The charts below show where Montenegro stands relative to the EU average, the change over the previous year, and the estimated time needed to reach the EU average if the trends of the past five years continue. It covers eight areas, from the economy to infrastructure, showing where the country is catching up and where it is falling behind.
The strongest pillar in Montenegro in 2025 was Health, at 85% of the EU average. Digitalisation, Governance, Education and Social followed, at around 80%. Economic and Environment were lower, at around 50-60%, while Infrastructure lagged behind the rest, at just 41% of the EU level.
6 of the 8 areas improved in 2025. Social improved the most, by 4.5 pp relative to the EU average. Economic and Governance also improved strongly, by 3.1 pp and 2.4 pp respectively. Digitalisation, Education and Health improved more modestly, closing less than 1 pp of the gap. Environment and Infrastructure stagnated, showing virtually no change relative to the EU average.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Social and Health would need around 13 years to close the gap to the EU average. Digitalisation and Economic follow, needing around 2 decades, and Governance around 26 years. Education would need around 5 decades. Environment and Infrastructure are the poorest performing pillars in Montenegro, needing more than 100 years to reach the EU level at current trends.
GDP per capita at EU27 purchasing power standard (PPS) in Montenegro in 2025 stood at 22,540 EUR. The average gross wage at PPS was 1,824 EUR, the minimum wage 1,013 EUR and the average net pension 803 EUR. Output per worker at PPS stood at 50,660 EUR, and gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) per capita at 5,033 EUR.
Relative to the EU average, the best performing economic indicator in Montenegro in 2025 was Minimum wage, at 77% of the EU level. Output per worker, Average net pensions, Average gross wage and GFCF per capita were lower, at around 58%. GDP per capita is the weakest link, at just 54% of the EU average.
All indicators in the economic pillar improved relative to the EU average in 2025. The biggest improvement was in Average net pensions, which closed the gap to the EU level by 11.6 pp, closely followed by Minimum wage, with 10 pp. GFCF per capita, Average gross wage and Output per worker closed between 2.1 pp and 3.5 pp of the gap. GDP per capita saw the smallest improvement, of just 0.8 pp.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Minimum wage would need around 6 years to close the gap to the EU average, Average net pensions 14 years and GDP per capita 21 years. Average gross wage would need around 4 decades and Output per worker around a century. GFCF per capita is the poorest performing indicator in this group, needing more than 100 years to reach the EU level at current trends.
Public spending on health in Montenegro in 2025 stood at 6.7% of GDP. Life expectancy was 77.9 years and infant mortality 1.6 per 1,000 live births. There were 387 hospital beds per 100,000 inhabitants and 27.9 physicians per 10,000 inhabitants. Out-of-pocket health expenditures accounted for 26.3% of total health spending.
Relative to the EU average, the best performing health indicator was Infant mortality, at 219% of the EU level. Public spending on health also exceeded the EU average, at 105%, and Life expectancy was close, at 96%. Hospital beds and Out-of-pocket health expenditures were somewhat lower, at around 75%. Number of physicians remains the weakest link, at just 65% of the EU average.
3 of the 6 indicators in the health pillar improved relative to the EU average in 2025. The biggest improvement was in Infant mortality, which gained 62 pp relative to the EU level. Hospital beds and Life expectancy improved by 2 pp and 0.1 pp respectively, while Number of physicians and Out-of-pocket health expenditures gave back 1.1 pp and 2 pp respectively. Public spending on health was the indicator with the weakest performance, falling back by 6.7 pp relative to the EU average.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Out-of-pocket health expenditures is estimated to be 7 years away from converging to the EU level, while Life expectancy and Hospital beds would need 2 and 3 decades respectively. Number of physicians is diverging from the EU average and is not on track to close the gap at recent trends. Public spending on health and Infant mortality have already converged with the EU average.
Public spending on education in Montenegro in 2025 stood at 4.1% of GDP. Harmonised test scores averaged 444 points. Tertiary education enrolment stood at 55.2% of the tertiary-age population, and tertiary education attainment at 31.9% of the corresponding age group. Pre-primary school enrolment stood at 78.6% of the corresponding age group. The NEET rate was 15% of the labour force.
Relative to the EU average, the best performing education indicator was Tertiary education attainment, at 93% of the EU level. Harmonised test scores and Public spending on education were close behind, at around 88%, while Pre-primary school enrolment was at 83%. Tertiary education enrolment was lower, at 69%, and NEET rate at 60% of the EU average.
4 of the 6 indicators in the education pillar improved relative to the EU average in 2025. The biggest improvement was in Tertiary education attainment, which closed the gap to the EU level by 7.4 pp. Public spending on education came second, closing 4.6 pp of the gap, while Harmonised test scores and Pre-primary school enrolment improved by 0.6 pp and 0.1 pp. Tertiary education enrolment slid by 0.3 pp, while NEET rate was the indicator with the weakest performance, falling back by 4.8 pp relative to the EU average.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Tertiary education attainment would reach the EU level in 3 years, Pre-primary school enrolment in 11, NEET rate in 25 and Public spending on education in 28 years. Harmonised test scores are more than 100 years away from the EU level. Tertiary education enrolment is diverging from the EU average and is not on track to close the gap at recent trends.
Voice and accountability in Montenegro in 2025 stood at 57.8 index points (0–100 scale). Political stability stood at 56.6, Government effectiveness at 57.3, Regulatory quality at 52.5, Rule of law at 53.6 and Control of corruption at 48.8 index points.
Relative to the EU average, the best performing governance indicator was Political stability, at 95% of the EU level. Government effectiveness, Voice and accountability, Rule of law and Regulatory quality were at between 74% and 80%. Control of corruption is the weakest link, at 70% of the EU average.
5 of the 6 indicators in the governance pillar improved relative to the EU average in 2025. The biggest improvement was in Political stability, which closed the gap to the EU level by 6.5 pp. Rule of law, Government effectiveness and Voice and accountability closed between 1.5 pp and 4.7 pp of the gap, and Control of corruption 0.4 pp. Regulatory quality was the only indicator to decline, falling back by 1.6 pp relative to the EU average.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Political stability would converge to the EU level in just 2 years, and Voice and accountability and Government effectiveness in around 15-20 years. Rule of law would need around 4 decades and Control of corruption more than 100 years. Regulatory quality is diverging from the EU average and is not on track to close the gap at recent trends.
Premature deaths due to PM 2.5 in Montenegro in 2025 stood at 142 per 100,000 population aged 30+. Renewable energy accounted for 80.4% of total capacity. Energy intensity stood at 239 KGOE and carbon intensity at 495 KG per thousand euro of GDP (chain-linked volumes, 2015). Recovered waste accounted for 5.0% of total diverted waste, and protected areas covered 21.7% of the land area.
Relative to the EU average, the best performing environment indicator was Renewable energy share, at 132% of the EU level. Protected areas came second, at 81%. Premature deaths due to PM 2.5, Energy intensity and Carbon intensity were lower, at between 35% and 40%. Waste that is recovered remains the weakest link, at just 6% of the EU average.
2 of the 6 indicators in the environment pillar improved relative to the EU average in 2025. The biggest improvement was in Premature deaths due to PM 2.5, which closed the gap to the EU level by 3.1 pp. Carbon intensity was the other indicator that improved, by 0.3 pp. Protected areas stagnated, while Energy intensity and Waste that is recovered gave back 1 pp and 1.4 pp respectively. Renewable energy share was the indicator with the weakest performance, falling back by 5.1 pp relative to the EU average.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Protected areas and Premature deaths due to PM 2.5 would need around 6 decades to close the gap to the EU average. Energy intensity, Carbon intensity and Waste that is recovered are diverging from the EU average and are not on track to close the gap at recent trends. Renewable energy share has already converged with the EU average.
Households with internet access in Montenegro in 2025 stood at 88.1%, use of e-government services at 38.1% and enterprises with websites at 87.3%. ICT services exports stood at 2.1% of GDP and value added in ICT at 5.1% of total value added. The share of people with at least basic digital skills was 87.3%.
Relative to the EU average, the best performing digitalisation indicator was Enterprises with websites, at 113% of the EU level. People with at least basic digital skills was close behind, at 101%, while Households with internet access and Value added in ICT were at around 90%. Use of e-government services was at 66%, while ICT services exports were the weakest link, at just 40% of the EU average.
2 of the 6 indicators in the digitalisation pillar improved relative to the EU average in 2025. The biggest improvement was in Use of e-government services, which closed the gap to the EU level by 19.4 pp, followed by Households with internet access, with 3.2 pp. People with at least basic digital skills and Enterprises with websites stagnated. Value added in ICT and ICT services exports were the indicators with the weakest performance, falling back by 8 pp and 10 pp relative to the EU average.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Households with internet access and Use of e-government services would need around 10 years to close the gap to the EU average. ICT services exports lag further behind, needing around 8 decades, while Value added in ICT is diverging from the EU average. Enterprises with websites and People with at least basic digital skills have already converged with the EU average.
Length of motorways in Montenegro in 2025 stood at 30.3 km per 10,000 sq km, length of roads at 7,302 km and railway tracks at 236 km. Electricity installed capacity stood at 827 MW per 10,000 sq km. Safely managed sanitation facilities covered 50.9% of the population, and safely managed water supply 85.5%.
Relative to the EU average, the best performing infrastructure indicator was Safely managed water supply, at 88% of the EU level. Safely managed sanitation facilities came second, at 56%. Length of roads was lower, at 45%, and Railway tracks and Electricity installed capacity lower still, at 25% and 20%. Length of motorways remains the weakest link, at just 13% of the EU average.
2 of the 6 indicators in the infrastructure pillar improved relative to the EU average in 2025. The biggest improvement was in Safely managed sanitation facilities, which closed the gap to the EU level by 1.1 pp, while Length of roads closed 0.5 pp. Railway tracks and Safely managed water supply stagnated. Length of motorways and Electricity installed capacity fell back by 0.1 pp and 0.2 pp relative to the EU average.
At the pace of improvement from the past 5 years, Length of motorways would need around 32 years to close the gap to the EU average, and Safely managed sanitation facilities around 4 decades. Length of roads and Railway tracks would need more than 100 years. Electricity installed capacity and Safely managed water supply are diverging from the EU average and are not on track to close the gap at recent trends.
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