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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Ballsh vs $1,053 in Durres, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Ballsh vs $1,608 in Durres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,537 per month in Ballsh vs $2,163 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 ALL 961

$9.39 ALL 767

25.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 ALL 4,856

$35.05 ALL 2,862

69.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 581

$7.18 ALL 586

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 169

$1.92 ALL 157

7.29%

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

$1.47 ALL 120

$1.62 ALL 132

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$0.84 ALL 68.3

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$2.34 ALL 191

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$3.36 ALL 275

22.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 173

$2.02 ALL 165

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$0.86 ALL 70.6

32.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ALL 179

$1.93 ALL 158

13.99%

Eggs

$3.99 ALL 326

$2.94 ALL 240

35.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 ALL 1,068

$10.42 ALL 851

25.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 ALL 636

$7.78 ALL 635

0.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 ALL 1,302

$13.18 ALL 1,076

20.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 141

$1.19 ALL 97.5

44.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ALL 220

$2.34 ALL 191

14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.30 ALL 106

56.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$1.14 ALL 93.5

67.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.11 ALL 90.4

18.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 104

$0.99 ALL 80.5

28.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 123

$1.13 ALL 92.6

33.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.5

$0.62 ALL 50.7

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ALL 356

$3.99 ALL 326

9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 ALL 842

$11.27 ALL 920

-8.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.68 ALL 137

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ALL 173

$1.75 ALL 143

21.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.52

$0.45 ALL 36.74

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.98 ALL 1,550

$18.03 ALL 1,472

5.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ALL 286

$3.57 ALL 292

-1.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 ALL 263

$2.13 ALL 174

51.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 ALL 1,443

$17.76 ALL 1,450

-0.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$2.21 ALL 180

-3.17%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$15.4K ALL 1.3M

161.60%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

36.42%

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

$106 ALL 8,671

$66.3 ALL 5,414

60.14%

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

$18.16 ALL 1,483

$17.73 ALL 1,447

2.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.75 ALL 1,531

$16.07 ALL 1,312

16.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ALL 4,561

$37.33 ALL 3,048

49.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.00 ALL 2,041

$60.1 ALL 4,903

-58.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 ALL 785

$7.26 ALL 593

32.51%

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

$160 ALL 13.0K

$180 ALL 14.7K

-11.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,556 ALL 453.7K

$4,417 ALL 360.6K

25.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 ALL 5,630

$38.32 ALL 3,128

79.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.58 ALL 4,048

$39.82 ALL 3,251

24.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,631

$84.0 ALL 6,856

25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ALL 10.4K

$153 ALL 12.5K

-16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ALL 36.6K

$426 ALL 34.8K

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ALL 28.0K

$316 ALL 25.8K

8.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.1K

$598 ALL 48.9K

2.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ALL 35.6K

$422 ALL 34.5K

3.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,844 ALL 150.5K

$1,824 ALL 149.0K

1.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ALL 100.7K

$1,142 ALL 93.2K

8.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ALL 54.9K

$844 ALL 68.9K

-20.35%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Durres: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Ballsh versus $426 in Durres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Durres, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Ballsh versus $35.00 in Durres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 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 $1,809 per month in Ballsh and $1,580 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 $59.0 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 $1,053, than in Ballsh at $1,206. 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.