Indoor smoking is still fairly common in cafes and social venues. Law vibe is stricter on paper than daily street life feels.
Minimum budget: rural $900/mo, urban $1400/mo. Medical insurance: $1,000/yr.
Auto: Russian licenses are generally accepted under Vienna-convention practice, but an IDP, translation helps with stricter rental desks. Rentals are roughly €20-50/day for Clio, Polo, Octavia class, with manuals common and winter equipment important. Border, crossing note: Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and EU neighbors may be possible with Green Card and written permission; Kosovo is sensitive and supplier-specific.
Smoking: Indoor smoking is still fairly common in cafes and social venues.
Police / rules: Police and public-order vibe is formal but not deranged: rules matter, paperwork can be tiring, yet daily street life usually feels manageable rather than punitive.