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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Ballsh vs $917 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,831 per month in Ballsh vs $1,433 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,468 per month in Ballsh vs $1,949 in Elbasan, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 30% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Elbasan 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.70 ALL 951

$9.47 ALL 770

23.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 ALL 4,688

$32.67 ALL 2,655

76.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ALL 580

$7.12 ALL 579

0.28%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ALL 166

$1.80 ALL 147

13.33%

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

$1.48 ALL 120

$1.29 ALL 105

14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.1

$0.75 ALL 60.5

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 ALL 234

$1.81 ALL 147

59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 ALL 343

$2.30 ALL 187

83.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 170

$1.80 ALL 146

16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 87.8

$0.92 ALL 75.0

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ALL 180

$1.49 ALL 121

48.32%

Eggs

$3.99 ALL 325

$3.00 ALL 244

33.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ALL 1,084

$9.69 ALL 787

37.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 633

$5.44 ALL 442

43.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 ALL 1,299

$12.45 ALL 1,012

28.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 144

$0.87 ALL 70.5

103.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 ALL 225

$2.37 ALL 193

16.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ALL 162

$1.25 ALL 102

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 ALL 155

$0.93 ALL 75.5

104.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.01 ALL 81.7

29.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 107

$1.03 ALL 83.8

28.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 ALL 117

$0.90 ALL 73.0

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ALL 65.6

$0.57 ALL 46.05

42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 337

$3.96 ALL 321

4.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 ALL 901

$8.13 ALL 661

36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ALL 132

$0.90 ALL 73.0

81.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 173

$1.43 ALL 116

48.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.80

$0.48 ALL 39.02

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.51 ALL 1,504

$18.61 ALL 1,512

-0.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ALL 283

$3.43 ALL 279

1.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ALL 260

$1.28 ALL 104

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.82 ALL 1,448

$14.32 ALL 1,163

24.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.18 ALL 177

-5.50%

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

$39.6K ALL 3.2M

$21.6K ALL 1.8M

83.51%

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

$36.3K ALL 2.9M

$27.7K ALL 2.2M

31.09%

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

$106 ALL 8,578

$66.8 ALL 5,425

58.13%

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

$17.73 ALL 1,441

$17.59 ALL 1,429

0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.40 ALL 1,495

$15.21 ALL 1,235

20.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ALL 4,564

$66.0 ALL 5,364

-14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.61 ALL 2,081

$16.18 ALL 1,314

58.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 ALL 751

$5.67 ALL 461

62.96%

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

$160 ALL 13.0K

$139 ALL 11.3K

15.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,536 ALL 449.8K

$1,791 ALL 145.5K

209.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ALL 5,570

$47.58 ALL 3,866

44.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.86 ALL 4,051

$34.42 ALL 2,797

44.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,613

$95.5 ALL 7,760

10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.3K

$179 ALL 14.5K

-28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.0K

$286 ALL 23.2K

59.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ALL 27.7K

$194 ALL 15.7K

76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 ALL 49.2K

$415 ALL 33.8K

45.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 ALL 35.1K

$296 ALL 24.0K

46.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 ALL 166.5K

$1,310 ALL 106.5K

56.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 ALL 108.3K

$866 ALL 70.3K

54.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 44.7K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ballsh versus $286 in Elbasan. 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 $33.00 in Elbasan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $206 – 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 30%, 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 $1,375 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 37% 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 $33.00 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 $917, than in Ballsh at $1,194. 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.