Updated
Overview
Serbia has 11 times the population of Montenegro: 6.55 million people against 623,129 (2025).
Serbia's economy is 11 times the size of Montenegro's, at $99.95B versus $9.23B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Serbia | Montenegro | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $99.95B | $9.23B | 2025 | $89.08B / $8.07B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $15,262 | $14,817 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.0% | Higher: 2.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.9% | 3.9% | 2025 | 4.7% / 3.3% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 7.1% | 13.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 45 | 42 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $1,559 | $930 | 2025 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $696 | Higher: $757 | 2025 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 6.55 million | 623,129 | 2025 | 6.65 million / 599,849 |
| Population growth | -0.6% | -0.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 44.4 yrs | 40.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.50 | 1.80 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.0 yrs | Higher: 77.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 63% | 66% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 88% | Higher: 89% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 77,474 km² | 13,812 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 84.5/km² | 45.1/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 42 Mt | Lower: 2.38 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 6.2 t | Lower: 3.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $2.32B | $150.03M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.6% | 1.8% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 32,000 | 12,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Montenegro is growing faster: 2.7% annual GDP growth versus 2.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 3.9% in Serbia and 3.9% in Montenegro.
Average monthly earnings favour Serbia: $1,559 against $930 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Montenegro is the younger society: median age 40.0 versus 44.4 years.
Life expectancy is 1.9 years longer in Montenegro (77.9 vs 76.0).
Geography
By land area, Serbia is 5.6 times the size of Montenegro: 77,474 km² versus 13,812 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Serbia spends 15 times as much on defence as Montenegro: $2.32B versus $150.03M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Serbia fields the larger armed forces: 32,000 personnel against 12,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Serbia bigger than Montenegro?
- Serbia is larger by land area. Serbia covers 77,474 km² while Montenegro covers 13,812 km², so Serbia is 5.6 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Serbia or Montenegro?
- Serbia has the larger population: 6.55 million versus 623,129 (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Serbia richer than Montenegro?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Serbia is richer: $15,262 against $14,817. Total GDP tells the same story: $99.95B for Serbia versus $9.23B for Montenegro.
- Who spends more on their military, Serbia or Montenegro?
- Serbia spends more: $2.32B versus $150.03M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).