Buying guide: Getting a prepaid SIM card in Montenegro
If you are worried about not being able to stay connected during your trip to Montenegro, we are here to assure you there is no need to be. Buying a prepaid SIM card in Montenegro is very easy and incredibly cheap.
We have been to Montenegro several times and tried different options of international and local SIM cards. To help you out, we have put together this article with all the options you can get, including a bit of our personal experience.
Let us guide you through the best local providers of prepaid SIM cards in Montenegro and the options they offer for tourists.
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Need an eSIM?
If you’re short on time, check the options from our most recommended providers for mobile internet around the world: Airalo and Nomad.
SIM card providers in Montenegro
Montenegro has three main mobile providers, and they all offer options of prepaid SIM cards for tourists:
- ONE Montenegro
- M:tel
- Crnogorski Telekom
Price of a prepaid SIM card in Montenegro
I am going, to be honest here: I was going to create a table to make it easier for you to compare their offers, but it is a bit harder to compare when all three companies offer the exact same price, coverage, and plan duration.
Yes, you read it right. Regardless of which of the three companies you choose, you will get the same price.
These are the two most popular prepaid options which are perfect for tourists:
- € 10 SIM card, with 500 GB coverage and valid for 7 days
- € 15 SIM card, with 500 GB coverage and valid for 15 days
Note: None of the options above include EU data coverage.
Which is the best mobile provider for prepaid SIM cards in Montenegro, then?
The mobile packages offered by ONE Montenegro, M:tel, and Crnogorski Telekom are essentially the same, which means you will get similar results, regardless of the company you choose.
All three mobile providers have extensive coverage in Montenegro and very good mobile signals. Therefore, the easiest way to choose which is the best SIM card for your Montenegro trip is to go for availability.
I personally found that the easiest SIM card to get was from ONE Montenegro. Most newspaper stands and shops seemed to have this one available.
In the next section, we will tell you how can you get your hands on prepaid SIM cards in Montenegro.
Where to buy prepaid SIM cards in Montenegro?
Prepaid SIM cards are sold in these types of stores in Montenegro:
- Newspaper stands
- Supermarkets
- Petrol stations (most of them)
Aside from these options, you can also head to the official store of the mobile company. They usually have stands or stores in all the larger cities in Montenegro, so it is very easy to find them.
The one company that goes one extra mile trying to make their SIM cards available is Crnogorski Telekom. They offer the possibility of buying eSIM or physical SIM cards online, and they offer delivery to European countries, the UAE, and the US. This means you can order your prepaid SIM card online and arrive in Montenegro with it in your hands, connecting right after you land.
For this reason, we believe that Crnogorski Telekom is the best option for prepaid SIM cards in Montenegro.
Can you buy a prepaid SIM card at Podgorica Airport?
Yes, you can buy them directly at the Podgorica Airport or you can wait and buy them at the city stores in Podgorica itself. Right in the arrivals sector, you will see two small convenience stores in the corner that sell prepaid SIM cards.
Unfortunately, the last time we were there, they didn’t have all the options available though. So, if you want to get the SIM card from a specific Montenegrin provider, you may have to wait until you get to the city center if they are out in the airport shops.
Can you buy a prepaid SIM card at Tivat Airport?
Also yes. If you are landing at Tivat Airport, you can also buy a prepaid SIM card from local Montenegrin providers right at the airport if you prefer.
SIM card for traveling through multiple Balkan countries
As of 2021, roaming fees were abolished among the following Western Balkan countries: Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo.
What does this mean in practice for travelers?
This recent rule means that there are no roaming charges for calling or texting numbers belonging to any of these countries, due to the agreement that was made. However, the same is not exactly applicable to data plans.
Each mobile provider still holds the right to offer different plan options, each with different data coverage. While in Montenegro, we visited the stand of all the prepaid SIM card providers in Montenegro and none of them offered more than 2 GB for use in the other Balkan countries.
Unfortunately, it seems that the only mobile plans with decent data coverage available through the Western Balkan region are for those with monthly subscriptions, not tourists who rely on prepaid SIM cards.
Use an international SIM card for traveling through the Balkans
There are two options you can choose from in order to stay connected across multiple countries of the Western Balkan region:
- You can buy a prepaid SIM card in every Balkan country you visit
- You can buy an international eSIM from a provider like Airalo or Nomad
Don’t know what an eSIM is? Check our guide on how eSIMs work to understand why are travelers so excited about them.
With the international eSIM, you can list the countries you intend to visit beforehand and buy a package that is suitable for your trip. This is a much more practical option than having to go to a store and physically buy a prepaid SIM card in every new country.
On our latest trips, we have opted for using eSIMs in most cases because they are much more practical. The one brand we recommend the most is Airalo. We have used them multiple times and had great experiences, so we can definitely recommend them.
Want to avoid the hassle of having to buy a SIM card after arriving in Montenegro? Buy an eSIM online and have it all set up before your plane lands! We use Airalo for most of our trips, check their options for SIM cards in Montenegro.
Read our other SIM card guides
The most popular questions about buying SIM cards for traveling to Montenegro
Do Croatian SIM cards work in Montenegro?
The data coverage you have in Croatia does not cover Montenegro by default unless you purchase an extended plan that will give you data coverage in the Balkans.
In most cases, the data coverage from the Croatian or EU provider will be much more expensive than the cost of purchasing a prepaid SIM card in Montenegro.
Will I pay roaming fees for using my American SIM card in Montenegro?
Yes, unless you purchase any additional package that gives you data coverage in Montenegro. This solution is often rather expensive, but it depends on which plan and provider you have, so you should check it in more detail.
The best option to avoid the roaming fees is to buy a SIM card specifically for your trip to Montenegro. If you don’t want the trouble of buying it in person once you land, you can simply order the eSIM online by using Airalo or Nomad.
Are roaming fees in Montenegro really that bad?
Yes, trust me, they are. We crossed the land border from Croatia to Montenegro when driving from Dubrovnik to Kotor. When passing through the border, I forgot my phone with active data for literally 6 minutes. This cost me € 8, and I wasn’t even using the phone.
Now, with this price, I could almost buy 500 GB worth of internet if I was purchasing a prepaid SIM card from a local Montenegrin provider. So yeah, to answer the question, roaming fees are really high and definitely not worth it. We really recommend you be prepared and organize which SIM card you want beforehand.
Oh! And make sure to turn that roaming and data off when you cross the border.
Is there a SIM card that will work in Montenegro and Albania too?
Since the roaming fees were abolished in the Western Balkan, you are able to use a Montenegrin SIM card for traveling to Albania and vice versa. However, as we have mentioned before, it is really important to know how much data coverage you have available for each country.
If you will be starting your trip in Montenegro, it makes sense to buy the prepaid SIM card in Montenegro itself. When you do so, make sure to ask what is data coverage available for use in the rest of the Balkans and choose the option that suits your needs the most.
Another option is to get an eSIM from Airalo and travel to both countries stress-free.
More about traveling to Montenegro
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Montenegro, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Montenegro on Skyscanner.com.
- Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad.
- Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals.
- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
- Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
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