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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Ballsh vs $1,275 in Sarande, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,877 per month in Ballsh vs $2,196 in Sarande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,535 per month in Ballsh vs $3,118 in Sarande, rent included.

Ballsh is about 4% cheaper than Sarande, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Ballsh and Sarande are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Sarande 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 ALL 945

$11.61 ALL 948

-0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 ALL 4,733

$59.9 ALL 4,895

-3.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 ALL 569

$9.65 ALL 788

-27.88%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ALL 161

$2.04 ALL 167

-2.94%

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

$1.41 ALL 115

$1.83 ALL 150

-22.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ALL 74.6

$0.98 ALL 80.0

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 243

$2.88 ALL 235

3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ALL 335

$3.63 ALL 297

12.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 176

$2.07 ALL 169

3.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ALL 88.1

$1.14 ALL 93.0

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ALL 183

$2.15 ALL 175

4.19%

Eggs

$3.96 ALL 323

$3.81 ALL 311

3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,076

$13.18 ALL 1,077

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 ALL 638

$7.96 ALL 651

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 ALL 1,279

$15.64 ALL 1,277

0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 140

$1.78 ALL 145

-3.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ALL 219

$2.80 ALL 229

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 167

$2.03 ALL 166

0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ALL 156

$1.97 ALL 161

-3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.37 ALL 112

-3.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.29 ALL 105

2.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ALL 119

$1.51 ALL 124

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ALL 64.8

$0.73 ALL 59.9

8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 339

$4.31 ALL 352

-3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 ALL 898

$6.67 ALL 545

64.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ALL 130

$1.65 ALL 135

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ALL 175

$2.08 ALL 170

2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.73

$1.14 ALL 92.8

-57.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.60 ALL 1,520

$22.90 ALL 1,871

-18.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 ALL 295

$3.55 ALL 290

1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 ALL 264

$3.07 ALL 251

5.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.50 ALL 1,430

$17.31 ALL 1,414

1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.13 ALL 174

-3.29%

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

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

16.50%

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

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

$28.7K ALL 2.3M

24.12%

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

$107 ALL 8,734

$102 ALL 8,332

4.82%

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

$17.98 ALL 1,469

$17.69 ALL 1,445

1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.25 ALL 1,491

$18.28 ALL 1,494

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ALL 4,476

$89.5 ALL 7,309

-38.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 ALL 2,033

$41.51 ALL 3,392

-40.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 787

$9.19 ALL 751

4.79%

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

$156 ALL 12.8K

$287 ALL 23.5K

-45.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

$5,483 ALL 447.9K

2.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 ALL 5,620

$68.6 ALL 5,608

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 ALL 4,093

$49.44 ALL 4,039

1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ALL 8,686

$107 ALL 8,742

-0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.5K

$131 ALL 10.7K

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ALL 36.9K

$872 ALL 71.3K

-48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

$379 ALL 31.0K

-10.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 ALL 49.7K

$1,098 ALL 89.7K

-44.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ALL 35.1K

$959 ALL 78.3K

-55.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

$4,643 ALL 379.4K

-62.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

$2,946 ALL 240.7K

-56.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 ALL 62.8K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sarande: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Ballsh versus $872 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 $58.0 in Ballsh versus $60.0 in Sarande. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Ballsh vs $273 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 5%, 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 $1,829 per month in Ballsh and $1,912 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 $58.0 in Ballsh and $60.0 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 $1,219, than in Sarande at $1,275. 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.