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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,046 per month in Durres vs $1,219 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in Durres vs $1,877 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Durres vs $2,535 in Ballsh, rent included.

Durres is about 14% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Durres and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Durres 22% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.49 ALL 776

$11.57 ALL 945

-17.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.73 ALL 2,838

$57.9 ALL 4,733

-40.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 ALL 574

$6.96 ALL 569

0.86%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ALL 153

$1.98 ALL 161

-5.56%

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

$1.59 ALL 130

$1.41 ALL 115

12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ALL 68.1

$0.91 ALL 74.6

-8.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ALL 191

$2.97 ALL 243

-21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ALL 270

$4.10 ALL 335

-19.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ALL 162

$2.15 ALL 176

-7.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ALL 74.3

$1.08 ALL 88.1

-15.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$2.24 ALL 183

-9.38%

Eggs

$2.95 ALL 241

$3.96 ALL 323

-25.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 ALL 859

$13.17 ALL 1,076

-20.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 636

$7.81 ALL 638

-0.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 ALL 1,094

$15.66 ALL 1,279

-14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 94.3

$1.71 ALL 140

-32.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 ALL 193

$2.68 ALL 219

-11.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ALL 106

$2.04 ALL 167

-36.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 97.7

$1.91 ALL 156

-37.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 89.2

$1.32 ALL 108

-17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 84.7

$1.32 ALL 108

-21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ALL 93.7

$1.46 ALL 119

-21.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ALL 52.2

$0.79 ALL 64.8

-18.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ALL 341

$4.15 ALL 339

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ALL 892

$10.99 ALL 898

-0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 136

$1.59 ALL 130

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ALL 148

$2.14 ALL 175

-14.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.36

$0.49 ALL 39.73

-6.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.43 ALL 1,506

$18.60 ALL 1,520

-0.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ALL 296

$3.61 ALL 295

0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ALL 167

$3.23 ALL 264

-36.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.71 ALL 1,447

$17.50 ALL 1,430

1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 ALL 180

$2.06 ALL 168

6.80%

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

$15.2K ALL 1.2M

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

-62.61%

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

$25.5K ALL 2.1M

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

-28.37%

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

$67.9 ALL 5,548

$107 ALL 8,734

-36.48%

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

$17.82 ALL 1,456

$17.98 ALL 1,469

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 ALL 1,284

$18.25 ALL 1,491

-13.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 ALL 3,025

$54.8 ALL 4,476

-32.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.5 ALL 4,857

$24.88 ALL 2,033

138.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 ALL 585

$9.63 ALL 787

-25.65%

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

$179 ALL 14.6K

$156 ALL 12.8K

14.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,380 ALL 357.8K

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

-22.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.91 ALL 3,097

$68.8 ALL 5,620

-44.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.86 ALL 3,257

$50.1 ALL 4,093

-20.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ALL 6,910

$106 ALL 8,686

-20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 ALL 12.7K

$129 ALL 10.5K

20.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ALL 34.9K

$451 ALL 36.9K

-5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ALL 25.4K

$338 ALL 27.6K

-7.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ALL 50.2K

$608 ALL 49.7K

1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ALL 34.6K

$429 ALL 35.1K

-1.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 ALL 148.1K

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

3.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 ALL 94.4K

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

-9.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ALL 68.1K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Durres versus $451 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 $35.00 in Durres versus $58.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $281 – 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 17%, 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 $1,569 per month in Durres and $1,829 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 16% 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 $35.00 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 $1,046, than in Ballsh at $1,219. 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.