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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,241 per month in Ballsh vs $1,316 in Sarande, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,870 per month in Ballsh vs $2,227 in Sarande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,498 per month in Ballsh vs $3,138 in Sarande, rent included.

Ballsh is about 6% cheaper than Sarande, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Ballsh and Sarande are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Sarande 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ALL 774

$9.96 ALL 777

-0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 ALL 3,905

$50.7 ALL 3,959

-1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 ALL 549

$11.13 ALL 869

-36.75%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ALL 186

$2.28 ALL 178

4.39%

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

$1.41 ALL 110

$2.40 ALL 187

-41.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ALL 71.9

$1.20 ALL 93.5

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 ALL 275

$3.55 ALL 277

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 ALL 314

$4.16 ALL 325

-3.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ALL 182

$2.25 ALL 176

3.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ALL 99.6

$1.27 ALL 99.1

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ALL 194

$2.51 ALL 196

-0.80%

Eggs

$3.69 ALL 288

$3.65 ALL 285

1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 ALL 1,046

$13.73 ALL 1,071

-2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 ALL 699

$9.37 ALL 731

-4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.53 ALL 1,368

$17.51 ALL 1,366

0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 158

$2.02 ALL 157

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ALL 202

$2.52 ALL 197

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ALL 176

$2.14 ALL 167

5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ALL 145

$1.87 ALL 146

-0.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 ALL 90.4

$1.11 ALL 86.4

4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ALL 104

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 ALL 115

$1.42 ALL 111

3.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ALL 61.3

$0.82 ALL 63.9

-3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 ALL 381

$4.90 ALL 382

-0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 ALL 865

$6.80 ALL 530

63.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ALL 134

$1.73 ALL 135

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ALL 163

$2.13 ALL 167

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 38.55

$1.17 ALL 91.6

-58.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.61 ALL 1,686

$23.47 ALL 1,831

-7.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 ALL 290

$3.69 ALL 288

0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 ALL 285

$3.86 ALL 301

-5.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.90 ALL 1,475

$18.37 ALL 1,433

2.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 ALL 185

$2.11 ALL 165

12.32%

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

$34.6K ALL 2.7M

$35.2K ALL 2.7M

-1.56%

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

$37.0K ALL 2.9M

$28.6K ALL 2.2M

29.35%

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

$109 ALL 8,527

$102 ALL 7,958

7.15%

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

$18.91 ALL 1,475

$18.96 ALL 1,479

-0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.42 ALL 1,593

$20.60 ALL 1,607

-0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 ALL 3,981

$90.5 ALL 7,062

-43.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.94 ALL 3,272

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 ALL 780

$9.75 ALL 761

2.56%

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

$346 ALL 27.0K

$303 ALL 23.7K

14.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,361 ALL 652.3K

$8,338 ALL 650.5K

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.66 ALL 3,875

$72.5 ALL 5,656

-31.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.77 ALL 3,805

$49.10 ALL 3,831

-0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ALL 9,561

$121 ALL 9,460

1.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ALL 9,006

$117 ALL 9,139

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 ALL 40.9K

$870 ALL 67.9K

-39.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ALL 26.7K

$394 ALL 30.7K

-13.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 ALL 52.3K

$1,140 ALL 88.9K

-41.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 ALL 32.7K

$950 ALL 74.1K

-55.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,854 ALL 144.7K

$4,784 ALL 373.2K

-61.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ALL 94.1K

$2,920 ALL 227.8K

-58.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 ALL 62.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.55

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

Last update for Ballsh: August 18, 2026

Last update for Sarande: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $525 in Ballsh versus $870 in Sarande. 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 $50.0 in Ballsh versus $51.0 in Sarande. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ballsh vs $292 in Sarande – so Sarande wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 6%, 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 $1,862 per month in Ballsh and $1,974 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 2% 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 $50.0 in Ballsh and $51.0 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 $1,241, than in Sarande at $1,316. 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.