Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Durres Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Durres

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Ballsh vs $1,043 in Durres, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,831 per month in Ballsh vs $1,573 in Durres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,468 per month in Ballsh vs $2,103 in Durres, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 14% more than Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Durres are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Durres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.70 ALL 945

$9.48 ALL 766

23.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 ALL 4,662

$35.56 ALL 2,874

62.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ALL 577

$7.27 ALL 587

-1.79%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ALL 165

$1.96 ALL 158

4.08%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ALL 120

$1.58 ALL 127

-6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 72.7

$0.79 ALL 63.7

13.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 ALL 233

$2.43 ALL 196

18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 ALL 341

$3.34 ALL 270

26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 169

$2.05 ALL 165

1.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 87.3

$0.92 ALL 74.0

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ALL 179

$2.01 ALL 163

9.95%

Eggs

$3.99 ALL 323

$3.01 ALL 243

32.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ALL 1,078

$10.48 ALL 847

27.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 629

$7.64 ALL 618

1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 ALL 1,292

$13.13 ALL 1,061

21.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 143

$1.16 ALL 93.6

52.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 ALL 223

$2.44 ALL 197

13.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ALL 161

$1.28 ALL 104

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 ALL 154

$1.15 ALL 92.6

65.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 106

$1.10 ALL 88.8

19.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 106

$0.99 ALL 80.2

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 ALL 116

$1.15 ALL 92.8

25.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ALL 65.3

$0.62 ALL 50.5

30.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 335

$4.12 ALL 333

0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 ALL 896

$11.00 ALL 889

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ALL 131

$1.66 ALL 134

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 172

$1.82 ALL 147

17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.58

$0.49 ALL 39.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.51 ALL 1,495

$18.09 ALL 1,461

2.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ALL 282

$3.60 ALL 291

-3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ALL 258

$2.11 ALL 171

51.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.82 ALL 1,440

$17.45 ALL 1,410

2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 167

$2.11 ALL 170

-2.37%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.6K ALL 3.2M

$15.4K ALL 1.2M

156.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.3K ALL 2.9M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

41.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$106 ALL 8,530

$68.3 ALL 5,516

54.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.73 ALL 1,433

$17.80 ALL 1,439

-0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.40 ALL 1,487

$15.74 ALL 1,272

16.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ALL 4,538

$37.70 ALL 3,046

48.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.61 ALL 2,069

$58.9 ALL 4,758

-56.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 ALL 747

$7.03 ALL 568

31.44%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$160 ALL 12.9K

$174 ALL 14.1K

-7.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,536 ALL 447.3K

$4,370 ALL 353.1K

26.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ALL 5,539

$38.89 ALL 3,142

76.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.86 ALL 4,029

$39.80 ALL 3,216

25.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,565

$85.5 ALL 6,906

24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.3K

$158 ALL 12.7K

-19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 36.8K

$415 ALL 33.6K

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ALL 27.6K

$322 ALL 26.0K

6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 ALL 48.9K

$593 ALL 47.9K

2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 ALL 34.9K

$423 ALL 34.2K

2.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 ALL 165.6K

$1,792 ALL 144.8K

14.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 ALL 107.7K

$1,156 ALL 93.4K

15.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 ALL 76.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

5.33

3.56%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ballsh: July 25, 2026

Last update for Durres: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ballsh versus $415 in Durres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Ballsh versus $36.00 in Durres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $241 – making Durres the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ballsh vs Durres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,790 per month in Ballsh and $1,565 in Durres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durres, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Ballsh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Ballsh and $36.00 in Durres. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Durres, where all-in costs run around $1,043, than in Ballsh at $1,194. In Durres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Durres – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Durres. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ballsh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.