Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Elbasan Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Elbasan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Ballsh vs $916 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Ballsh vs $1,471 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,537 per month in Ballsh vs $2,026 in Elbasan, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 32% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Elbasan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 ALL 961

$9.24 ALL 754

27.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 ALL 4,856

$31.89 ALL 2,604

86.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 581

$7.18 ALL 586

-0.84%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 169

$1.80 ALL 147

14.44%

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

$1.47 ALL 120

$1.27 ALL 103

15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$0.68 ALL 55.4

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$1.74 ALL 142

70.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$2.37 ALL 194

73.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 173

$1.84 ALL 150

15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$0.92 ALL 74.9

23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ALL 179

$1.56 ALL 128

41.03%

Eggs

$3.99 ALL 326

$2.91 ALL 238

37.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 ALL 1,068

$9.77 ALL 798

33.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 ALL 636

$5.34 ALL 436

45.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 ALL 1,302

$12.41 ALL 1,013

28.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 141

$0.91 ALL 74.5

89.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ALL 220

$2.37 ALL 193

13.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.26 ALL 103

61.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$0.89 ALL 73.1

114.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$0.92 ALL 75.3

42.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 104

$1.09 ALL 88.8

16.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 123

$0.98 ALL 80.3

54.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.5

$0.60 ALL 49.04

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ALL 356

$3.99 ALL 326

9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 ALL 842

$8.24 ALL 672

25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 130

$0.92 ALL 75.4

73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ALL 173

$1.46 ALL 119

45.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.52

$0.45 ALL 36.64

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.98 ALL 1,550

$18.66 ALL 1,523

1.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ALL 286

$3.60 ALL 294

-2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 ALL 263

$1.29 ALL 105

149.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 ALL 1,443

$14.36 ALL 1,173

23.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$2.11 ALL 172

1.42%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

91.57%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$27.5K ALL 2.2M

27.67%

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

$106 ALL 8,671

$67.2 ALL 5,487

58.00%

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

$18.16 ALL 1,483

$17.26 ALL 1,409

5.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.75 ALL 1,531

$15.29 ALL 1,248

22.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ALL 4,561

$65.6 ALL 5,359

-14.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.00 ALL 2,041

$16.37 ALL 1,336

52.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 ALL 785

$5.43 ALL 443

77.16%

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

$160 ALL 13.0K

$139 ALL 11.4K

14.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,556 ALL 453.7K

$1,789 ALL 146.1K

210.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 ALL 5,630

$104 ALL 8,511

-33.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.58 ALL 4,048

$34.21 ALL 2,793

44.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,631

$93.8 ALL 7,660

12.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ALL 10.4K

$180 ALL 14.7K

-28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ALL 36.6K

$289 ALL 23.6K

55.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ALL 28.0K

$198 ALL 16.2K

72.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.1K

$421 ALL 34.4K

45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ALL 35.6K

$300 ALL 24.5K

45.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,844 ALL 150.5K

$1,362 ALL 111.2K

35.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ALL 100.7K

$847 ALL 69.1K

45.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ALL 54.9K

$550 ALL 44.9K

22.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

6.1

-9.51%

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

Last update for Ballsh: April 26, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Ballsh versus $289 in Elbasan. 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 22% higher in Ballsh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Ballsh versus $32.00 in Elbasan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $207 – making Elbasan 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 Elbasan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,374 in Elbasan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $32.00 in Elbasan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Ballsh at $1,206. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – 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 Elbasan. 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.