Renting a Car in Montenegro: Complete Guide + Kombo Rent a Car Review
Everything you need to know about renting a hire car in Montenegro and our honest Kombo Rent a Car review.
Disclaimer: This article is part of a collaboration with Kombo Rent a Car, but all opinions are our own and honest. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission on anything purchased through these links at no extra cost to you. Learn more on our disclaimer page.
Renting a car in Montenegro is one of the easiest ways to explore the country, giving you the freedom to travel beyond the popular coastal towns and visit mountain villages, national parks, and scenic viewpoints that are difficult to reach by public transport. While driving in Montenegro can be daunting at first, it’s really the best way to see the country beyond its most popular tourist sites.
We spent way too many hours researching rental cars in Montenegro, comparing rates, getting quotes from local operators, searching third-party booking sites, and weighing up whether it was even worth it. In the end, we booked with a local company called Kombo Rent a Car and it was the best decision we could have made.
In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about renting a car for a Montenegro road trip, including where to hire one, how much it costs, what documents you’ll need, what the process is like, and insurance information, as well as our honest review of Kombo Rent a Car, who we booked with.
Is it worth renting a car in Montenegro?
For us, renting a car in Montenegro was absolutely necessary. But whether it’s the right decision for you will depend on how long you have, where you plan to go, and what your budget is.
A rental car can be really handy if you are planning to visit multiple destinations in Montenegro, want to see the national parks (which are more remote than the coastal towns), are interested in day trips, plan to cross into neighbouring countries, or are travelling with luggage that you simply don’t want to lug around on buses.
But if you’re staying in one base like Kotor or Budva for your whole trip, booking organised excursions and day trips with tour companies, visiting for a short period of time (a few days), or simply don’t want the self-sufficiency and potential stress driving abroad can bring, then a rental car may not be the best option for you.
A happy compromise can be booking a rental car for part of your trip. After taking the bus to Kotor from Mostar, we spent 5 nights in Kotor Old Town and, besides using the public bus to visit Perast, got around entirely on foot. Then we picked up our rental car to explore the rest of the country. It saved us money by only using it when we needed it and meant we didn’t need to worry about parking in Kotor or driving the congested bay roads.
Over the next month or so, the rental car was absolutely worth it. We’d never have been able to see the breadth of Montenegro that we did without a car. If you really want to experience the country’s diversity, from remote national parks to lively beach towns, a rental car is non-negotiable.
Where can I rent a car in Montenegro?
Most visitors rent a car at Montenegro’s airports – the two main ones are:
Many rental companies also have offices or offer hotel delivery in cities and towns like Kotor, Budva, Herceg Novi, and Bar, but you’ll typically find more limited options and higher prices.
You’ll find a mix of international and local car rental companies. Major global brands such as Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Enterprise, Budget, and Alamo operate from airports and larger towns, while local companies like Kombo Rent a Car often offer more competitive prices, greater flexibility, and personalised customer service.
It’s also popular to rent a car in Dubrovnik (from the airport) and visit Montenegro from Croatia. My family did this and met us partway through our trip, and it worked well for them, but they did of course have to return it to Dubrovnik at the end of their holiday too.
How to rent a car in Montenegro?
We’d usually head to DiscoverCars.com to book a rental car, as they’re great at providing a variety of options at discounted rates. But for Montenegro, we found they only had a limited amount of vehicles, and they weren’t as competitively priced as we’ve seen in other countries.
After reaching out to pretty much every agency in the Bay of Kotor area for quotes, Kombo Rent a Car came through for us with an affordable option and advantages like no deposit, no mileage limit, and the ability to cross borders and travel on ferries, which were terms we knew we’d need to make the most of our trip.
We’d advise thinking about what you actually need from a rental and when before booking. Do you need it for your whole holiday or could you spend a few days in Kotor or Budva before collecting it? Have you considered parking at your accommodation?
It’s also worth considering your itinerary and whether you’ll be picking up and dropping off from the same location (not doing so can incur a large one-way fee).
Finally, it’s important to always check the terms and conditions and to know what’s included with your rental. Check:
Our Kombo Rent a Car Review
Kombo Rent a Car is a Montenegrin car rental agency that offers vehicle hire across the country, with collections and deliveries available at both Tivat Airport and Podgorica Airport, as well as other locations on request.
They’re a locally operated company that provides a range of vehicles, from compact city cars to SUVs and minivans, and focuses on straightforward booking, transparent pricing, and airport pick-up and drop-off services for travellers exploring Montenegro by road.
What stood out to us wasn’t just the competitive pricing, but the level of customer service. From the moment we booked, communication was quick and reliable, with prompt replies to both email and WhatsApp messages. Knowing someone was only a message away throughout our trip gave us extra peace of mind, especially when driving in a country we hadn’t visited before.
Kombo Rent a Car’s fleet
One of the things we liked about Kombo Rent a Car was the variety of vehicles available. Whether you’re looking for an economical city car, a comfortable family vehicle, a spacious SUV or something a little more premium, there’s a good selection to suit different budgets and travel styles.
You can choose between petrol and diesel models, as well as both manual and automatic transmissions.
Picking the right vehicle is important. You don’t need a 4×4 in Montenegro unless you’re going really remote. A larger car provides more space and comfort but can be harder to drive on the narrow mountain roads. A compact hatchback can be easier to park in tight parking lots. An automatic is a good option if you’re nervous about the terrain, but a manual is often cheaper.
Kombo’s fleet includes everything from compact cars such as the Ĺ koda Citigo, Renault Clio, and Ĺ koda Fabia, through to larger vehicles like the Volkswagen Golf, Ĺ koda Scala, Ĺ koda Kamiq, Ford Kuga, Volkswagen Touran, and Ĺ koda Kodiaq.
Note: As with most rental companies, the vehicle shown when booking represents a category rather than a guaranteed model, so if you have your heart set on a particular car, it’s worth contacting the company before you travel to check availability.
For most visitors, we’d recommend choosing a small hatchback. Montenegro’s roads are generally in good condition, but many of the streets in historic coastal towns like Kotor, Perast, and Budva are narrow, with limited parking. A compact car is easier to manoeuvre through tight streets, squeeze into smaller parking spaces and negotiate winding mountain roads. Unless you need the extra luggage space, a larger SUV can feel more cumbersome than helpful. We were very happy with our Ĺ koda Scala that we nicknamed Sveta, short for Svetlana.
Picking up our rental car
Kombo Rent a Car provides airport pick-up and drop-off, and a staff member will welcome you with a KOMBOCAR sign in front of the arrivals terminal. But because we were staying in Kotor for a few days before pick-up, we got a taxi to their office instead (€20 with Red Taxi, arranged through WhatsApp).
The process of collecting our car was as fast and smooth as the booking process had been. We did the paperwork, paid with a card, and checked the car. Like most rental processes, you’ll need a valid driving licence and your passport or national ID.
We had comprehensive insurance, which covered everything except the underside of the car, tyres, and windscreen, but it’s always a good idea to inspect the car before leaving:
It was really quick and easy, and we were away before we knew it.
What’s included with Kombo Rent a Car?
One of the reasons we chose Kombo Rent a Car was that the rental terms were straightforward and easy to understand. There weren’t any unexpected charges when we collected the car, and several useful extras were available depending on your trip.
Optional extras include:
Standard rentals include comprehensive insurance, unlimited mileage, and a same-to-same fuel policy, meaning you return the car with the same amount of fuel in the tank as when you collect it. We always prefer this policy as it’s transparent and means you only pay for the fuel you actually use.
We opted for the additional driver (although Dan drove most of the time and I took the role of navigator/passenger princess) and a Green Card – permission to cross the border into other Balkan countries, including Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania.
What documents do you need to hire a car in Montenegro?
Hiring a car in Montenegro is fairly straightforward, but you’ll need to make sure you have the correct documents with you when you collect your vehicle.
To rent a car in Montenegro, you’ll need:
If your driving licence isn’t written in the Latin alphabet, or your home country requires one, you should also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your original driving licence. An IDP is not a replacement for your licence – it must always be presented together with your valid national licence.
Drivers must be at least 22 years old to rent a vehicle with Kombo. If you plan on sharing the driving, make sure every driver is listed on the rental agreement before you set off. Only the primary driver and any authorised additional drivers are insured to drive the vehicle, and an additional fee applies for each extra driver.
As always, it’s worth double-checking the latest requirements before you travel, particularly if you’re hiring a car with a licence issued outside Europe, as documentation requirements can vary between rental companies.
Insurance and emergencies
Every rental from Kombo Rent a Car includes third-party liability insurance, as required under Montenegrin law, along with Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection (TP). These are included in the standard rental price, although it’s worth remembering that they don’t eliminate your financial responsibility completely.
Like most rental companies, Kombo applies an insurance excess. This is the maximum amount you’ll need to pay if the car is damaged or stolen, provided you’ve complied with the rental agreement. The excess varies depending on the type of vehicle you hire, but compared with many other rental companies in Montenegro, we found Kombo’s excess amounts to be relatively low – starting at around €484 for smaller cars and increasing to approximately €1,210 for luxury vehicles.
If you’re involved in an accident, it’s important to contact the police immediately and obtain an official police report. This report must be provided to Kombo Rent a Car, as failing to do so could affect your insurance cover. Get in touch with Kombo as soon as anything happens, and they’ll advise on the next steps and whether you need to contact the police.
It’s also worth knowing that not everything is covered under the standard insurance. Damage to…:
…is excluded, as is any damage resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving without a valid licence, or allowing someone who isn’t authorised under the rental agreement to drive the vehicle.
Before you set off, we’d also recommend saving Kombo’s emergency contact number in your phone. Knowing help is just a call or WhatsApp message away provides extra reassurance, particularly if you’re planning to explore Montenegro’s more remote mountain roads.
Travel insurance can save you $$$ if things go wrong
Don’t forget to buy travel insurance! From lost luggage to emergency medical care abroad, travel insurance gives you peace of mind so you can solely focus on the adventure. It might not be exciting, but you’ll be very glad you have it if something goes wrong. A few of our favourite companies are:
Get 8 weeks of electronic theft coverage free with SafetyWing Travel Insurance with our code: THOROUGHLY8 (new members only). Simply click the pink camera on the Nomad Essential page to redeem the reward before creating a new account.
Find out more: 6 Best Travel Insurance Companies for Every Kind of Trip
Our experience with a rental car in Montenegro
We had the absolute best time with our car from Kombo Rent a Car. After a few days in Kotor and pick-up in Tivat, we spent around 4 weeks travelling the country from north to south on a road trip itinerary that included:
Then we met my family for a week around the Bay of Kotor area, staying on the Luštica Peninsula and exploring towns like Perast, Lipci, and Herceg Novi.
We also spent a week in southern Croatia’s Dalmatian Hinterlands, day-tripped to Split, and spent a day around Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Livno and Buško Lake.
Safe to say we put quite a few miles on the car, giving us a genuine feel for the region beyond the tourist hotspots.
Dropping off our rental car
Dropping off the car was as easy as picking it up, but a sad afair at the end of our trip. We drove to the agreed drop-off point at Tivat Airport, where a member of the Kombo team was waiting to meet us.
After unloading our bags and doing one final check to make sure we hadn’t left anything behind (always check the door pockets!), the car was inspected, the fuel level and condition were recorded, and the remaining paperwork was completed.
As the car was returned in the same condition and with a filled tank, there were no unexpected charges or disputes, which is exactly how you hope every rental experience will end.
How much is it to rent a car in Montenegro?
One of the biggest questions people have when renting a car in Montenegro is whether it’s worth the cost. While you’ll need to factor in fuel, parking and insurance, we found it offered excellent value, especially compared with relying on taxis or booking multiple organised day trips.
If you’re travelling as a couple, family or group, the cost becomes even more affordable when you split the rental between two or more people. Instead of paying separately for transfers, taxis or excursions, you have the freedom to explore at your own pace, often for a similar (or even lower) overall cost.
Kombo Rent a Car’s prices start from around €22 per day for a compact city car, with larger family vehicles and SUVs costing up to around €67 per day, depending on the vehicle category. We found the pricing to be very competitive, particularly considering the transparent rental terms and what’s included.
Of course, rental prices aren’t fixed. The amount you’ll pay depends on several factors, including:
Booking several weeks or even months in advance will often give you the best choice of vehicles and the lowest rates, particularly if you want an automatic transmission.
Kombo have clear pricing, no deposit, and no hidden fees. Renting a car in Montenegro without a deposit is a huge bonus, as most agencies will require some sort of hold on your card, which can exceed €1000 on top of the rental and insurance costs.
Bear in mind that some agencies won’t accept debit cards as a payment (and the credit card often needs to match the driver’s name). With Kombo Rent a Car, payment can be made by cash, bank transfer, or credit or debit card. They accept Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Maestro cards, as well as travel cards like Wise and Revolut. For frequent travellers like us, being able to use a debit or travel card instead of a traditional credit card made the whole process much simpler and removed one of the biggest barriers to hiring a car abroad.
When comparing costs, don’t just look at the daily rental rate. Consider what you’d otherwise spend on airport transfers, taxis, organised tours and public transport. For an itinerary like ours -covering five weeks, five national parks, mountain villages, and even a couple of cross-border trips – a rental car was easily the most practical and cost-effective option.
How do you avoid getting ripped off when renting a car?
Unfortunately, not every car rental experience goes to plan. Hidden fees, unexpected damage claims and expensive insurance upsells are some of the most common complaints, but a little preparation can go a long way towards avoiding them.
Before booking, take the time to read the rental terms carefully so you understand what’s included, what isn’t, and whether there are any additional charges for things like extra drivers, cross-border travel or late returns. It’s also worth checking the fuel policy, insurance excess and payment requirements, as these can vary significantly between companies.
When collecting the car, inspect it thoroughly before leaving the car park. Take clear photos and videos of every side of the vehicle, including the wheels, windscreen, roof and interior, and make sure any existing scratches or dents are recorded on the rental agreement. Repeat the process when you return the car so you have evidence of its condition.
Choosing a reputable local company can also make a huge difference. With Kombo Rent a Car’s trustworthy reputation and all-inclusive insurance, we knew we weren’t going to be scammed. With clear terms, comprehensive insurance included as standard, and no hidden fees or large security deposit to worry about, we felt confident we weren’t walking into the kind of rental horror stories you sometimes hear about. From pick-up to drop-off, everything was exactly as we’d expected.
How long should you rent a car for in Montenegro?
How long you should rent a car for really depends on your itinerary. If you’re planning to base yourself in one of Montenegro’s coastal towns and only take the occasional day trip, you may only need a car for a day or two. On the other hand, if you’re embarking on a Montenegro road trip and want to explore the country’s mountains, national parks and lesser-known villages, hiring a car for the duration of your trip will give you the greatest flexibility.
We’d recommend thinking about when you’ll actually use the car, rather than automatically collecting it when you arrive. For example, we spent our first few days exploring Kotor on foot before picking up our rental in Tivat. As Kotor’s Old Town is compact and parking can be limited, we didn’t need a car straight away. Once we were ready to leave the coast and begin our road trip, having our own vehicle completely transformed the rest of our road trip itinerary.
Many rental companies have a minimum hire period, but with Kombo Rent a Car, you can rent a vehicle for as little as one day. That makes it a great option whether you only need a car for a quick day trip or you’re planning a multi-week adventure like ours.
Our tips for renting a car in Montenegro
After spending more than a month driving across Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor and the Adriatic coast to Durmitor, Prokletije, and even across the border into Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, here are the tips we wish we’d known before collecting the keys:
Our biggest piece of advice? Don’t let concerns about driving in Montenegro put you off renting a car. With a little planning and the right vehicle, it’s one of the best ways to experience the country. Some of our favourite memories came from places we’d never have reached by public transport or on an organised tour.
Useful resources for renting a car in Montenegro
A few apps and resources can make renting a car in Montenegro much easier, particularly if you’re planning to venture beyond the main tourist towns.
Ready to plan your next adventure?
So, is renting a car in Montenegro worth it? Absolutely!
If you’re ready for simple, transparent, and accessible rental options, check out Kombo Rent a Car here:
Let them know we sent you and tag us on Instagram, so we can see what you get up to with your rental car!
Read next:
A Detailed Guide to Driving in Montenegro + Our Top Tips
Our Ultimate Guide to Visiting Durmitor National Park
Visiting Prokletije National Park: Montenegro’s Accursed Alps
How to Visit Biogradska Gora National Park: Europe’s Last Remaining Forest
A Traveller’s Guide to Lake Skadar National Park: Valleys, Viewpoints & Vineyards
A Concise Guide to Rijeka Crnojevića: The Underrated Gateway to Lake Skadar
A Complete Guide to Montenegro’s Wine Region: Tastings, Tours & Traditional Vineyards
