arrivals in Montenegro were reported at about 1.26 million in 2010, 1.44 million in 2012, 2.65 million in 2019, 2.61 million in 2023, 2.61 million in 2024 and 2.73 million in 2025 (UN Tourism and MONSTAT data as summarised in public references; check MONSTAT). So arrivals more than doubled over fifteen years but have been flat since 2019.
• Budva's population. The Budva municipality had 19,218 residents in the 2011 census and 26,667 in 2023, about 39% more. Public references add that in 2022 Budva became a centre for Ukrainian, Russian and Turkish arrivals.
• Kotor's population. The Kotor municipality went the other way, from 22,601 in 2011 to 21,916 in 2023. Kotor's old town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979, with extensions in 2012 and 2015 (see UNESCO), and received over 250,000 tourists in 2019, many arriving by cruise ship.
• New-build prices. MONSTAT reports an average of 2,838 euro per m² for new dwellings on the coast in the second quarter of 2026, against 2,333 euro in the second quarter of 2025, about 22% more. It is a new-build average that moves with the mix of projects sold. See Montenegro property prices and buying costs.
• Europe. Montenegro became an EU candidate on 17 December 2010 and opened talks on 29 June 2012. It joined NATO in June 2017 and has used the euro since 2002. As of October 2026, 21 of 33 negotiation chapters are reported closed, and the stated target for membership is 2028, which depends on political decisions in Montenegro and the EU.
• The motorway. The first 41 km section of the Bar-Boljare motorway, from Smokovac near Podgorica to Mateševo, opened on 13 July 2022 at a reported cost of about 1 billion US dollars, financed by a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China. Preparatory work on the next section began on 26 June 2026 with EBRD and EU money. It serves the interior and Podgorica, not the Budva-Kotor road.
• Planning. Public references describe the dense, unplanned building of the 2000s in Budva (locally called "Budvanizacija"), with water and electricity networks that fell behind and have since been addressed, while summer traffic and parking shortages remain.

What long-term residents report

We could not verify enough first-hand accounts, so we retell none. Few long-term accounts of life on this coast could be found, and we say so plainly. Instead of invented voices, here are questions to put to a neighbour who has lived on the street for ten years or more:

• How noisy are the summer months, and how many flats around are let to tourists?
• How is parking, and how long is the drive to the shops in July?
• Did water or electricity ever fail in the building, and how recently?
• How did the service charge and the winter heating bill change?
• Which months are empty, and does the town feel alive in January?

Our guides to the best areas to buy in Montenegro and why expats choose Montenegro give district context.

What did not change or got harder

• Seasonality. Arrivals concentrate in summer, and public references describe chronic summer congestion and parking shortage in Budva.
• Affordability. The average gross monthly salary was reported at about 1,210 euro in December 2024, against 2,838 euro per m² for new flats on the coast. As an illustration only, a 60 m² flat at that average would cost about 170,000 euro, nearly twelve years of that average gross salary.
• Debt. Public debt was reported at about 66% of GDP in 2023, among the higher levels in the region, and the motorway loan is part of the discussion.
• Pace of change in Kotor. The old town is protected, but the municipality has not grown, and heritage pressure from visitors is a constant theme.
• Rules for investors. Taxes and rental rules differ by source and change; see Montenegro investment risks and short-term rental rules in Montenegro.

What newcomers can take from this

• Choose between a lively tourist town and a quiet one. Budva and Kotor are different experiences all year.
• Visit in January and in August before you buy; the two months show you the whole range.
• Do not extrapolate the 2025 to 2026 jump in new-build prices; the official figure is a mix-sensitive average.
• Check building permits, water supply and parking in the exact project.
• Do not count on EU accession for your plan: the target is a political goal, not a date you can rely on.

FAQ

Is Budva still the place for year-round life? It depends on your tolerance for summer crowds and a quiet winter. Public data shows that visitors are concentrated in summer, so speak to residents in January before deciding.

Has Kotor grown as much as Budva? No. The census figures show Budva growing by about 39% between 2011 and 2023 and the Kotor municipality shrinking slightly.

Are tourist numbers still rising? Arrivals were about 2.65 million in 2019 and 2.73 million in 2025, so they are slightly higher but broadly flat, after doubling from 2010.

Did the new motorway improve the coast? Its first section links Podgorica with the interior and does not replace the Budva-Kotor road. The coast benefits indirectly, if at all.

Will Montenegro join the EU soon? The reported target is 2028, 21 of 33 chapters are reported closed, and the date depends on political decisions. Do not base a purchase on it. Browse listings in Montenegro and plan a trip with our guide to a property viewing trip.

How we help

D.H. Realting is a trilingual platform in Russian, Polish and English. We find properties in Montenegro and coordinate independent local lawyers and tax advisers. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules, rates and prices change, so verify the current position before you decide.