Sooner or later, the question of housing comes up in almost every conversation.

And not long after, it usually leads to the same dilemma: is it better to build a house or buy a flat?

Let’s start with a simple calculation.

In a separate article, we calculated the total cost of building a 100 m² family house on the outskirts of Podgorica. You can see the full breakdown here:

👉 How much does it cost to build a house in Montenegro – 100 m² case study.

For roughly the same amount of money, in 2025 it is possible to buy a flat of about 70–75 m², typically a two-bedroom apartment, in an average location in Podgorica.

So how do these two options really compare?

1. Price

Based on the calculation above, in 2025 the cost of building a house on the outskirts of Podgorica is roughly €2,000 per m² (all-inclusive), while buying an apartment in an average location costs around €2,500 per m².

Of course, many factors vary: land prices, utility fees depending on location, construction and design costs depending on quality and level of finishes, and so on. Still, this represents a rough average.

Conclusion: the house is cheaper.

Score (Flat – House): 0–1

PS: A very common mistake people make is this: they decide to build a house because it’s cheaper, and then start behaving like millionaires - “since I’m already building, let’s add three more rooms…”

The point is simple: a house is cheaper only if it has a similar surface area.

A 150 m² house is not cheaper than an 80 m² flat 🙂

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2. Comfort

A house offers significantly greater living comfort than a flat: more privacy, more freedom, daily enjoyment of your yard, an always-available playground for children, and space for gathering with family and friends.

You will never circle the block looking for parking, nor worry whether it’s too early or too late to turn on the vacuum cleaner. Many everyday chores become easier when you have a yard - from cleaning to cooking and beyond.

Score (Flat – House): 0–2

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3. Access to City Functions

On the other hand, a flat will most likely be located within a 5-minute walk of a grocery store, pharmacy, and possibly a school (although it’s not exactly common that new neighborhoods are actually planned with schools and kindergartens 😄).

You won’t need to drive much to get to work or to the city center.

With a house, it’s rare to find an affordable plot in a location where all these urban functions are equally close. In most cases, you’ll need a car to reach everyday city amenities.

Score (Flat – House): 1–2

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4. Adaptation to Personal Needs

In a house, everything can be done according to your wishes and ideas.

With a flat, no matter how carefully you choose it, and even with a good interior design project, certain compromises are unavoidable.

High ceilings, proper fireplaces, large balconies, generous spatial proportions… these are usually not even an option.

Score (Flat – House): 1–3

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5. Investment Flexibility & Maintenance

A flat is definitely easier to sell or rent out. When it comes to houses, most people prefer to build their own rather than buy someone else’s.

A house also requires higher maintenance costs. Keeping everything tidy, functional, and visually pleasant means more obligations and more work.

Score (Flat – House): 2–3

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6. Health

In the race for more square meters and better locations, people often forget how much their living environment affects their health.

For a space to positively influence your body, it needs silence, good ventilation, proper sunlight, correct orientation of rooms, and materials that are not harmful. Greenery in the surroundings is also essential.

In theory, a well-designed apartment in a well-planned neighborhood could meet all these conditions. In practice, however, most buildings here are surrounded by parking lots and roads. When you open the window, dust comes in, and noise makes conversation difficult. Apartments are often single-oriented, making proper cross-ventilation impossible.

A house, being open on all four sides, allows for much better sunlight and airflow. Neighbors are far enough away to usually ensure peace and quiet. You’ll likely have at least a small garden, a tree, or a vine, encouraging time outdoors in pleasant shade.

Add some physical activity from yard maintenance, and a house is clearly the healthier option.

Score (Flat – House): 2–4

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7. Cleanliness

I still haven’t met a sufficiently disciplined person who changes shoes every single time they come in from the yard.

A house offers the pleasure of enjoying a garden, but it also requires more cleaning if you want everything inside to stay spotless. Add terraces, the yard itself, outdoor areas… all in all, much more work.

Score (Flat – House): 3–4

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8. “Hassle Factor”

If we exclude securing the finances (which is equally complicated in both cases), getting from idea to move-in is much simpler with a flat.

With a house, it’s a different story: dealing with contractors, material procurement, construction mistakes, and delays becomes part of daily life.

Score (Flat – House): 4–4

If you want comfort and freedom, enjoy spending time in nature, don’t mind dealing with construction, aren’t afraid of contractors, like occasional gardening (be modern - replace the gym with yard work!), and are planning for the long term - a house is for you.

On the other hand, if you like to change apartments, cities, or even countries; if you’re not a fan of building supply stores, soil on your hands, or cutting bushes and branches; if you enjoy having coffee in a bar on the ground floor of your building - buy a flat.