We just got back from a lovely 5-night family trip to Montenegro from Dubai, and I’m sharing our full budget breakdown so you can plan your own trip with confidence.
We’re a family of three, and we based ourselves in Budva for the whole stay. We kept things relaxed — slow mornings, supermarket breakfasts, and buses to get around instead of taxis. Below you’ll find our day-by-day expenses, a full budget summary, and a few honest observations at the end.
A quick note on how we’re counting the days: we arrived in the evening on Day 1, so that wasn’t a full sightseeing day at all. And our last morning was really just a departure day before we headed onward. So in between, we had four solid days to explore — which, honestly, was just the right amount for our pace.
All costs are in euros (EUR) unless noted. Let’s dive in.
Where we Stayed in Budva: Seaside Rest Apartments
Day 1: Arrival Day – Tivat Airport to Budva
We landed at Tivat in the evening and took the taxi (we prearranged via Booking.com) to Budva. After settling in, we had a relaxed dinner at Restaurant Tiffany, then did a casual stroll along the coast.
We walked towards Pizza Padrino for some pizza and dropped by the supermarket to buy water/drinks.
| Expense | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Arranged hotel taxi (Tivat to Budva) | 45.00 |
| Dinner at Restaurant Tiffany (grilled octopus, cevapi – kebab) | 48.50 |
| Pizza Padrino | 21.00 |
| Supermarket | 8.00 |
| Day 1 Total | 122.50 |
Day 2: Budva Citadel and Kotor Old Town
We started the day late in the morning and had coffee at our hotel. We went to Budva Old Town, and hiked up the Citadel and enjoyed the views. We explored this area for about two hours.
Then we took a bus to Kotor Old Town and had dinner at The Drunken Sailor for some calamari and pasta. Went back to Budva to our hotel.
| Expense | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Coffee/bakery | 7.00 |
| Citadel entry (2 adults, child free) | 14.00 |
| Snacks | 7.00 |
| Bus to Kotor (2 adults) | 12.60 |
| Dinner at The Drunken Sailor | 65.40 |
| Gelato | 4.50 |
| Bus back to Budva | 12.60 |
| Supermarket | 16.50 |
| Day 2 Total | 139.60 |
Day 3: Sveti Stefan and Beach Time
Sveti Stefan is just a short 20 minutes bus ride from Budva. We spent around two hours there, had lunch at Drago Restaurant with fresh grilled seafood.
Afterwards, we went back to Budva to lounge at the beach near the Old Town called Plaža Ričardova Glava. We paid sun loungers for EUR 20.
After the beach, we walked to L’Angolo 23 Pizzeria Restaurant for some Neapolitan pizza.
| Expense | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Bus Budva to Sveti Stefan | 5.00 |
| Lunch at Drago Restaurant | 68.80 |
| Bus back to Budva | 5.00 |
| Sun loungers | 20.00 |
| Dinner at L’Angolo 23 Pizzeria (Neapolitan pizza) | 49.40 |
| Supermarket | 20.00 |
| Day 3 Total | 168.20 |
Day 4: Blue Cave Tour and Beach Afternoon in Budva
This was our most active day. We joined the Blue Cave Tour from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm, then spent the afternoon at the beach in Budva.
By the way, there are plenty of beaches in Budva, just take your pick along the coast. We paid EUR 15 for sun loungers.
During the evening, we walked back to Budva Old Town to buy street food dinner at La Mia Pasta for carbonara and Amigos Gyros for kebab. We ate at one of the benches outside the old town.
| Expense | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Blue Cave Tour (2 adults, 1 child) | 130.00 |
| Lunch at Olimp | 42.40 |
| Sun loungers (good for 2) | 15.00 |
| Corona beer | 5.00 |
| Dinner/street food (La Mia Pasta, Amigos Gyros) | 27.00 |
| Supermarket | 10.00 |
| Day 4 Total | 229.40 |
Day 5: Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, and Kotor
On our last full day in Montenegro, we headed to Perast, visited Our Lady of the Rocks by boat and also entered the church.
Then we took the bus to Kotor Old Town and spent the remaining time here before heading back.
| Expense | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Bus Budva to Perast (3 people) | 18.90 |
| Our Lady of the Rocks boat (2) | 10.00 |
| Our Lady of the Rocks church entry (2) | 6.00 |
| Souvenir | 12.00 |
| Bus Perast to Kotor | 4.00 |
| Souvenir (ham and cheese) | 15.00 |
| Pizza Primo snacks with drinks | 10.50 |
| Snacks/water/gelato/dessert | 10.00 |
| Dinner at Little Bay Garden | 53.79 |
| Bus to Budva (2) | 14.60 |
| Day 5 Total | 154.79 |
Departure Morning: Onward to Dubrovnik
Our checkout day was a simple one. We had breakfast near the bus station, grabbed some water and coffee from the supermarket, and prepared to head out.
In our case, we did not return to Tivat Airport. Instead, we continued our trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia by bus — which was an exciting bonus leg of the journey. If you’re planning to do the same, please note that entering Croatia requires a valid Schengen visa, so make sure yours is in order before booking that leg.
If you are heading back to Tivat Airport from Budva, we’d suggest budgeting around EUR 50 for transportation, whether that’s a bus or a shared transfer, depending on availability and timing.
| Expense | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Breakfast at Sirus Restaurant (near bus station) | 24.40 |
| Supermarket (coffee/water) | 9.00 |
| Day 6 Total | 33.40 |
Note: If you’re returning to Tivat Airport, budget an additional ~EUR 50 for your transfer. This is not included in our total since we took a different route.
Daily Totals at a Glance
| Day | Total (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Day 1 – Arrival Day | 122.50 |
| Day 2 | 139.60 |
| Day 3 | 168.20 |
| Day 4 | 229.40 |
| Day 5 – Last Full Day | 154.79 |
| Departure Morning | 33.40 |
| On-Ground Total (excludes flights, insurance, internet) | 847.89 |
This EUR 847.89 covers everything we spent on the ground in Montenegro across our 5-night stay — from our arrival evening through our departure morning — including food, tours, transport, sun loungers, souvenirs, and small extras.
It does not include our hotel, flights, travel insurance, or mobile data. We break those out below.
Budget Breakdown by Category
To make this easier to plan around, here’s how our spending splits across the main categories.
Hotel
| Item | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Hotel apartment (5 nights) | 436.76 |
Tours and Entries
| Item | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Blue Cave Tour | 130.00 |
| Citadel entry | 14.00 |
| Our Lady of the Rocks boat | 10.00 |
| Our Lady of the Rocks church entry | 6.00 |
| Tours/Entries Total | 160.00 |
Transportation
This includes the arranged airport taxi and all buses during our stay.
| Item | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Transportation Total | 117.70 |
Planning to return to Tivat Airport on Day 6? Budget an additional ~EUR 50 for your transfer. This was not part of our expense since we travelled to Dubrovnik in Croatia.
Food, Snacks, and Groceries
This covers all meals, coffee, gelato, supermarket runs, sun loungers, drinks, and souvenirs — everything except tours/entries, transport, and hotel.
| Category | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Food, snacks, groceries, loungers, souvenirs | 570.19 |
Full Trip Cost Summary
Here’s the complete picture of our on-the-ground spending plus the hotel.
| Category | Cost (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Hotel (5 nights) | 436.76 |
| Tours and entries | 160.00 |
| Transportation | 117.70 |
| Food, snacks, groceries, extras | 570.19 |
| Grand Total (EUR) | 1,284.65 |
Costs Not Included in the Euro Total
A few expenses sat outside our daily euro tracking. We’re listing them separately so your own planning stays complete:
- Mobile eSim internet (Maya Mobile): USD 7
- Family travel insurance: AED 168
- Flight tickets (flydubai): varies by season and booking date, so check current fares
- Service tips: not included in any of the totals above
Total Trip Cost in AED (Excluding Airfare)
So how much did we actually spend for our 5 nights in Montenegro?
All in, our trip came to EUR 1,284.65 — covering accommodation, transport, food, and day-to-day extras.
For those budgeting in UAE dirhams, that works out to roughly AED 5,151.
This is the total for a family of 3 (with toddler).
Keep in mind that this figure does not include airfare, travel insurance, and mobile internet — so be sure to factor those into your own travel budget!
Observations From Our Trip
A few honest takeaways that shaped our budget:
- Dinner costs varied a lot. Our family dinners usually ran between EUR 30 and EUR 69, depending on the restaurant and what we ordered. Street food and takeaway meals kept some nights cheaper.
- Supermarkets saved us money. We stayed in a hotel apartment, so we bought groceries, bread, and coffee for breakfast and snacks. This cut down our daily spending nicely.
- We didn’t count tips. Service tips for restaurants aren’t included in any of the figures above, so budget a little extra if you like to tip.
Keep in mind that your own costs will look different from ours. Spending depends on your family size, the season you travel in, and your dining style. A couple traveling in shoulder season with mostly self-catered meals could spend far less, while a larger family dining out every night will spend more. Use our numbers as a friendly reference point, not a fixed rule.
The takeaway: With a relaxed pace, smart supermarket breakfasts, and buses instead of taxis, a 5-night Montenegro trip from Dubai is very doable for a family, and we hope our real numbers help you plan yours with a little more peace of mind.
Check out our other blogposts about Montenegro here:
- DubaiOFW Goes to Montenegro
- From Dubai to Montenegro: Our Visa-Free Entry Immigration Experience at DXB and Tivat Airport
- DIY Montenegro Trip: Our 5-Night Budget Itinerary for a Family of 3
- 10 Top Places to Visit in Montenegro: A Family-Friendly Guide
- A Beginner’s Travel Guide to Montenegro – Contributor Post
- Montenegro Opens 10-Day Visa-Free Trips for UAE Residents From Dubai
- 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Montenegro
