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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Ballsh vs $996 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Ballsh vs $1,483 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,549 per month in Ballsh vs $1,969 in Shkoder, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 24% more than Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 10% lower, Shkoder 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 ALL 800

$9.43 ALL 744

7.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 ALL 4,212

$39.19 ALL 3,095

36.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 ALL 568

$6.30 ALL 497

14.13%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ALL 183

$2.06 ALL 163

12.62%

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

$1.42 ALL 112

$1.93 ALL 153

-26.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ALL 67.5

$0.66 ALL 52.0

30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 ALL 292

$1.86 ALL 147

98.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ALL 330

$3.17 ALL 251

31.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ALL 182

$2.00 ALL 158

15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ALL 97.8

$1.03 ALL 81.3

20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 ALL 189

$2.11 ALL 166

13.27%

Eggs

$3.86 ALL 305

$2.76 ALL 218

39.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ALL 1,074

$7.36 ALL 581

84.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 ALL 722

$5.04 ALL 398

81.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.57 ALL 1,388

$11.18 ALL 883

57.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 160

$1.61 ALL 127

25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 ALL 200

$2.31 ALL 183

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ALL 180

$1.69 ALL 134

34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ALL 147

$1.49 ALL 118

24.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.4

$1.04 ALL 82.1

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ALL 103

$1.25 ALL 98.6

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 118

$1.19 ALL 93.7

26.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 64.7

$0.75 ALL 58.9

9.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 ALL 398

$4.32 ALL 342

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 ALL 908

$6.16 ALL 487

86.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 139

$1.62 ALL 128

8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ALL 161

$1.85 ALL 146

10.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 38.52

$0.48 ALL 37.75

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 ALL 1,603

$11.58 ALL 914

75.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 ALL 294

$3.80 ALL 300

-2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.75 ALL 296

$4.02 ALL 317

-6.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.96 ALL 1,498

$18.84 ALL 1,488

0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 ALL 189

$2.10 ALL 166

13.81%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

0.05%

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

$37.4K ALL 3.0M

$26.1K ALL 2.1M

43.39%

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

$102 ALL 8,060

$64.0 ALL 5,056

59.43%

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

$18.98 ALL 1,499

$16.77 ALL 1,324

13.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.84 ALL 1,646

$17.80 ALL 1,406

17.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 ALL 4,640

$44.21 ALL 3,491

32.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 ALL 978

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 ALL 793

$7.69 ALL 608

30.56%

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

$346 ALL 27.3K

$93.4 ALL 7,379

270.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,431 ALL 665.9K

$1,926 ALL 152.1K

337.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ALL 4,050

$50.4 ALL 3,977

1.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 ALL 3,857

$12.85 ALL 1,015

280.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 ALL 9,673

$74.9 ALL 5,917

63.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 9,016

$149 ALL 11.8K

-23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 ALL 38.3K

$490 ALL 38.7K

-0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 ALL 26.6K

$324 ALL 25.6K

3.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ALL 56.6K

$384 ALL 30.3K

86.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ALL 37.6K

$365 ALL 28.9K

30.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ALL 149.0K

$1,858 ALL 146.8K

1.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,282 ALL 101.2K

$1,273 ALL 100.5K

0.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ALL 46.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

12.80%

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

Last update for Ballsh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Ballsh versus $490 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 $53.0 in Ballsh versus $39.00 in Shkoder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $210 – 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 24%, 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 $1,852 per month in Ballsh and $1,494 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 43% 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 $53.0 in Ballsh and $39.00 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 $996, than in Ballsh at $1,235. 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.