Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Kukes Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Kukes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Ballsh vs $976 in Kukes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,879 per month in Ballsh vs $1,436 in Kukes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,548 per month in Ballsh vs $1,896 in Kukes, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 24% more than Kukes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ballsh and Kukes are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Kukes 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 ALL 955

$9.38 ALL 765

24.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 ALL 4,783

$37.26 ALL 3,039

57.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 ALL 558

$6.90 ALL 563

-0.87%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.86 ALL 151

8.60%

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

$1.43 ALL 117

$1.57 ALL 128

-8.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.8

$0.82 ALL 67.0

9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ALL 239

$2.29 ALL 187

27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 ALL 329

$3.24 ALL 264

24.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 175

$1.56 ALL 127

37.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ALL 89.7

$0.85 ALL 69.3

29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ALL 174

$2.02 ALL 164

5.45%

Eggs

$3.92 ALL 320

$3.04 ALL 248

28.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 ALL 1,080

$9.29 ALL 757

42.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ALL 621

$7.21 ALL 588

5.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 ALL 1,258

$8.15 ALL 664

89.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 144

$1.15 ALL 94.0

53.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 ALL 218

$1.79 ALL 146

49.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$0.99 ALL 80.4

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ALL 157

$1.39 ALL 113

38.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$0.74 ALL 60.1

77.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ALL 105

$0.79 ALL 64.3

62.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ALL 122

$0.93 ALL 75.8

60.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.2

$0.72 ALL 58.9

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ALL 352

$3.55 ALL 290

21.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 ALL 850

$7.27 ALL 593

43.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ALL 134

$0.91 ALL 74.6

80.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ALL 168

$1.72 ALL 140

20.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.78

$0.49 ALL 40.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.62 ALL 1,519

$18.63 ALL 1,519

-0.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 292

$3.59 ALL 293

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 ALL 252

$3.16 ALL 258

-2.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,412

$4.63 ALL 377

273.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 170

$2.11 ALL 172

-0.95%

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

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

12.79%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

40.67%

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

$108 ALL 8,833

$67.8 ALL 5,529

59.77%

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

$17.62 ALL 1,437

$17.32 ALL 1,413

1.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 ALL 1,490

$16.14 ALL 1,317

13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ALL 4,550

$54.9 ALL 4,476

1.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 ALL 2,049

$25.12 ALL 2,048

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 786

$3.46 ALL 282

178.32%

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

$161 ALL 13.1K

$95.4 ALL 7,777

68.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,544 ALL 452.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 ALL 5,618

$35.24 ALL 2,874

95.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 ALL 4,081

$23.28 ALL 1,898

114.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,808

$41.26 ALL 3,365

161.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ALL 10.7K

$50.2 ALL 4,092

161.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.1K

$442 ALL 36.1K

2.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ALL 28.2K

0.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ALL 49.2K

$603 ALL 49.1K

0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ALL 35.4K

$429 ALL 35.0K

1.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,795 ALL 146.4K

$1,835 ALL 149.7K

-2.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 ALL 108.2K

$1,204 ALL 98.2K

10.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$520 ALL 42.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

38.00%

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

Last update for Ballsh: July 14, 2026

Last update for Kukes: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ballsh versus $442 in Kukes. 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 $59.0 in Ballsh versus $37.00 in Kukes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $199 – making Kukes 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 Kukes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Ballsh and $1,464 in Kukes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $37.00 in Kukes. 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 Kukes, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Ballsh at $1,211. In Kukes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kukes – 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 Kukes. 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.