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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Ballsh vs $1,046 in Durres, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,877 per month in Ballsh vs $1,598 in Durres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,535 per month in Ballsh vs $2,150 in Durres, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 17% more than Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Durres are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Durres 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 ALL 945

$9.49 ALL 776

21.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 ALL 4,733

$34.73 ALL 2,838

66.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 ALL 569

$7.02 ALL 574

-0.85%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ALL 161

$1.87 ALL 153

5.88%

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

$1.41 ALL 115

$1.59 ALL 130

-11.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ALL 74.6

$0.83 ALL 68.1

9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$2.33 ALL 191

27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$3.31 ALL 270

23.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 176

$1.99 ALL 162

8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 88.1

$0.91 ALL 74.3

18.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ALL 183

$2.03 ALL 166

10.34%

Eggs

$3.96 ALL 323

$2.95 ALL 241

34.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,076

$10.51 ALL 859

25.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 ALL 638

$7.78 ALL 636

0.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 ALL 1,279

$13.40 ALL 1,094

16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 140

$1.15 ALL 94.3

48.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ALL 219

$2.36 ALL 193

13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.30 ALL 106

56.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$1.20 ALL 97.7

59.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.09 ALL 89.2

21.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.04 ALL 84.7

26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ALL 119

$1.15 ALL 93.7

26.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ALL 64.8

$0.64 ALL 52.2

23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 339

$4.18 ALL 341

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 ALL 898

$10.92 ALL 892

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ALL 130

$1.67 ALL 136

-4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ALL 175

$1.82 ALL 148

17.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.73

$0.46 ALL 37.36

6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.60 ALL 1,520

$18.43 ALL 1,506

0.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ALL 295

$3.62 ALL 296

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 ALL 264

$2.05 ALL 167

57.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.50 ALL 1,430

$17.71 ALL 1,447

-1.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.20 ALL 180

-6.36%

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

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

$15.2K ALL 1.2M

167.44%

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

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

$25.5K ALL 2.1M

39.61%

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

$107 ALL 8,734

$67.9 ALL 5,548

57.43%

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

$17.98 ALL 1,469

$17.82 ALL 1,456

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 ALL 1,491

$15.72 ALL 1,284

16.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ALL 4,476

$37.03 ALL 3,025

47.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 ALL 2,033

$59.5 ALL 4,857

-58.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 787

$7.16 ALL 585

34.50%

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

$156 ALL 12.8K

$179 ALL 14.6K

-12.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

$4,380 ALL 357.8K

28.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ALL 5,620

$37.91 ALL 3,097

81.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 ALL 4,093

$39.86 ALL 3,257

25.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,686

$84.6 ALL 6,910

25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$156 ALL 12.7K

-17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ALL 36.9K

$427 ALL 34.9K

5.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

$311 ALL 25.4K

8.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 ALL 49.7K

$614 ALL 50.2K

-1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ALL 35.1K

$424 ALL 34.6K

1.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

$1,812 ALL 148.1K

-3.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

$1,156 ALL 94.4K

9.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ALL 68.1K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Durres: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Ballsh versus $427 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 $35.00 in Durres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $242 – 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 17%, 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 $1,829 per month in Ballsh and $1,569 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 16% 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 $35.00 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 $1,046, than in Ballsh at $1,219. 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.