Grocery prices in Montenegro in 2026: a 28-item supermarket basket compared across seven Podgorica shops

How much do groceries cost in Montenegro in 2026? In Podgorica in September 2026, a basket of 28 everyday items cost 96.79 euros at median shelf prices, and from 85.98 to 112.69 euros depending on where you bought each item. Milk cost 0.89 to 0.99 euros a litre, white bread 0.90 euros and chicken breast fillet 6.79 to 9.09 euros a kilo.

The prices were recorded between 27 August and 24 September 2026 in seven Podgorica shops: two Voli stores, Idea, Aroma, HDL, Trend and Super Market, using the price comparison site cijene.me, and checked against the Voli online shop on 25 September 2026. Shelf prices change every week with promotions, so treat the figures as a dated snapshot, not a price list.

What does the basket cost?

The basket also includes salt and cola. Two staples came from the Voli online shop on 25 September 2026: white bread, 500 g, at 0.90 euros and ten fresh class L eggs from 2.79 euros, with the cheapest ten eggs at 2.59 euros.

Which shop is cheapest?

No chain was cheapest for everything. For the same 19 items that five chain stores all stocked, the bill came to 56.83 euros at HDL, 56.93 euros at Voli Naš Diskont, 58.35 euros at Voli Super, 59.67 euros at Aroma and 62.76 euros at Idea, a difference of about 10%.

Across the full basket, Voli Naš Diskont had the lowest price for 9 items, HDL for 7, and Trend and Aroma for 6 each. Trend was cheapest for most fruit and vegetables, HDL for cheese, beef and pasta, and Aroma for chicken, minced meat and beer. The widest gap was on cheese: the same kilo of gouda cost from 6.99 to 12.99 euros.

Why are prices rising?

According to MONSTAT, consumer prices in August 2026 were 4.5% higher than a year earlier, up from 3.8% in July, and 1.2% higher than in July alone. Food and non-alcoholic drinks rose more slowly, by 1.3% over the year, but meat and meat products went up 4.9% and bread and cereals 3.5%. Fuel was about 30% dearer than a year earlier, which feeds into transport costs; what a litre costs and how the price is set is explained in our guide to fuel prices in Montenegro.

Tax also shapes the shelf price. Since 1 January 2025 basic foodstuffs carry a reduced VAT rate of 7%, most other goods the standard 21%, and restaurant food and accommodation 15%. So a detergent or a bottle of cola carries three times the VAT of a litre of milk.

What do local products cost?

Several items in the basket are Montenegrin: Nikšićko beer cost 0.65 to 0.99 euros for half a litre, a bottle of Vranac from Plantaže 4.79 to 5.99 euros, and half a litre of Barsko zlato extra virgin olive oil 13.69 to 16.99 euros. Local cheese, cured ham and honey are often cheaper at green markets, but those prices are not recorded online, so they are not in the basket.

How can you spend less?

• Compare the weekly promotion leaflets: most chains discount a different set of items each week, and the Voli online shop lists both the regular and the promotional price.
• Buy fruit and vegetables where they are cheapest: in our sample the gap between shops was up to 90% on bananas.
• Look at own brands, such as Voli's Volim range, for sugar, flour, oil and detergent.
• Split your shop between two chains if you live near both; for the basket above that saved about 11 euros against buying everything at median prices.

What rent, bills and transport add to the monthly budget is set out in our overview of the cost of living in Montenegro and, for the capital, in the cost of living in Podgorica. Prices for household services such as cleaning or small repairs are collected in Glatko's price guide for home services.

Frequently asked questions

Is food expensive in Montenegro? Basic food is moderately priced: in September 2026 a litre of milk cost 0.89 to 0.99 euros and a kilo of potatoes 0.79 to 0.99 euros in Podgorica. Imported branded goods, cheese and olive oil cost more.

How much does a litre of milk cost in Montenegro? 0.89 to 0.99 euros for 2.8% milk in Podgorica shops in September 2026.

Which supermarket is cheapest in Montenegro? For the same 19 items, HDL and Voli Naš Diskont were the cheapest at about 57 euros and Idea the dearest at 62.76 euros. The cheapest shop changes from item to item and week to week.

How much is a beer in a Montenegrin supermarket? Half a litre of Nikšićko cost 0.65 to 0.99 euros in September 2026.

What VAT applies to food in Montenegro? Basic foodstuffs are taxed at 7%, most other goods at 21% and restaurant food at 15%.

How fast are prices rising? Consumer prices rose 4.5% in the year to August 2026, and food and non-alcoholic drinks 1.3%.

Sources

Shop prices come from cijene.me, a comparison site that records shelf prices in Montenegrin chains (Podgorica, records dated 27 August to 24 September 2026), and from the Voli online shop (25 September 2026). Inflation figures come from the MONSTAT consumer price index for August 2026. VAT rates are set by the Law on Value Added Tax as amended by Official Gazette of Montenegro 94/2024, applied from 1 January 2025. The data were checked on 25 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; prices in shops change weekly, so check the current price before you shop.