Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Ballsh

For one person, living is cheaper in Durres: $1,128 a month against $1,185 in Ballsh, rent and utilities included – about $680 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Durres, Albania
Ballsh, Albania
Durres
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,128
/mo nomad
Ballsh
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Durres and in Ballsh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Durres and in Ballsh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,128 per month in Durres vs $1,185 in Ballsh, rent included.

  • Durres $1,128
  • Ballsh $1,185

A couple spends around $1,732 per month in Durres vs $1,834 in Ballsh, rent included.

  • Durres $1,732
  • Ballsh $1,834

A family of three spends $2,336 per month in Durres vs $2,484 in Ballsh, rent included.

  • Durres $2,336
  • Ballsh $2,484

Durres is about 5% cheaper than Ballsh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Durres and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Durres 17% lower, Ballsh 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.48 ALL 849
$9.65 ALL 782
8.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.19 ALL 3,013
$54.6 ALL 4,419
-31.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.37 ALL 840
$7.04 ALL 570
47.30%
Cappuccino
$2.07 ALL 168
$2.25 ALL 182
-8.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 ALL 172
$1.47 ALL 119
44.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 ALL 86.9
$0.90 ALL 72.9
18.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 ALL 248
$3.50 ALL 284
-12.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 ALL 359
$4.11 ALL 333
8.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 ALL 168
$2.24 ALL 182
-7.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 ALL 83.4
$1.22 ALL 98.5
-15.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.29 ALL 185
$2.35 ALL 190
-2.55%
Eggs
$3.86 ALL 312
$3.80 ALL 308
1.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.69 ALL 1,028
$13.01 ALL 1,054
-2.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.78 ALL 631
$9.45 ALL 766
-17.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.02 ALL 1,217
$17.32 ALL 1,403
-13.28%
Apples (1kg)
$1.20 ALL 97.4
$1.97 ALL 160
-39.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.43 ALL 197
$2.51 ALL 203
-3.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.56 ALL 126
$2.22 ALL 180
-29.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.32 ALL 107
$1.91 ALL 155
-30.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 ALL 73.1
$1.06 ALL 86.3
-15.09%
Onion (1kg)
$0.95 ALL 77.2
$1.32 ALL 107
-28.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 ALL 99.1
$1.50 ALL 122
-18.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 ALL 57.4
$0.80 ALL 65.2
-11.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ALL 359
$4.79 ALL 388
-7.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.99 ALL 890
$10.42 ALL 844
5.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 ALL 121
$1.62 ALL 131
-8.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 ALL 169
$2.03 ALL 165
2.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.48 ALL 38.50
$0.53 ALL 42.64
-9.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.58 ALL 1,586
$18.09 ALL 1,465
8.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.65 ALL 296
$3.77 ALL 305
-3.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.50 ALL 202
$3.82 ALL 309
-34.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$18.59 ALL 1,506
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 ALL 178
$2.42 ALL 196
-9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.0K ALL 1.3M
$33.2K ALL 2.7M
-51.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K ALL 2.1M
$29.1K ALL 2.4M
-12.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.2 ALL 7,310
$97.8 ALL 7,921
-7.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.02 ALL 1,460
$18.77 ALL 1,521
-4.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.33 ALL 1,323
$20.21 ALL 1,637
-19.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.02 ALL 3,323
$50.8 ALL 4,117
-19.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$61.3 ALL 4,963
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.52 ALL 610
$9.73 ALL 788
-22.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$189 ALL 15.3K
$341 ALL 27.6K
-44.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,673 ALL 378.6K
$8,309 ALL 673.1K
-43.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.78 ALL 3,142
$48.97 ALL 3,967
-20.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.46 ALL 3,358
$47.59 ALL 3,856
-12.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.1 ALL 7,216
$118 ALL 9,582
-24.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 ALL 13.1K
$112 ALL 9,099
44.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 ALL 36.5K
$446 ALL 36.1K
0.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$321 ALL 26.0K
$332 ALL 26.9K
-3.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$703 ALL 57.0K
$612 ALL 49.6K
14.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$463 ALL 37.5K
$486 ALL 39.4K
-4.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,993 ALL 161.5K
$1,745 ALL 141.4K
14.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,302 ALL 105.5K
$1,144 ALL 92.7K
13.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Durres
Ballsh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$977 ALL 79.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
5.16
1.74%

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

Last update for Durres: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Durres
$321
Ballsh
$332 3.5% $11
Groceries & Markets
Durres
$263
Ballsh
$295 12.4% $33
Eating Out
Durres
$177
Ballsh
$160 9.2% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Durres
$149
Ballsh
$147 1.2% $1.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Durres
$125
Ballsh
$137 9.8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Durres
$56
Ballsh
$70 25.3% $14
Getting Around
Durres
$38
Ballsh
$43 14.5% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Durres versus $446 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 $37 in Durres versus $55 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $295 – making Durres the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇱 Durres
🇦🇱 Ballsh
🕒 Local time
06:14 6:14 AM
06:14 6:14 AM
Same time as Durres
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
175,110
7,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 81.01 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.8 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Durres Ballsh 83 km
From you
  • Durres
  • Ballsh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Durres cheaper than Ballsh?
Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,692 per month in Durres and $1,778 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Durres and Ballsh?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $451 in Durres and $446 in Ballsh. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do food prices compare in Durres and in Ballsh?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Ballsh, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Durres or in Ballsh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Durres and $55 in Ballsh. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Durres or in Ballsh?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,128 in Durres and $1,185 in Ballsh. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Durres or in Ballsh?
It depends on your priorities. Ballsh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,128 in Durres to $1,185 in Ballsh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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