Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Shkoder Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Shkoder

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Ballsh vs $927 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,879 per month in Ballsh vs $1,350 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,548 per month in Ballsh vs $1,772 in Shkoder, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 31% more than Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Shkoder 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 ALL 955

$5.95 ALL 486

96.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 ALL 4,783

$32.15 ALL 2,622

82.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 ALL 558

$4.84 ALL 395

41.32%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.81 ALL 148

11.60%

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

$1.43 ALL 117

$1.60 ALL 130

-10.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.8

$0.82 ALL 66.5

9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ALL 239

$2.31 ALL 189

26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 ALL 329

$3.36 ALL 274

19.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 175

$2.06 ALL 168

4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ALL 89.7

$0.87 ALL 71.2

26.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.95 ALL 159

9.23%

Eggs

$3.92 ALL 320

$2.94 ALL 239

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 ALL 1,080

$6.87 ALL 560

92.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ALL 621

$4.99 ALL 407

52.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 ALL 1,258

$10.33 ALL 842

49.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 144

$1.52 ALL 124

16.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 ALL 218

$2.37 ALL 193

12.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.74 ALL 142

13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ALL 157

$1.38 ALL 112

39.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.01 ALL 82.5

29.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ALL 105

$1.21 ALL 98.7

5.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ALL 122

$1.11 ALL 90.2

34.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.2

$0.74 ALL 60.2

1.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ALL 352

$4.09 ALL 334

5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 ALL 850

$6.02 ALL 491

73.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ALL 134

$1.44 ALL 118

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ALL 168

$1.72 ALL 141

20.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.78

$0.49 ALL 39.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.62 ALL 1,519

$11.40 ALL 930

63.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 292

$3.46 ALL 282

3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 ALL 252

$3.12 ALL 255

-1.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,412

$17.64 ALL 1,439

-1.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 170

$2.10 ALL 171

-0.48%

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

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

$35.2K ALL 2.9M

12.15%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

40.32%

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

$108 ALL 8,833

$66.9 ALL 5,455

61.95%

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

$17.62 ALL 1,437

$16.83 ALL 1,373

4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 ALL 1,490

$16.08 ALL 1,311

13.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ALL 4,550

$41.52 ALL 3,386

34.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 ALL 2,049

$11.87 ALL 969

111.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 786

$7.02 ALL 573

37.18%

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

$161 ALL 13.1K

$87.5 ALL 7,138

83.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,544 ALL 452.2K

$1,756 ALL 143.2K

215.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 ALL 5,618

$46.51 ALL 3,793

48.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 ALL 4,081

$11.56 ALL 943

332.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,808

$69.6 ALL 5,672

55.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ALL 10.7K

$142 ALL 11.6K

-7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.1K

$306 ALL 24.9K

48.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ALL 28.2K

$298 ALL 24.3K

16.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ALL 49.2K

$357 ALL 29.1K

68.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ALL 35.4K

$339 ALL 27.6K

28.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,795 ALL 146.4K

$1,825 ALL 148.9K

-1.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 ALL 108.2K

$1,223 ALL 99.7K

8.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 ALL 46.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

10.40%

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

Last update for Ballsh: July 14, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ballsh versus $306 in Shkoder. 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 $59.0 in Ballsh versus $32.00 in Shkoder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $203 – making Shkoder 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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,816 per month in Ballsh and $1,391 in Shkoder. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shkoder, 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 $59.0 in Ballsh and $32.00 in Shkoder. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Ballsh at $1,211. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shkoder – 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 Shkoder. 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.