Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Sarande Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Sarande

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Ballsh vs $1,298 in Sarande, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Ballsh vs $2,205 in Sarande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,537 per month in Ballsh vs $3,113 in Sarande, rent included.

Ballsh is about 7% cheaper than Sarande, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Ballsh and Sarande are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Sarande 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 ALL 961

$11.84 ALL 967

-0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 ALL 4,856

$58.1 ALL 4,740

2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 581

$9.69 ALL 791

-26.52%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 169

$2.07 ALL 169

-0.48%

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

$1.47 ALL 120

$1.83 ALL 150

-19.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$0.97 ALL 78.9

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$2.98 ALL 243

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$3.47 ALL 283

18.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 173

$2.04 ALL 167

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$1.13 ALL 92.5

0.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ALL 179

$2.17 ALL 177

1.38%

Eggs

$3.99 ALL 326

$3.98 ALL 325

0.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 ALL 1,068

$12.87 ALL 1,051

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 ALL 636

$7.82 ALL 638

-0.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 ALL 1,302

$15.86 ALL 1,295

0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 141

$1.72 ALL 140

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ALL 220

$2.69 ALL 219

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.98 ALL 162

2.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$1.98 ALL 162

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 104

$1.29 ALL 105

-1.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 123

$1.50 ALL 122

0.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.5

$0.75 ALL 61.4

-1.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ALL 356

$4.30 ALL 351

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 ALL 842

$6.58 ALL 537

56.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.60 ALL 131

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ALL 173

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.52

$1.13 ALL 92.1

-57.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.98 ALL 1,550

$23.33 ALL 1,905

-18.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ALL 286

$3.51 ALL 287

-0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 ALL 263

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 ALL 1,443

$17.75 ALL 1,449

-0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$2.07 ALL 169

3.38%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

14.93%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$29.2K ALL 2.4M

20.23%

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

$106 ALL 8,671

$102 ALL 8,316

4.26%

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

$18.16 ALL 1,483

$18.05 ALL 1,474

0.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.75 ALL 1,531

$18.11 ALL 1,479

3.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 ALL 4,561

$89.7 ALL 7,327

-37.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.00 ALL 2,041

$41.29 ALL 3,371

-39.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 ALL 785

$9.58 ALL 782

0.42%

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

$160 ALL 13.0K

$292 ALL 23.8K

-45.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,556 ALL 453.7K

$5,563 ALL 454.2K

-0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 ALL 5,630

$67.7 ALL 5,525

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.58 ALL 4,048

$50.2 ALL 4,099

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,631

$109 ALL 8,925

-3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ALL 10.4K

$130 ALL 10.6K

-1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ALL 36.6K

$884 ALL 72.1K

-49.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ALL 28.0K

$381 ALL 31.1K

-9.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.1K

$1,096 ALL 89.5K

-44.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ALL 35.6K

$950 ALL 77.5K

-54.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,844 ALL 150.5K

$4,737 ALL 386.8K

-61.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ALL 100.7K

$2,954 ALL 241.2K

-58.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ALL 54.9K

$785 ALL 64.1K

-14.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

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

Last update for Ballsh: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sarande: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Ballsh versus $884 in Sarande. 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 17% higher in Sarande, 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 $58.0 in Sarande. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $271 – making Sarande 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 Sarande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarande is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,946 in Sarande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Sarande – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Ballsh and $58.0 in Sarande. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ballsh, where all-in costs run around $1,206, than in Sarande at $1,298. In Ballsh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ballsh – 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 Ballsh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.