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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in Durres vs $1,194 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Durres vs $1,831 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,103 per month in Durres vs $2,468 in Ballsh, rent included.

Durres is about 13% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Durres and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Durres 22% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.48 ALL 766

$11.70 ALL 945

-18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.56 ALL 2,874

$57.7 ALL 4,662

-38.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 ALL 587

$7.14 ALL 577

1.82%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ALL 158

$2.04 ALL 165

-3.92%

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

$1.58 ALL 127

$1.48 ALL 120

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ALL 63.7

$0.90 ALL 72.7

-12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ALL 196

$2.88 ALL 233

-15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ALL 270

$4.22 ALL 341

-20.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 165

$2.09 ALL 169

-1.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 74.0

$1.08 ALL 87.3

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ALL 163

$2.21 ALL 179

-9.05%

Eggs

$3.01 ALL 243

$3.99 ALL 323

-24.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ALL 847

$13.34 ALL 1,078

-21.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 ALL 618

$7.78 ALL 629

-1.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 ALL 1,061

$15.98 ALL 1,292

-17.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ALL 93.6

$1.77 ALL 143

-34.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ALL 197

$2.77 ALL 223

-11.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ALL 104

$2.00 ALL 161

-36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 92.6

$1.90 ALL 154

-39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ALL 88.8

$1.31 ALL 106

-16.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ALL 80.2

$1.32 ALL 106

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ALL 92.8

$1.44 ALL 116

-20.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ALL 50.5

$0.81 ALL 65.3

-23.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ALL 333

$4.15 ALL 335

-0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.00 ALL 889

$11.09 ALL 896

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ALL 134

$1.63 ALL 131

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ALL 147

$2.13 ALL 172

-14.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.77

$0.49 ALL 39.58

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.09 ALL 1,461

$18.51 ALL 1,495

-2.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 291

$3.48 ALL 282

3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 ALL 171

$3.20 ALL 258

-34.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 ALL 1,410

$17.82 ALL 1,440

-2.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 170

$2.06 ALL 167

2.43%

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

$15.4K ALL 1.2M

$39.6K ALL 3.2M

-61.01%

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

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

$36.3K ALL 2.9M

-29.10%

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

$68.3 ALL 5,516

$106 ALL 8,530

-35.33%

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

$17.80 ALL 1,439

$17.73 ALL 1,433

0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.74 ALL 1,272

$18.40 ALL 1,487

-14.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.70 ALL 3,046

$56.2 ALL 4,538

-32.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.9 ALL 4,758

$25.61 ALL 2,069

129.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ALL 568

$9.24 ALL 747

-23.92%

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

$174 ALL 14.1K

$160 ALL 12.9K

8.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,370 ALL 353.1K

$5,536 ALL 447.3K

-21.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.89 ALL 3,142

$68.6 ALL 5,539

-43.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 ALL 3,216

$49.86 ALL 4,029

-20.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ALL 6,906

$106 ALL 8,565

-19.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 ALL 12.7K

$127 ALL 10.3K

23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ALL 33.6K

$455 ALL 36.8K

-8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ALL 26.0K

$341 ALL 27.6K

-5.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ALL 47.9K

$605 ALL 48.9K

-2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 ALL 34.2K

$432 ALL 34.9K

-2.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,792 ALL 144.8K

$2,050 ALL 165.6K

-12.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 ALL 93.4K

$1,333 ALL 107.7K

-13.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 ALL 76.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.52

-3.44%

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

Last update for Durres: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Durres versus $455 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 $36.00 in Durres versus $58.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $283 – 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 14%, 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 $1,565 per month in Durres and $1,790 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 17% 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 $36.00 in Durres and $58.0 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 $1,043, than in Ballsh at $1,194. 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.