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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Ballsh vs $922 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,838 per month in Ballsh vs $1,353 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Ballsh vs $1,784 in Shkoder, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 30% more than Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Shkoder 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ALL 961

$6.04 ALL 496

94.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 ALL 4,843

$32.04 ALL 2,627

84.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 ALL 559

$4.61 ALL 378

47.72%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.79 ALL 147

13.41%

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

$1.45 ALL 119

$1.57 ALL 129

-7.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 74.0

$0.80 ALL 65.7

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ALL 244

$2.43 ALL 199

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 ALL 344

$3.18 ALL 260

31.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 174

$2.06 ALL 169

2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.2

$0.93 ALL 75.9

22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ALL 177

$2.01 ALL 165

7.46%

Eggs

$3.89 ALL 319

$2.91 ALL 239

33.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ALL 1,094

$6.87 ALL 563

94.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 ALL 631

$4.89 ALL 401

57.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 ALL 1,285

$10.35 ALL 849

51.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 145

$1.52 ALL 125

16.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ALL 228

$2.34 ALL 192

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 168

$1.66 ALL 136

22.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.34 ALL 110

47.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ALL 109

$0.98 ALL 80.7

35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.17 ALL 95.8

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ALL 119

$1.09 ALL 89.6

33.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.8

$0.69 ALL 56.9

15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 ALL 358

$4.13 ALL 338

5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 ALL 899

$6.22 ALL 510

76.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ALL 133

$1.46 ALL 120

10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ALL 170

$1.67 ALL 137

23.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.56

$0.45 ALL 36.87

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.01 ALL 1,559

$11.61 ALL 952

63.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ALL 291

$3.60 ALL 295

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 ALL 265

$3.07 ALL 252

5.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 ALL 1,475

$17.92 ALL 1,470

0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 176

$2.19 ALL 180

-1.83%

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

$40.8K ALL 3.3M

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

17.88%

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

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

42.04%

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

$107 ALL 8,784

$67.9 ALL 5,570

57.69%

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

$17.78 ALL 1,458

$16.90 ALL 1,386

5.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.41 ALL 1,510

$16.11 ALL 1,321

14.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ALL 4,556

$40.50 ALL 3,321

37.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.45 ALL 2,087

$11.69 ALL 958

117.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.21 ALL 755

$7.20 ALL 590

27.92%

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

$159 ALL 13.0K

$89.0 ALL 7,296

78.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,513 ALL 452.1K

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

206.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 ALL 5,499

$47.65 ALL 3,907

40.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ALL 4,113

$11.91 ALL 977

321.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ALL 8,942

$72.0 ALL 5,901

51.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ALL 10.6K

$142 ALL 11.6K

-8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 ALL 36.4K

$310 ALL 25.4K

43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ALL 28.4K

$300 ALL 24.6K

15.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ALL 50.4K

$353 ALL 28.9K

74.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ALL 35.5K

$347 ALL 28.4K

24.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,749 ALL 143.4K

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

-3.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,196 ALL 98.0K

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

-2.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 ALL 46.9K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Ballsh versus $310 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: $282 vs $202 – 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 30%, 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 $1,803 per month in Ballsh and $1,383 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 40% 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 $922, than in Ballsh at $1,202. 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.