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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Ballsh vs $1,007 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,877 per month in Ballsh vs $1,499 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,535 per month in Ballsh vs $1,991 in Pogradec, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 21% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Pogradec 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 ALL 945

$8.02 ALL 655

44.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 ALL 4,733

$37.69 ALL 3,079

53.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 ALL 569

$7.28 ALL 595

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ALL 161

$0.93 ALL 75.7

112.90%

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

$1.41 ALL 115

$1.60 ALL 131

-11.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ALL 74.6

$0.70 ALL 56.8

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$1.37 ALL 112

116.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$2.52 ALL 206

62.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 176

$2.02 ALL 165

6.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 88.1

$0.85 ALL 69.5

27.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ALL 183

$2.02 ALL 165

10.89%

Eggs

$3.96 ALL 323

$2.06 ALL 168

92.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,076

$7.43 ALL 607

77.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 ALL 638

$4.14 ALL 338

88.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 ALL 1,279

$13.17 ALL 1,076

18.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 140

$1.16 ALL 94.9

47.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ALL 219

$2.37 ALL 193

13.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.39 ALL 113

46.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$1.20 ALL 98.2

59.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$0.93 ALL 75.8

41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$0.97 ALL 79.1

36.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ALL 119

$0.97 ALL 79.3

50.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ALL 64.8

$0.72 ALL 58.6

9.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 339

$3.96 ALL 324

4.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 ALL 898

$9.93 ALL 811

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ALL 130

$1.17 ALL 95.3

35.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ALL 175

$1.76 ALL 144

21.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.73

$0.48 ALL 39.34

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.60 ALL 1,520

$19.06 ALL 1,557

-2.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ALL 295

$3.47 ALL 283

4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 ALL 264

$1.60 ALL 130

101.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.50 ALL 1,430

$17.57 ALL 1,436

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.11 ALL 172

-2.37%

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

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

$34.0K ALL 2.8M

19.86%

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

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

42.64%

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

$107 ALL 8,734

$67.0 ALL 5,476

59.50%

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

$17.98 ALL 1,469

$17.67 ALL 1,444

1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 ALL 1,491

$15.99 ALL 1,306

14.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ALL 4,476

$55.3 ALL 4,520

-0.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 ALL 2,033

$25.27 ALL 2,064

-1.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 787

$8.05 ALL 658

19.63%

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

$156 ALL 12.8K

$94.0 ALL 7,680

66.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ALL 5,620

$46.63 ALL 3,810

47.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 ALL 4,093

$53.6 ALL 4,378

-6.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,686

$95.8 ALL 7,830

10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$142 ALL 11.6K

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ALL 36.9K

$443 ALL 36.2K

1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 ALL 49.7K

$611 ALL 49.9K

-0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ALL 35.1K

$437 ALL 35.7K

-1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

$1,552 ALL 126.8K

12.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

$1,451 ALL 118.6K

-12.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$462 ALL 37.7K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Ballsh versus $443 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: $281 vs $206 – 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 21%, 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 $1,829 per month in Ballsh and $1,510 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 $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 $1,007, than in Ballsh at $1,219. 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.