Confused between buying a real estate in Montenegro vs Bosnia. Which would you choose for living?
Posted by wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 38 comments
Hi! I’m not European but recently fell Inlove with Balkan countries.
I bought an apartment in my home country and I’ve been thinking about a second home where I could happily retire in maybe in 5-7 years? For the mean time I could rent it out or spend my vacations there
I’m a 33years old woman so I’m thinking I would like it to be a bit lively where I could still get to meet people and live an active lifestyle.
I read it’s easier to get residency in Montenegro but I think it will be fine in Bosnia too? ( my positivity and enthusiasm about everything going right have no legal value I know 😂😂)
Anyway which one would you choose for a woman in her 30s? And why? Lifestyle wise and overall
Couchfar@reddit
id say monte only because they will join the EU sooner
User20242024@reddit
Budva town in Montenegro is best place to have appartment in.
BeatnologicalMNE@reddit
It's harder to get residency in Montenegro, not sure who told you it's easier. :D
Montenegro has its perks, Bosnia has its perks. It really depends what are you looking for. If you can explain what are your affinities and what lifestyle you are looking at maybe someone can jump in and help, otherwise it's pointless.
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This comes from someone who lives a month or two in Bosnia yearly, 2-3 months in Croatia and majority of time in Montenegro.
wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit (OP)
Honestly I just want a calm place, not a huge city ( I am getting enough of this chaos at the moment)
I love love Ohrid and thought it was perfect but Macedonia seemed too difficult to get residency? Or at least that’s what I was told. So Bosnia and Montenegro seemed more sensible.
I just want somewhere calm but not too calm that it would bore me to death.
Also you are so lucky to be able to move around and live in different and nice places! I
BeatnologicalMNE@reddit
Let's put it like this. Getting permanent residency in Montenegro is absolutely hardest out of all countries you have on your list so if that's a "must have" you better avoid Montenegro.
That does not stop you to get temp residency though and then eventually get permanent after 5+ years. Residency only though, not citizenship (for what it's worth).
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Seeing you are retiring that early I believe $$$ is not a problem so benefits of picking Trebinje in Bosnia over some Montenegro coastal town are non existent. However if that is not the case Trebinje is better option as it's still much, much cheaper and you are still close enough to the seaside with a perk of having easier "access" to larger cities (e.g. Sarajevo / Mostar).
I'd personally pick, if money was not the problem, any place in Montenegro Boka Bay, preferably closer to the border with Cro/BiH. However please do keep in mind, outside of spring and summer season it gets really, really quiet in every Montenegro coastal city so it is easy to get to bored to death unless you want to travel here & there (to Croatia, Bosnia, take a flight to Belgrade, road trip to inland for some hiking etc).
paranoidtrader@reddit
But OP didn't tell us what she really wants or what her intentions are so we can just speculate. In my opinion Croatia offers best of both worlds, it's in the EU, better infrastructure, more open for westerners (if she's from West) and much more space near the coast. Highways, airports, MN is a real fck up, no space because of mountains, only Magistrala as main route, full in season, death boring outside...
BeatnologicalMNE@reddit
I agree but then again, question was Bosnia or Montenegro. :D
paranoidtrader@reddit
Trebinje, not far away from Croatian or Montenegro coast, not far away from Bileca Lake, has it's own Lake and River. Would be my destination personally.
BandAdditional6084@reddit
Yeah, Trebinje is prime real estate.
Football-is@reddit
My suggestion would be to travel to both countries and explore them, as well as the potential towns you wanna come and live/retire in.
Pictures and online reviews are one thing, but seeing them in person is different.
wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit (OP)
I did, few times. Loved both countries. People are so gentle and food and atmosphere both exceeded my expectations.
But when you are on vacation everything seems better than it actually is and for now I can’t go and stay there for extended periods of time
Happy-Hour88@reddit
Then go wherever you find a good property for a good price. You can always look up in places where the other country will be a short road trip away so you can enjoy them both. :)
Herceg Novi for example is close to Trebinje and not that far from Mostar and vice-versa.
_Caligulean_@reddit
I agree. We still have decent coast tho
Football-is@reddit
100%, if she wants a coast the answer is Montenegro without a doubt.
obzovica@reddit
It depends what you like to do, what kind of person are you?
medved76@reddit
Albania
Tradeoffer69@reddit
Perfect time to pay for overinflated prices (a house in Tirana costs more than one in Bucharest while Bucharest has 90% higher purchasing power)
medved76@reddit
Durrës baby
One_Conversation3886@reddit
Have you visited both?
I mean, for me is no brainer, Montenegro is actually pretty decent place.
Dismal-Recording3069@reddit
First of all I wanna know how you are able to retire by 40 🤣.
wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit (OP)
Brutal honesty: earning in stronger currency and retiring somewhere more affordable.
Beautiful-Dish-6275@reddit
It isnt really about cirrency tho since montenegro uses euros too and bosnian mark is pegged to euro so its pretty much the same.
You probably live in a country iwth higher salaries and costs of living tho, so your salary gets you a lot more in Bosnia than in idk Denmark?
J0hnnyBlazer@reddit
Ye the ”stronger currency” makes no sense
Dismal-Recording3069@reddit
Good for you. Great choice !
baxulax@reddit
Of
deviendrais@reddit
Find a psychologist who, in exchange for 💰, diagnoses you as mentally too unfit for work. Early onset dementia is the safest option to choose. Enjoy your early retirement
ContributionOk5475@reddit
Montenegro is very boring in the winter and will be overcrowded in the summer.
sht-magnet@reddit
I think more information would be nice to share more educated opinions.
What are your priorities? Coast? Healthcare? Food? Cheap property? Languages you speak?
May I ask why not Croatia? Even Italy is quite cheap depending on the area and you can settle easier coming from another EU country.
beggs23k@reddit
Montenegro, much more stable political situation, BiH might not even be a country in 40 years. Althought MTG is also pain in the ass
No-Specialist-1435@reddit
From a Bosnian and Herzegovian, I think the residency in Bosnia is close to impossible. There are literally people who invested tens of millions in great hotspots and never got the residency.
LaVeriteEstDansLeVin@reddit
Bosnia is a barely functioning country and shit can go wrong at any moment.
The wise choice is Montenegro (nato country + more realistic EU chances)
wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit (OP)
I have been doing a lot of search and Montenegro does seem a lot more stable. Thank you
LaVeriteEstDansLeVin@reddit
You haven't done it properly otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question.
You're welcome.
wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit (OP)
There is a very big different between asking personal opinions from people who live/lived there and searching online or visiting briefly in person.
Chill on the judgment a little.
EdoValhalla77@reddit
You live or have lived in Bosnia so you can claim it’s a barely functioning country. Because i live 6 months every year in Bosnia for the last 10 years and i certainly cant see “barley” functioning state.
InformationTop3437@reddit
Bosnia gained a lot of sympathy for beating Italy in the past few weeks, but I don't know that much about this country. Montenegro has spectacular sights and mountains but that's all I know. Maybe people from both countries can help you, giving you pros and cons, because they are the only ones with real info.
abandonedtulpa@reddit
Idk, just came to say you’re lucky to be able to retire at 40
wtfisthissssssssssss@reddit (OP)
I really hope this dream of mine stays within reach haha inflation and the current world state is slowly killing it