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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Ballsh vs $753 in Kukes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Ballsh vs $1,133 in Kukes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,549 per month in Ballsh vs $1,513 in Kukes, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 64% more than Kukes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Kukes are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Kukes 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 ALL 800

$3.88 ALL 306

161.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 ALL 4,212

$22.80 ALL 1,801

133.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 ALL 568

$7.69 ALL 607

-6.50%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ALL 183

$1.51 ALL 119

53.64%

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

$1.42 ALL 112

$1.37 ALL 108

3.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ALL 67.5

$0.69 ALL 54.8

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ALL 292

$1.88 ALL 148

96.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ALL 330

$2.26 ALL 178

84.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ALL 182

$1.66 ALL 131

39.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ALL 97.8

$0.85 ALL 67.4

45.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 ALL 189

$2.07 ALL 164

15.46%

Eggs

$3.86 ALL 305

$2.75 ALL 217

40.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ALL 1,074

$9.70 ALL 766

40.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 ALL 722

$7.42 ALL 586

23.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.57 ALL 1,388

$10.92 ALL 862

60.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 160

$0.98 ALL 77.8

106.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 ALL 200

$1.98 ALL 156

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ALL 180

$1.04 ALL 82.1

118.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ALL 147

$1.69 ALL 134

10.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.4

$0.79 ALL 62.8

31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ALL 103

$1.09 ALL 85.7

19.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 118

$1.09 ALL 86.2

37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 64.7

$0.67 ALL 52.8

22.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 ALL 398

$4.52 ALL 357

11.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 ALL 908

$7.79 ALL 615

47.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 139

$1.11 ALL 87.5

58.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ALL 161

$1.67 ALL 132

22.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 38.52

$0.49 ALL 38.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 ALL 1,603

$20.48 ALL 1,617

-0.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 ALL 294

$3.89 ALL 307

-4.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.75 ALL 296

$3.97 ALL 313

-5.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.96 ALL 1,498

$4.98 ALL 394

280.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 ALL 189

$2.27 ALL 179

5.29%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

0.86%

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

$37.4K ALL 3.0M

$25.5K ALL 2.0M

46.23%

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

$102 ALL 8,060

$63.3 ALL 4,998

61.27%

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

$18.98 ALL 1,499

$16.46 ALL 1,300

15.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.84 ALL 1,646

$17.83 ALL 1,408

16.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ALL 4,640

$58.1 ALL 4,589

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.75 ALL 1,007

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 ALL 793

$3.89 ALL 307

158.10%

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

$346 ALL 27.3K

$103 ALL 8,134

236.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,431 ALL 665.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ALL 4,050

$37.62 ALL 2,971

36.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 ALL 3,857

$28.63 ALL 2,261

70.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 ALL 9,673

$51.3 ALL 4,054

138.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 9,016

$44.62 ALL 3,524

155.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 ALL 38.3K

$240 ALL 19.0K

101.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 ALL 26.6K

$175 ALL 13.8K

92.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ALL 56.6K

$287 ALL 22.6K

150.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ALL 37.6K

$213 ALL 16.8K

122.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ALL 149.0K

$1,915 ALL 151.2K

-1.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,282 ALL 101.2K

$1,264 ALL 99.9K

1.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 ALL 43.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

12.80%

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

Last update for Ballsh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kukes: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Ballsh versus $240 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 $53.0 in Ballsh versus $23.00 in Kukes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $214 – 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 64%, 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 $1,852 per month in Ballsh and $1,130 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 $53.0 in Ballsh and $23.00 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 $753, than in Ballsh at $1,235. 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.