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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Ballsh vs $919 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,877 per month in Ballsh vs $1,443 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,535 per month in Ballsh vs $1,967 in Elbasan, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 33% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Elbasan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 ALL 945

$9.64 ALL 787

20.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 ALL 4,733

$32.11 ALL 2,624

80.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 ALL 569

$7.21 ALL 589

-3.47%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ALL 161

$1.79 ALL 146

10.61%

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

$1.41 ALL 115

$1.29 ALL 105

9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ALL 74.6

$0.68 ALL 55.9

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$1.79 ALL 146

65.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$2.43 ALL 198

68.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 176

$1.84 ALL 150

16.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 88.1

$0.93 ALL 76.3

16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ALL 183

$1.56 ALL 128

43.59%

Eggs

$3.96 ALL 323

$3.04 ALL 249

30.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,076

$10.05 ALL 821

31.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 ALL 638

$5.21 ALL 426

49.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 ALL 1,279

$12.14 ALL 992

29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 140

$0.85 ALL 69.5

101.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ALL 219

$2.48 ALL 202

8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.25 ALL 102

63.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$0.97 ALL 79.0

96.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$0.96 ALL 78.1

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.09 ALL 88.8

21.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ALL 119

$0.90 ALL 73.5

62.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ALL 64.8

$0.57 ALL 46.46

38.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 339

$3.96 ALL 323

4.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 ALL 898

$7.70 ALL 629

42.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ALL 130

$0.90 ALL 73.6

76.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ALL 175

$1.50 ALL 123

42.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.73

$0.48 ALL 39.39

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.60 ALL 1,520

$19.18 ALL 1,567

-3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ALL 295

$3.46 ALL 283

4.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 ALL 264

$1.24 ALL 101

160.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.50 ALL 1,430

$13.90 ALL 1,136

25.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.11 ALL 172

-2.37%

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

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

93.59%

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

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

$27.2K ALL 2.2M

31.08%

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

$107 ALL 8,734

$68.5 ALL 5,596

56.10%

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

$17.98 ALL 1,469

$17.59 ALL 1,437

2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 ALL 1,491

$15.13 ALL 1,236

20.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ALL 4,476

$66.0 ALL 5,392

-16.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 ALL 2,033

$16.22 ALL 1,325

53.39%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 787

$5.74 ALL 469

67.77%

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

$156 ALL 12.8K

$142 ALL 11.6K

10.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

$1,761 ALL 143.9K

219.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ALL 5,620

$46.55 ALL 3,804

47.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 ALL 4,093

$34.60 ALL 2,827

44.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,686

$93.6 ALL 7,650

13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$177 ALL 14.5K

-27.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ALL 36.9K

$284 ALL 23.2K

58.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

$196 ALL 16.0K

72.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 ALL 49.7K

$423 ALL 34.5K

43.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ALL 35.1K

$296 ALL 24.2K

45.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

$1,350 ALL 110.3K

29.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

$862 ALL 70.5K

47.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 ALL 43.8K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Ballsh versus $284 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 $32.00 in Elbasan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 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 33%, 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 $1,378 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 36% 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 $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 $919, than in Ballsh at $1,219. 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.