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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Ballsh vs $1,012 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,831 per month in Ballsh vs $1,536 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,468 per month in Ballsh vs $2,059 in Pogradec, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 18% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Pogradec 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.70 ALL 951

$8.45 ALL 687

38.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 ALL 4,688

$37.70 ALL 3,063

53.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ALL 580

$7.24 ALL 588

-1.38%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ALL 166

$0.95 ALL 77.2

114.74%

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

$1.48 ALL 120

$1.60 ALL 130

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.1

$0.69 ALL 55.9

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 ALL 234

$1.39 ALL 113

107.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 ALL 343

$2.62 ALL 213

61.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 170

$2.00 ALL 162

4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 87.8

$0.90 ALL 73.0

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ALL 180

$1.94 ALL 157

13.92%

Eggs

$3.99 ALL 325

$2.06 ALL 168

93.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ALL 1,084

$7.47 ALL 607

78.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 633

$4.22 ALL 343

84.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 ALL 1,299

$13.30 ALL 1,080

20.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 144

$1.17 ALL 95.0

51.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 ALL 225

$2.44 ALL 199

13.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ALL 162

$1.43 ALL 117

39.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 ALL 155

$1.15 ALL 93.6

65.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$0.92 ALL 74.8

42.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 107

$0.95 ALL 77.6

38.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 ALL 117

$0.98 ALL 79.6

46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ALL 65.6

$0.77 ALL 62.8

5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 337

$4.02 ALL 327

3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 ALL 901

$10.00 ALL 813

10.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ALL 132

$1.15 ALL 93.8

41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 173

$1.73 ALL 141

23.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.80

$0.48 ALL 39.04

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.51 ALL 1,504

$19.10 ALL 1,551

-3.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ALL 283

$3.44 ALL 279

1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ALL 260

$1.55 ALL 126

106.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.82 ALL 1,448

$17.75 ALL 1,442

0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.17 ALL 177

-5.07%

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

$39.6K ALL 3.2M

$34.9K ALL 2.8M

13.60%

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

$36.3K ALL 2.9M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

45.67%

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

$106 ALL 8,578

$68.4 ALL 5,557

54.34%

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

$17.73 ALL 1,441

$17.21 ALL 1,398

3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.40 ALL 1,495

$16.15 ALL 1,312

13.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ALL 4,564

$55.9 ALL 4,544

0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.61 ALL 2,081

$24.92 ALL 2,025

2.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 ALL 751

$7.99 ALL 649

15.64%

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

$160 ALL 13.0K

$95.1 ALL 7,724

68.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,536 ALL 449.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ALL 5,570

$47.49 ALL 3,858

44.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.86 ALL 4,051

$53.0 ALL 4,308

-5.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,613

$93.7 ALL 7,609

13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.3K

$141 ALL 11.5K

-9.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ALL 27.7K

$339 ALL 27.5K

0.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 ALL 49.2K

$618 ALL 50.2K

-2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 ALL 35.1K

$431 ALL 35.0K

0.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 ALL 166.5K

$1,551 ALL 126.0K

32.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 ALL 108.3K

$1,448 ALL 117.7K

-7.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 ALL 37.8K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ballsh versus $455 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 $58.0 in Ballsh versus $38.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $207 – 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 18%, 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 $1,790 per month in Ballsh and $1,519 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 36% 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 $58.0 in Ballsh and $38.00 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 $1,012, than in Ballsh at $1,194. 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.