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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,200 per month in Ballsh vs $847 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,895 per month in Ballsh vs $1,393 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,589 per month in Ballsh vs $1,938 in Pogradec, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 42% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 12% lower, Pogradec 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.01 ALL 791

$10.19 ALL 805

-1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.5 ALL 4,462

$39.39 ALL 3,112

43.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 ALL 541

$7.74 ALL 611

-11.50%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ALL 189

$1.57 ALL 124

52.23%

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

$1.40 ALL 111

$1.94 ALL 153

-27.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ALL 67.9

$0.65 ALL 51.1

32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ALL 294

$1.47 ALL 116

153.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ALL 323

$2.69 ALL 213

51.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 ALL 181

$2.05 ALL 162

11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ALL 97.9

$0.92 ALL 72.7

34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ALL 196

$2.10 ALL 166

18.57%

Eggs

$3.94 ALL 311

$2.21 ALL 175

78.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 ALL 1,065

$8.41 ALL 664

60.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 ALL 741

$4.49 ALL 355

108.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.69 ALL 1,398

$14.24 ALL 1,125

24.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 154

$1.23 ALL 97.5

58.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 ALL 195

$2.35 ALL 186

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ALL 172

$1.55 ALL 122

40.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 155

$1.24 ALL 98.2

58.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.2

$1.02 ALL 80.9

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.04 ALL 81.9

22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ALL 113

$1.03 ALL 81.3

38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 59.5

$0.85 ALL 67.1

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 ALL 392

$4.28 ALL 338

15.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 ALL 879

$10.13 ALL 800

9.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ALL 141

$1.23 ALL 96.8

45.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ALL 167

$1.92 ALL 152

9.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ALL 44.25

$0.52 ALL 41.43

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.00 ALL 1,422

$19.24 ALL 1,520

-6.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ALL 303

$3.70 ALL 292

3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 ALL 301

$1.92 ALL 152

98.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 ALL 1,475

$18.83 ALL 1,487

-0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 ALL 184

$2.24 ALL 177

4.02%

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

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

$34.1K ALL 2.7M

0.49%

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

$37.3K ALL 2.9M

$25.7K ALL 2.0M

44.74%

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

$105 ALL 8,260

$63.4 ALL 5,011

64.85%

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

$18.85 ALL 1,489

$16.30 ALL 1,288

15.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 ALL 1,675

$17.24 ALL 1,362

23.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ALL 4,377

$35.85 ALL 2,832

54.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 ALL 1,501

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 ALL 786

$9.05 ALL 715

9.94%

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

$353 ALL 27.9K

$101 ALL 7,962

250.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,313 ALL 656.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ALL 4,038

$50.9 ALL 4,020

0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.54 ALL 3,755

$57.0 ALL 4,499

-16.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ALL 9,806

$101 ALL 8,000

22.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 8,970

$148 ALL 11.7K

-23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ALL 34.7K

$185 ALL 14.6K

137.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 ALL 29.6K

$126 ALL 9,954

197.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ALL 58.8K

$378 ALL 29.9K

96.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ALL 40.3K

$248 ALL 19.6K

105.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,830 ALL 144.6K

$1,604 ALL 126.7K

14.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,309 ALL 103.4K

$1,534 ALL 121.2K

-14.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ALL 38.7K

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 14, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Ballsh versus $185 in Pogradec. 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 $39.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $220 – 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 42%, 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 $1,270 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 37% 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 $39.00 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 $847, than in Ballsh at $1,200. 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.