What other purchase costs should I expect?

In addition to the purchase price and any RETT or VAT, buyers should budget for:  

• Notary fees – Scaled by transaction value according to official tariff, typically €350-€1,000 for most residential properties  
• Sworn court-translator fees – Required if any party does not speak Montenegrin.
• Oral translation during signing: €50-100/hour, typically 1-2 hours.
• Written translation: €20/page, usually €120-200 total for a standard contract  
• Legal fees – €500-€2,000 or 1-2% of property value, depending on region and complexity. A good lawyer will check the Real Estate Cadastre, verify ownership, review permits, and ensure there are no encumbrances or disputes  
• Agency commission – In Montenegro, agency fees are typically covered by the seller. Buyers should NOT be charged agency fees unless they have specifically engaged a separate buyer's agent to help them search for properties, in which case those fees should be negotiated and agreed upfront. If a buyer does engage a buyer's agent, this would typically be a separate agent from the seller's agent, though the buyer's agent often receives a share of the seller's commission rather than charging the buyer directly.  Example of agent cooperation: If a buyer initially contacts Agent ABC who cannot find a suitable property, and Agent ABC then contacts NT Realty (who has a suitable listing), and the buyer purchases through NT Realty, then NT Realty would typically split their commission with Agent ABC. In this scenario, Agent ABC is effectively working as the buyer's agent, but the buyer still pays nothing—the fee comes from splitting the seller's commission.  If a typical agent tries to charge the buyer without a pre-existing buyer's agency agreement, be wary—this is not standard practice in Montenegro  
• Bank and transfer fees – Since October 2025, Montenegro is part of SEPA. Transfers up to €200/day to SEPA countries are free for individuals. For transfers up to €20,000, maximum fee is €1.99. For transfers exceeding €20,000, fee is €25. This is dramatically lower than previous SWIFT-based transfers  
• Cadastre extract and registration. Obtaining the List nepokretnosti (cadastre extract): approximately €18-25. Registration administrative fees:  Together, these ancillary costs typically add 2-4% to the headline purchase price.