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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,200 per month in Ballsh vs $909 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Ballsh vs $1,431 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,589 per month in Ballsh vs $1,953 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 12% lower, Elbasan 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.01 ALL 793

$9.89 ALL 784

1.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 ALL 4,476

$38.18 ALL 3,026

47.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 ALL 543

$6.97 ALL 553

-1.72%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ALL 189

$1.74 ALL 138

37.36%

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

$1.40 ALL 111

$1.42 ALL 112

-1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ALL 68.1

$0.70 ALL 55.7

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ALL 295

$2.22 ALL 176

67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ALL 324

$2.88 ALL 228

41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 ALL 182

$1.98 ALL 157

15.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ALL 98.2

$0.99 ALL 78.7

25.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ALL 197

$1.62 ALL 128

53.70%

Eggs

$3.94 ALL 312

$2.78 ALL 221

41.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 ALL 1,069

$10.41 ALL 825

29.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 ALL 744

$5.95 ALL 472

57.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.69 ALL 1,402

$11.51 ALL 912

53.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 155

$1.27 ALL 101

53.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 ALL 196

$2.26 ALL 179

9.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ALL 172

$1.42 ALL 112

53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 155

$1.12 ALL 88.7

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.5

$1.05 ALL 83.4

-0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.07 ALL 84.6

18.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ALL 113

$0.81 ALL 63.8

76.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 59.7

$0.67 ALL 53.1

11.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 ALL 393

$4.53 ALL 359

9.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 ALL 882

$8.20 ALL 650

35.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ALL 142

$1.08 ALL 85.7

65.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ALL 167

$1.88 ALL 149

12.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ALL 44.39

$0.48 ALL 38.21

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 ALL 1,427

$20.37 ALL 1,614

-11.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ALL 304

$3.80 ALL 301

0.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 ALL 302

$1.54 ALL 122

147.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 ALL 1,479

$15.22 ALL 1,207

22.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 ALL 184

$2.18 ALL 173

6.88%

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

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

$30.3K ALL 2.4M

13.07%

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

$37.3K ALL 3.0M

$30.5K ALL 2.4M

22.02%

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

$105 ALL 8,286

$61.7 ALL 4,890

69.45%

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

$18.85 ALL 1,494

$15.59 ALL 1,236

20.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 ALL 1,681

$12.04 ALL 954

76.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ALL 4,391

$59.9 ALL 4,746

-7.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ALL 1,371

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 ALL 789

$4.33 ALL 343

129.79%

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

$353 ALL 28.0K

$147 ALL 11.7K

139.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,313 ALL 658.8K

$1,867 ALL 148.0K

345.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ALL 4,051

$76.5 ALL 6,058

-33.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.54 ALL 3,767

$45.86 ALL 3,635

3.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ALL 9,837

$97.8 ALL 7,749

26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 8,999

$98.5 ALL 7,808

15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ALL 34.8K

$306 ALL 24.2K

43.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ALL 29.7K

$206 ALL 16.3K

82.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ALL 59.0K

$445 ALL 35.3K

67.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ALL 40.4K

$324 ALL 25.7K

57.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,830 ALL 145.0K

$1,392 ALL 110.3K

31.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,309 ALL 103.7K

$895 ALL 70.9K

46.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 ALL 44.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

6.1

-7.54%

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

Last update for Ballsh: September 14, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Ballsh versus $306 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 $56.0 in Ballsh versus $38.00 in Elbasan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $216 – 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 $1,800 per month in Ballsh and $1,364 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 39% 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 $56.0 in Ballsh and $38.00 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 $909, than in Ballsh at $1,200. 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.