Water prices in Montenegro in 2027: cost per cubic metre by municipality, how the bill is calculated, connecting to the water supply and when water can be cut off

In 2027 a cubic metre of water in Montenegro will cost from 0.3768 euros in Andrijevica to 2.4146 euros in Cetinje, with 0.4084 euros in Podgorica, 0.4420 in Nikšić and 1.1622 euros in Budva. On top of the price per cubic metre every user pays a fixed part each month, whatever they consume, and collecting and draining wastewater is charged separately. These prices were approved by the Regulatory Agency for Energy and Regulated Utility Activities, which published them on 31 July 2026, and they apply from 1 January 2027 once the municipal assembly agrees to them or fails to decide in time.

The rules come from the Law on Utility Activities, the Agency's methodology and the new Law on Consumer Protection. This guide gives the prices for 19 water utilities and explains how the bill is calculated, how to connect to the water supply, when the utility may cut off your water and how to dispute a bill.

What does a cubic metre of water cost in 2027?

In Herceg Novi, Nikšić and Podgorica wastewater treatment is also charged: 0.2064, 0.2740 and 0.1505 euros per cubic metre. The utilities in Gusinje, Petnjica, Šavnik and Tuzi did not ask for approval of 2027 prices, and the Agency rejected the proposal of the utility in Žabljak, so in 2027 they apply a provisional price: the price on the December 2026 bill, reduced by 10%.

Who approves the price of water?

The utility proposes the price, the Agency gives its consent, and then the municipal assembly decides. The utility submits the request to the assembly within 15 days of the Agency's consent, and the assembly decides within 90 days at most. If it does not decide in that time, consent is deemed given. If the assembly rejects a price the Agency has approved, the utility applies a provisional price for one year, 10% lower than on the December bill.

The price per unit is the same for all users, households and businesses alike. The utility must tell you about a new price at least 30 days before it starts to apply it.

How is the water bill calculated?

• You pay the fixed part every month, even when you use no water, because it is obtained by dividing part of the utility's annual revenue approved by the Agency by the number of users and 12 months.
• The variable part depends on the consumption shown by the water meter, and every user must have a separate meter.
• Wastewater drainage has its own fixed and variable part, and in three municipalities treatment is charged as well.
• Drinking water from the public supply is subject to a reduced VAT rate of 7%.

For example, a household in Podgorica that uses 10 cubic metres a month pays for the water supply alone 0.7090 + 10 × 0.4084 = 4.79 euros, and wastewater drainage and treatment are added at the prices in the table. Check on your own bill how the utility shows VAT. The bill must contain all the data needed to check the calculation, and it must show unpaid debts older than two years separately. A municipality may subsidise the price for households with persons with disabilities or persons in social need, and for pupils, students and pensioners, so ask the local administration whether such a decision exists.

How do you connect to the water supply?

The owner of a building or house must connect it to the water supply and sewerage. A connection may be made only with the utility's approval and under its supervision, as a temporary connection for construction or a permanent connection for using the building.

1. The exact procedure, deadlines and the connection fee are set by the municipality, so you apply to the local water utility.
2. By law the connection fee covers the actual costs of the utility's supervision.
3. The utility must connect you without discrimination and on equal conditions known in advance, and its offer must state the price of connection.
4. You remove a temporary connection within the period set in the approval.
5. Anyone who connects without approval must remove the connection at their own cost within 8 days, and if they do not, the utility removes it at their cost.

Connecting electricity to a new house follows a different procedure, explained in our guide to the electricity connection. If you buy a flat, transferring the water meter to the new owner is described in our article on transferring utilities. Plumbing work in the flat can also be booked through the Glatko platform.

When may the utility cut off your water?

The utility may temporarily withhold water only if you use it for other purposes or beyond the permitted volume when supply is disrupted, if you disturb other users without reason, if you act contrary to the prescribed conditions or if you do not pay your bills. Even then it must supply one tenth of the quantity of water set by the Ministry's regulation, and once the reason ends it must reconnect you within 24 hours of your request and payment of the connection fee.

• If you dispute a bill in court, out-of-court or administrative proceedings and pay the undisputed part regularly, the utility may not cut you off while the proceedings last.
• If it has already cut you off, it must reconnect you free of charge while the proceedings last.
• It may not make reconnection conditional on paying debts older than two years.
• The utility must announce a planned interruption in one print and one electronic medium at least 24 hours in advance, and it must inform the municipality at once of an unplanned interruption and inform residents through the media.

How do you dispute a water bill?

1. You submit the complaint to the utility within 15 days of receiving the bill, on paper or by email.
2. The utility must answer in writing within 8 days at the latest, and its customer service must be open on working days, including Saturday, in the morning and afternoon.
3. If you are not satisfied with the answer, or there is no answer within 8 days, you can file an objection within 15 days with the local administration body that supervises the utility.
4. On request the utility must send you a detailed report of unpaid debts within 8 days.

The general rules on complaints, deadlines and the Board for Out-of-Court Resolution of Consumer Disputes are explained in our guide to consumer rights.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cubic metre of water cost in Podgorica in 2027? Water costs 0.4084 euros per cubic metre with a fixed part of 0.7090 euros a month, and wastewater drainage costs 0.1859 euros per cubic metre with a fixed part of 0.2462 euros, plus treatment at 0.1505 euros per cubic metre.

Where is water most expensive in Montenegro? In Cetinje, where a cubic metre costs 2.4146 euros in 2027 and the fixed part 3.7019 euros a month.

Why do I pay for water even when I don't use any? Because the bill has a fixed part, which is calculated per user and per month, not by consumption.

What if the municipality does not accept the new price? Then the utility applies a provisional price for one year, equal to the price on the previous December's bill reduced by 10%.

Can the utility cut off my water if I dispute the bill? No, not while the proceedings last and while you regularly pay the undisputed part of the bill.

How long do I have to dispute a water bill? 15 days from receiving the bill, and the utility must answer within 8 days at the latest.

Sources

The 2027 prices were published by the Regulatory Agency for Energy and Regulated Utility Activities on 31 July 2026. Connection, disconnection and prices are governed by the Law on Utility Activities (Official Gazette of Montenegro 55/2016, 74/2016, 66/2019 and 140/2022, Articles 31 to 38, 54, 54a, 55, 56a, 59 and 59a), and the calculation of the fixed part by the Methodology for setting prices for regulated utility activities (Official Gazette of Montenegro 37/2023, amended by 34/2024 and 39/2025, Article 20). Consumer rights are governed by the Law on Consumer Protection (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/2026, Articles 28, 29 and 37 to 44), and the VAT rate by the Law on Value Added Tax (Article 24a as worded by 94/2024). The legislation was checked on 25 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform and does not give legal advice; for your own bill, contact the local water utility or the local administration.