Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Pogradec Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Pogradec

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Ballsh vs $1,006 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Ballsh vs $1,536 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,537 per month in Ballsh vs $2,066 in Pogradec, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 20% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Pogradec 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 ALL 961

$8.03 ALL 655

46.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 ALL 4,856

$36.74 ALL 3,000

61.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 581

$6.91 ALL 564

3.04%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 169

$0.90 ALL 73.7

128.89%

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

$1.47 ALL 120

$1.62 ALL 133

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$0.73 ALL 59.8

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$1.42 ALL 116

109.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$2.55 ALL 208

60.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 173

$2.04 ALL 167

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$0.84 ALL 68.6

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ALL 179

$1.94 ALL 158

13.40%

Eggs

$3.99 ALL 326

$2.17 ALL 177

83.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 ALL 1,068

$7.49 ALL 611

74.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 ALL 636

$4.22 ALL 345

84.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 ALL 1,302

$13.10 ALL 1,070

21.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 141

$1.15 ALL 94.1

49.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ALL 220

$2.45 ALL 200

9.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.39 ALL 113

46.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$1.21 ALL 99.1

57.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$0.95 ALL 77.9

37.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 104

$0.92 ALL 75.0

38.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 123

$0.98 ALL 80.3

54.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.5

$0.72 ALL 59.0

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ALL 356

$4.00 ALL 327

9.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 ALL 842

$10.21 ALL 834

0.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.20 ALL 97.6

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ALL 173

$1.79 ALL 146

18.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.52

$0.49 ALL 39.73

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.98 ALL 1,550

$19.07 ALL 1,557

-0.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ALL 286

$3.52 ALL 288

-0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 ALL 263

$1.54 ALL 126

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 ALL 1,443

$17.85 ALL 1,458

-1.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$2.19 ALL 179

-2.28%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$34.7K ALL 2.8M

16.25%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

36.74%

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

$106 ALL 8,671

$66.6 ALL 5,435

59.52%

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

$18.16 ALL 1,483

$17.43 ALL 1,423

4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.75 ALL 1,531

$15.65 ALL 1,277

19.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ALL 4,561

$55.8 ALL 4,552

0.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.00 ALL 2,041

$25.57 ALL 2,088

-2.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 ALL 785

$8.20 ALL 670

17.32%

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

$160 ALL 13.0K

$95.4 ALL 7,793

67.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,556 ALL 453.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 ALL 5,630

$47.50 ALL 3,878

45.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.58 ALL 4,048

$52.8 ALL 4,314

-6.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,631

$93.4 ALL 7,625

13.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ALL 10.4K

$140 ALL 11.4K

-8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ALL 36.6K

$442 ALL 36.1K

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ALL 28.0K

$342 ALL 27.9K

0.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.1K

$618 ALL 50.5K

-0.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ALL 35.6K

$431 ALL 35.2K

0.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,844 ALL 150.5K

$1,599 ALL 130.6K

15.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ALL 100.7K

$1,462 ALL 119.4K

-15.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ALL 54.9K

$464 ALL 37.9K

44.80%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Ballsh versus $442 in Pogradec. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Ballsh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Ballsh versus $37.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $208 – making Pogradec 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 Pogradec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,809 per month in Ballsh and $1,509 in Pogradec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 35% 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 Pogradec. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pogradec, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Ballsh at $1,206. In Pogradec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pogradec – 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 Pogradec. 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.