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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Ballsh vs $961 in Kukes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,838 per month in Ballsh vs $1,403 in Kukes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Ballsh vs $1,845 in Kukes, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 25% more than Kukes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ballsh and Kukes are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Kukes 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ALL 959

$9.35 ALL 765

25.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 ALL 4,832

$37.52 ALL 3,070

57.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 ALL 557

$7.26 ALL 594

-6.20%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.85 ALL 152

9.73%

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

$1.45 ALL 119

$1.59 ALL 130

-8.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.9

$0.87 ALL 70.8

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$2.29 ALL 188

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 ALL 343

$3.19 ALL 261

31.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 174

$1.55 ALL 127

36.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$0.79 ALL 64.3

44.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ALL 177

$2.03 ALL 166

6.40%

Eggs

$3.89 ALL 318

$2.95 ALL 241

31.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ALL 1,091

$9.18 ALL 751

45.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 ALL 630

$6.91 ALL 565

11.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 ALL 1,282

$8.04 ALL 658

94.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 145

$1.15 ALL 93.8

53.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ALL 228

$1.79 ALL 146

55.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 167

$0.93 ALL 75.9

119.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.32 ALL 108

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ALL 109

$0.70 ALL 57.2

90.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$0.85 ALL 69.2

55.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ALL 119

$0.96 ALL 78.4

51.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.6

$0.70 ALL 57.0

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 ALL 357

$3.45 ALL 282

26.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 ALL 897

$7.18 ALL 587

52.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ALL 133

$0.93 ALL 75.7

74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ALL 170

$1.73 ALL 142

19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.46

$0.45 ALL 37.20

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.01 ALL 1,555

$18.63 ALL 1,524

2.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ALL 291

$3.57 ALL 292

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 ALL 264

$3.20 ALL 261

0.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 ALL 1,472

$4.78 ALL 391

276.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 176

$2.09 ALL 171

2.87%

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

$40.8K ALL 3.3M

$34.8K ALL 2.8M

17.22%

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

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

$25.5K ALL 2.1M

38.44%

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

$107 ALL 8,763

$66.9 ALL 5,473

60.12%

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

$17.78 ALL 1,455

$17.14 ALL 1,403

3.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.41 ALL 1,506

$15.64 ALL 1,279

17.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ALL 4,545

$56.1 ALL 4,590

-0.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.45 ALL 2,082

$25.00 ALL 2,045

1.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.21 ALL 754

$3.62 ALL 296

154.42%

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

$159 ALL 13.0K

$94.5 ALL 7,729

68.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,513 ALL 451.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 ALL 5,486

$35.96 ALL 2,942

86.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ALL 4,104

$23.35 ALL 1,911

114.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ALL 8,922

$40.74 ALL 3,333

167.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.6K

$49.40 ALL 4,041

161.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 ALL 36.4K

$457 ALL 37.4K

-2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ALL 28.4K

-0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ALL 50.3K

$613 ALL 50.2K

0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ALL 35.4K

$429 ALL 35.1K

0.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,749 ALL 143.1K

$1,995 ALL 163.2K

-12.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,196 ALL 97.8K

$1,333 ALL 109.0K

-10.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ALL 43.7K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kukes: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Ballsh versus $457 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 $38.00 in Kukes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $195 – 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 25%, 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 $1,803 per month in Ballsh and $1,441 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 45% 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 $38.00 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 $961, than in Ballsh at $1,202. 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.