Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,179 per month in Durres vs $1,200 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,788 per month in Durres vs $1,895 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,396 per month in Durres vs $2,589 in Ballsh, rent included.

Durres is about 2% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Durres and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Durres 14% lower, Ballsh 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.60 ALL 840

$10.01 ALL 794

5.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.30 ALL 3,037

$56.5 ALL 4,479

-32.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.50 ALL 833

$6.85 ALL 543

53.28%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ALL 165

$2.39 ALL 190

-12.97%

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

$2.05 ALL 162

$1.40 ALL 111

46.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ALL 81.5

$0.86 ALL 68.1

19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 ALL 248

$3.72 ALL 295

-15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 ALL 357

$4.08 ALL 324

10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ALL 175

$2.29 ALL 182

-3.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ALL 86.8

$1.24 ALL 98.3

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 ALL 189

$2.49 ALL 197

-4.42%

Eggs

$3.97 ALL 315

$3.94 ALL 312

0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 ALL 1,027

$13.48 ALL 1,069

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 ALL 629

$9.38 ALL 744

-15.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.04 ALL 1,193

$17.69 ALL 1,403

-14.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 ALL 93.5

$1.95 ALL 155

-39.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ALL 194

$2.47 ALL 196

-0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ALL 126

$2.18 ALL 173

-27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 106

$1.96 ALL 155

-31.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ALL 69.2

$1.04 ALL 82.5

-16.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ALL 76.1

$1.27 ALL 101

-24.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.43 ALL 113

-11.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 57.0

$0.75 ALL 59.8

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ALL 351

$4.96 ALL 393

-10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 ALL 907

$11.13 ALL 882

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ALL 120

$1.79 ALL 142

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ALL 166

$2.11 ALL 167

-0.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 41.43

$0.56 ALL 44.41

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.12 ALL 1,516

$18.00 ALL 1,428

6.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ALL 300

$3.83 ALL 304

-1.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 ALL 202

$3.81 ALL 302

-33.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 ALL 1,480

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 ALL 179

$2.33 ALL 184

-3.00%

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

$16.1K ALL 1.3M

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

-53.04%

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

$37.3K ALL 3.0M

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

$98.0 ALL 7,773

$105 ALL 8,290

-6.23%

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

$17.04 ALL 1,351

$18.85 ALL 1,495

-9.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.04 ALL 1,351

$21.21 ALL 1,682

-19.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 ALL 3,329

$55.4 ALL 4,393

-24.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.9 ALL 4,907

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 ALL 595

$9.95 ALL 789

-24.52%

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

$188 ALL 14.9K

$353 ALL 28.0K

-46.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,691 ALL 372.0K

$8,313 ALL 659.1K

-43.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.91 ALL 3,164

$51.1 ALL 4,053

-21.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 ALL 3,320

$47.54 ALL 3,769

-11.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 ALL 7,196

$124 ALL 9,842

-26.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 ALL 13.1K

$114 ALL 9,003

45.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ALL 36.4K

$439 ALL 34.8K

4.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ALL 27.1K

$374 ALL 29.7K

-8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ALL 56.8K

$744 ALL 59.0K

-3.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 ALL 37.4K

$510 ALL 40.4K

-7.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,835 ALL 145.5K

$1,830 ALL 145.1K

0.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 ALL 91.6K

$1,309 ALL 103.8K

-11.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ALL 76.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.64

-6.91%

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

Last update for Durres: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Durres versus $439 in Ballsh. 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 $38.00 in Durres versus $56.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $300 – making Durres 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

Durres vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,769 per month in Durres and $1,800 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durres, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $38.00 in Durres and $56.0 in Ballsh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Durres, where all-in costs run around $1,179, than in Ballsh at $1,200. In Durres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Durres – 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 Durres. 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.