Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Pogradec

For one person, living is cheaper in Pogradec: $820 a month against $1,185 in Ballsh, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ballsh, Albania
Pogradec, Albania
Ballsh
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,185
/mo nomad
Pogradec
🇦🇱 Albania
$820
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ballsh and in Pogradec

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ballsh and in Pogradec actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Ballsh vs $820 in Pogradec, rent included.

  • Ballsh $1,185
  • Pogradec $820

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Ballsh vs $1,353 in Pogradec, rent included.

  • Ballsh $1,834
  • Pogradec $1,353

A family of three spends $2,484 per month in Ballsh vs $1,887 in Pogradec, rent included.

  • Ballsh $2,484
  • Pogradec $1,887

Ballsh costs about 45% more than Pogradec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ballsh and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 13% lower, Pogradec 40% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.65 ALL 784
$9.62 ALL 781
0.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.6 ALL 4,431
$39.12 ALL 3,177
39.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 ALL 572
$7.30 ALL 593
-3.56%
Cappuccino
$2.25 ALL 182
$1.58 ALL 129
42.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 ALL 120
$1.81 ALL 147
-18.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ALL 73.1
$0.68 ALL 55.6
32.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.50 ALL 285
$1.49 ALL 121
134.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 ALL 334
$2.66 ALL 216
54.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ALL 182
$1.97 ALL 160
13.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 ALL 98.7
$0.91 ALL 73.8
34.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.35 ALL 191
$2.05 ALL 167
14.63%
Eggs
$3.80 ALL 309
$2.28 ALL 186
66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 ALL 1,057
$8.19 ALL 665
58.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.45 ALL 768
$4.36 ALL 354
116.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.32 ALL 1,407
$14.35 ALL 1,166
20.70%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 ALL 160
$1.27 ALL 103
55.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.51 ALL 204
$2.35 ALL 191
6.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 ALL 181
$1.50 ALL 122
48.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 ALL 155
$1.26 ALL 102
51.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 ALL 86.5
$0.97 ALL 79.0
9.28%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 ALL 107
$1.02 ALL 83.1
29.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 ALL 122
$1.02 ALL 82.6
47.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ALL 65.4
$0.84 ALL 68.4
-4.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.79 ALL 389
$4.28 ALL 348
11.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.42 ALL 846
$7.80 ALL 634
33.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ALL 131
$1.25 ALL 102
29.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 ALL 165
$1.82 ALL 148
11.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 ALL 42.75
$0.51 ALL 41.08
3.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.09 ALL 1,469
$18.76 ALL 1,524
-3.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.77 ALL 306
$3.64 ALL 296
3.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.82 ALL 310
$1.86 ALL 151
105.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.59 ALL 1,510
$18.50 ALL 1,503
0.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.42 ALL 196
$2.28 ALL 185
6.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K ALL 2.7M
$33.1K ALL 2.7M
0.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1K ALL 2.4M
$24.3K ALL 2.0M
19.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ALL 7,942
$61.3 ALL 4,976
59.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.77 ALL 1,525
$16.66 ALL 1,353
12.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.21 ALL 1,641
$17.47 ALL 1,419
15.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.8 ALL 4,128
$36.29 ALL 2,947
40.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.73 ALL 1,521
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.73 ALL 790
$8.62 ALL 700
12.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$341 ALL 27.7K
$99.8 ALL 8,105
241.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,309 ALL 674.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.97 ALL 3,978
$49.22 ALL 3,998
-0.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.59 ALL 3,866
$56.0 ALL 4,549
-15.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ALL 9,607
$96.9 ALL 7,871
22.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 ALL 9,123
$149 ALL 12.1K
-24.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$446 ALL 36.2K
$185 ALL 15.1K
140.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ALL 27.0K
$126 ALL 10.2K
164.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$612 ALL 49.7K
$366 ALL 29.7K
67.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$486 ALL 39.5K
$251 ALL 20.4K
93.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,745 ALL 141.7K
$1,626 ALL 132.1K
7.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,144 ALL 92.9K
$1,499 ALL 121.8K
-23.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ballsh
Pogradec
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$478 ALL 38.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.16
5
3.20%

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

Last update for Ballsh: October 27, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ballsh
$332
Pogradec
$126 62.2% $207
Groceries & Markets
Ballsh
$295
Pogradec
$213 27.9% $82
Eating Out
Ballsh
$160
Pogradec
$141 12.4% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Ballsh
$147
Pogradec
$158 7.4% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ballsh
$137
Pogradec
$95 30.2% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Ballsh
$70
Pogradec
$54 23.8% $17
Getting Around
Ballsh
$43
Pogradec
$34 21.6% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 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 $55 in Ballsh versus $39 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $213 – making Pogradec the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇱 Ballsh
🇦🇱 Pogradec
🕒 Local time
05:02 5:02 AM
05:02 5:02 AM
Same time as Ballsh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
7,000
20,848
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.69 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ballsh Pogradec 85 km
From you
  • Ballsh
  • Pogradec

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Pogradec cheaper than Ballsh?
Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,778 per month in Ballsh and $1,230 in Pogradec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pogradec, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $185 there versus $446 in Ballsh.
How do food prices compare in Ballsh and in Pogradec?
Groceries cost about 39% more in Ballsh, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Ballsh or in Pogradec?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Ballsh and $39 in Pogradec. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Ballsh or in Pogradec?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,185 in Ballsh and $820 in Pogradec. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Ballsh or Pogradec more family-friendly?
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.

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