Official Language
Montenegrin
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: en.wikipedia.org, blondevelvet-travel.com
Overall6/10Less English-friendly than about 65% of cities
Good to know
Good to Know
- English is sufficiently widespread in Kotor's tourist infrastructure that English-speaking visitors can navigate comfortably, especially in the Old Town.
- Beyond the main tourist areas, carrying a translation app set to Serbian or Croatian is recommended.
- Learning a few basic local phrases is appreciated by residents and adds to the travel experience.
- Service staff in the tourism industry are generally the most reliable English speakers.
- Russian and Italian may also be useful as backup languages in certain contexts.
Official Language
Montenegrin
English Proficiency
- Overall Level
- Good in tourist areas, variable outside
- Limited English
- Outside tourist areas, small villages, older residents
- Best English Availability
- Hotels, restaurants, tour operators, shops in Old Town Kotor
- Description
- English is widely spoken in tourist-oriented businesses (hotels, restaurants, shops in Old Town). Service personnel generally speak English. However, proficiency varies significantly, and some locals—especially older populations or outside main tourist spots—may have limited English or speak other languages like Russian or Italian.
Other Languages Spoken
Other Languages Spoken
- Serbian
- Croatian
- Bosnian
- Albanian
Additional Languages Useful
Russian
- Notes
- Historically common due to tourism and property investment; understood by many locals
Italian
- Notes
- Due to historical maritime ties, particularly common in the Bay of Kotor area (Cattaro)
German
- Notes
- Often spoken by older generations who worked in Western Europe
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this language & english friendliness research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Kotor
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.