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Car rental in Budva is the way to step beyond the resort façade. In summer the town lives by night, and by day a car opens up everything people actually come for — Sveti Stefan, Petrovac, Kotor, Tivat, the climb to Lovćen. Budva itself has no airport: the closest one is Tivat, 22 km away, and most suppliers will deliver the car straight to your hotel.
A guest landing at TIV at 23:50 in August signed for a Yaris in the arrivals lane and drove straight to Bečići. The taxi queue outside was twenty minutes deep.
In peak season the town is full. The coastal road queues at rush hour, the parking near the Old Town fills early, and taxi and Bolt fares climb fast. A car becomes less a luxury than a way to escape the dependency on schedules and queues.
What sets Budva apart
Widest choice, highest demand
Budva concentrates more hire cars than any other coastal town: the broadest selection of classes and gearboxes, but in July and August early booking is essential. Peak prices can nearly double, and the better cars go 3–6 weeks ahead.
A family from Manchester left their booking until mid-June for an early-August pickup. Every automatic crossover was gone; they ended up paying €70/day for a manual estate they didn't want.
Old Town is car-free
You can't drive inside the Old Town walls. Parking is on the outside only: the underground Pearl garage near the centre, the open lots by Dukley, and the bays along Slovenska obala. In winter there's plenty of room; in summer it's only before 10am or after 9pm.
Nightlife and 0.3‰
Top Hill, Trocadero and the seafront clubs are the main summer draw. The blood-alcohol limit is 0.3‰ — effectively zero for drivers under 24 — and police run spot checks at night near the entertainment districts.
In the evening, leave the car at the hotel and take a Bolt to the clubs — €3–6 each way. Cheaper than a fine, and far cheaper than losing your licence.
Peugeot 3008 in Montenegro
Was a great experience ! Very professional and efficient. So convenient that the company can meet you at your desired location. Also very affordable. Would use again
Citroen DS3 in Montenegro
Everything went great! Absolutely nothing to complain about.
Toyota Yaris in Montenegro
The car battery died 3 times in the four days that we had it. That was not great at all.
Renault Clio 3 in Montenegro
We booked a car in Budva for 5 days and planned to return it in Kotor. In Budva the car was brought directly to the hotel, we did not have to go for it, and a couple of days before the end of the booking we changed the place of return from Kotor to Tivat, so we came there without any problems and extra payments. The car itself for its years is fine, a little hard to overtake only, but with all the serpentines coped perfectly. I recommend!
Toyota Yaris in Montenegro
everything went well, the driver arrived, told the details, the driver was friendly, the car was clean and well-groomed, I liked everything!
BMW 3-series Cabrio in Montenegro
The car owner was very friendly, helpful and kindly With this car we get the amazing emotions. Car was clean, safe and good on the road. I’m reccomend Luca for my friends who will visit Montenegro
Skoda Fabia in Montenegro
We rented Skoda Fabia, everything was fine, the car did not fail, when used in the mountains is very convenient. The big disappointment for us was the broken USB, we could not turn on your music:( But we solved this problem by dumping the music on a usb stick!
Renault Clio 4 in Montenegro
Rented a car here several times. They work well, they can deliver and pick up the car at any place and at any time by agreement. Cars are clean inside and out. I recommend
Daihatsu Sirion in Montenegro
Everything went well, the car was brought to us directly to the house (very convenient, since we didn’t have to look for parking ourselves), and they picked it up there. Communication was also very pleasant. Thank you!)
Skoda Fabia Combi in Montenegro
Everything was perfectly fine, car was clean, no issues with booking.
Renault Clio 4 in Montenegro
We had a really good experience. Easy check in and check out. The car was very clean and everything went fine. Thank you.
Opel Astra Sedan in Montenegro
Everything was very good. By the time of the minute! The car is great. Transfer to the hotel. We always plan everything in advance. And here they are spontaneously and so happy. Thank you! Very cool service.
Skoda Rapid in Montenegro
Everything went perfectly! The car was new and clean, we were very satisfied! Thank you.
Where to drive from Budva
Sveti Stefan, Pržno, Petrovac
The southern coast is a half-day by car. The Hajduk viewpoint above Sveti Stefan is 7 km out, Pržno the same 10 minutes, Petrovac about 20. Sveti Stefan island itself is a private Aman resort: you can't go in without a hotel booking, but the shot from Hajduk makes up for it.
Sveti Stefan is beautiful only from the outside. For an actual swim, go on to Pržno or down to Petrovac — calmer parking, better water.
The Bay of Kotor
Kotor is 30–40 minutes via Tivat. The road is scenic, but in summer it's narrow and slow. A useful trick: come back through the Kamenari–Lepetane ferry — it saves up to an hour during the August peak.
Lovćen, Cetinje, Lake Skadar
The 25-hairpin road from Kotor up to Lovćen starts beyond the bay and fills a full day: the Njegoš mausoleum, the rope park, lunch in Cetinje. Lake Skadar is further out, about 1.5 hours.
The back road from Budva to Cetinje over the pass is worth a try too — shorter, but narrow, and oncoming coaches can hold things up on the hairpins in summer.
Reaching Budva and collecting the car
Budva has no airport of its own. The closest is Tivat, 22 km away — about 30–35 minutes along the coastal road, with no toll sections. Podgorica is further out at 65 km, around an hour through the Sozina tunnel (€2.50). Hire from Podgorica is usually 10–20% cheaper, and it works well if your route runs via Lake Skadar.
Most suppliers serving Budva deliver the car to your hotel for free. Instead of a taxi from the airport, you arrive in town on your own wheels — no airport scrum, no transfer to organise.
A couple from Edinburgh landed at TIV at 01:20, took a Bolt to Bečići for €27, and had the keys handed over at the breakfast terrace at 9 the next morning. No half-asleep driving on the coastal road.
Delivery typically covers Budva, Bečići, Rafailovići, Sveti Stefan, Pržno and Petrovac — essentially the full coastal strip south of the bay. On TakeCars the pickup point and time appear in the listing, so no day-of WhatsApp negotiations.
For travellers landing in Podgorica, the choice is either pick-up at the airport or delivery to Budva — most local suppliers handle both.
Rates in Budva vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length.
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How expensive is renting a car in Budva: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes.
Why travellers choose TakeCars in Budva
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Free hotel delivery across the Riviera
The car is brought to reception in Budva, Bečići, Rafailovići, Pržno or Petrovac.
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No-deposit options on the listing page
Selected cars in Budva carry a tariff with zero excess on the body, so you don't have to freeze a deposit on a card.
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Real reviews on the specific car
Not just an overall supplier rating, but feedback from guests who hired the very same Octavia or Yaris in Budva.
Parking and Budva's quirks
Pearl underground
The main 24/7 garage in the centre, beneath the Pearl shopping centre — €1.50–2 per hour, €15–20 a day in season. In winter there's space all day; in summer arrive before 10am, with frequent queues at the entrance from late morning.
Slovenska obala, Mogren
The main resort strip, Slovenska obala, is fully metered in summer: €2–4 per hour with a time limit. Street bays between Budva and Mogren beach are typically paid too, though cheaper at €1–1.50.
For a walk in the Old Town it's easier to leave the car at Pearl or Dukley and stroll five to seven minutes. You can't drive inside the walls anyway.
Rush hour
The coastal road towards Tivat and Kotor slows in summer from 11am to 1pm and from 5pm to 7pm. To head into Kotor or Tivat, leave before 10 or after 7. The same logic works on the way back.
Frequent Questions
You can't drive inside the walls. The choices are the Pearl underground garage (€1.50–2 per hour), the surface lots at Dukley, or the bays along Slovenska obala. Free spaces within 500 metres of the walls are gone all season. In winter parking is rarely an issue; in summer it's only before 10am.
Pearl is the main 24/7 garage in the centre — €1.50–2 per hour, €15–20 a day at peak season. You take a ticket on entry and pay by card or cash before you leave. The lift goes straight up into the shopping centre, and the Old Town is a 5–7 minute walk. Queues at the entrance are common between 11am and 5pm in August.
The resort strip is fully metered in summer: €2–4 per hour with a time limit. Pay at the meter by card or coins, or buy a paper ticket from a duvan kiosk. There are no free spaces on Slovenska obala itself — you'll need to step off into the side streets or use a paid garage.
Yes — a paid lot runs along the access road, €1–1.50 per hour, around 50 spaces. It fills by 10am. The alternative is to leave the car at Pearl or Dukley and walk in 10–15 minutes along the seafront. The beach itself is pedestrian-only.
22 km, 30–35 minutes along the coastal road with no toll sections. In the August morning peak (7:30–9am) allow an extra 10–15 minutes for the bottleneck near Tivat. Most suppliers offer a meet-and-greet by flight number — you can pick up directly at the airport.
The island is a private Aman resort: you can't enter without an in-house booking, and they don't take one-night stays. The best view is the Hajduk viewpoint on the road just before the descent to Sveti Stefan. Parking at Hajduk is free but small — arrive before 10am or for sunset.
From Budva it's 7–8 km along the coastal road towards Bar. The turn-off to Hajduk is signposted just before the descent into Sveti Stefan. The lay-by holds about 10 cars. From here you get the postcard view of the island, especially good at sunset.
Bolt around Budva and to Sveti Stefan is genuinely cheap — €5–10 each way. But for two or more days of radial trips (Kotor, Lovćen, Lake Skadar, Petrovac), a hire car is cheaper and easier on time. For one or two beach days inside the town, Bolt is fine.
The blood-alcohol limit is 0.3‰, effectively zero for drivers under 24. At night the police run spot checks near the exits of the entertainment districts. The safer move is to leave the car at the hotel and Bolt to the clubs — €3–6 each way.
By licensed-taxi meter, €25–35; through Bolt or CarGo, €20–30. With the rank taxis it's worth agreeing a fixed fare before you set off. If you're hiring for five days or more, having the car at your hotel that morning often works out better value.
Two to three months ahead is a sensible minimum. By June only inflated tariffs or awkward classes are left. At the peak of season (mid-July to late August) prices can nearly double, and automatics and crossovers run out first.
For most routes it doesn't matter. An automatic is more comfortable in summer city traffic and on the Budva–Cetinje–Lovćen hairpins. A manual is €5–10 a day cheaper and better represented in the economy class. If you're the only driver and tired, take the automatic.
30–40 minutes via Tivat along the coastal road. In August allow an hour because of the narrow road and the ferry. The best windows: out before 9am, back after 7pm. Useful trick: return through the Kamenari–Lepetane ferry, which saves up to an hour at peak times.
Yes if your focus is the coast and the Bay of Kotor. Tivat is 30 minutes, Kotor 40, Sveti Stefan 10. Lovćen and Cetinje sit at an hour. For frequent trips to Bar and Ulcinj, base further south; for Durmitor and Žabljak, base in the north.
Yes. Suppliers work two ways: either a meet-and-greet by flight number at Tivat with immediate pick-up, or delivery to the hotel the following morning. The second option is easier if you land after midnight and don't fancy driving tired.