Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Tirana Cost of Living Comparison Between Durres and Tirana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,053 in Durres versus $1,395 in Tirana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,608 in Durres versus $2,214 in Tirana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Durres versus $3,032 in Tirana.

Living in Durres costs roughly 24% less than in Tirana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durres is 21% below, Tirana is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ALL 767

$11.89 ALL 971

-21.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.05 ALL 2,862

$58.3 ALL 4,763

-39.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 ALL 586

$9.55 ALL 780

-24.82%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ALL 157

$2.05 ALL 167

-6.34%

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

$1.62 ALL 132

$1.87 ALL 153

-13.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ALL 68.3

$0.97 ALL 79.2

-13.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ALL 191

$2.96 ALL 241

-20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ALL 275

$4.08 ALL 333

-17.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 165

$2.12 ALL 173

-4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ALL 70.6

$1.12 ALL 91.5

-23.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ALL 158

$2.21 ALL 180

-12.67%

Eggs

$2.94 ALL 240

$3.88 ALL 317

-24.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ALL 851

$12.99 ALL 1,061

-19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 635

$7.73 ALL 631

0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 ALL 1,076

$15.44 ALL 1,260

-14.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 ALL 97.5

$1.70 ALL 139

-30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ALL 191

$2.64 ALL 215

-11.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ALL 106

$1.97 ALL 161

-34.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ALL 93.5

$1.93 ALL 158

-40.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ALL 90.4

$1.38 ALL 112

-19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ALL 80.5

$1.27 ALL 103

-22.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ALL 92.6

$1.52 ALL 124

-25.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ALL 50.7

$0.80 ALL 65.3

-22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ALL 326

$4.27 ALL 349

-6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 ALL 920

$10.24 ALL 836

10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ALL 137

$1.57 ALL 128

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ALL 143

$2.13 ALL 174

-17.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.74

$0.46 ALL 37.40

-2.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.03 ALL 1,472

$18.77 ALL 1,532

-3.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ALL 292

$3.59 ALL 294

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 ALL 174

$3.10 ALL 253

-31.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.76 ALL 1,450

$17.79 ALL 1,453

-0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 ALL 180

$2.08 ALL 170

6.25%

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

$15.4K ALL 1.3M

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

-61.79%

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

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

-27.05%

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

$66.3 ALL 5,414

$106 ALL 8,630

-37.27%

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

$17.73 ALL 1,447

$17.61 ALL 1,438

0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.07 ALL 1,312

$18.73 ALL 1,530

-14.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 ALL 3,048

$55.2 ALL 4,509

-32.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.1 ALL 4,903

$22.59 ALL 1,844

165.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 ALL 593

$9.64 ALL 787

-24.69%

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

$180 ALL 14.7K

$290 ALL 23.7K

-37.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,417 ALL 360.6K

$5,668 ALL 462.8K

-22.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.32 ALL 3,128

$67.1 ALL 5,482

-42.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 ALL 3,251

$49.89 ALL 4,073

-20.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 ALL 6,856

$108 ALL 8,832

-22.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 ALL 12.5K

$132 ALL 10.7K

16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ALL 34.8K

$810 ALL 66.1K

-47.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ALL 25.8K

$545 ALL 44.5K

-41.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ALL 48.9K

$1,490 ALL 121.6K

-59.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 ALL 34.5K

$899 ALL 73.4K

-53.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,824 ALL 149.0K

$4,242 ALL 346.4K

-56.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 ALL 93.2K

$2,048 ALL 167.2K

-44.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 ALL 68.9K

$887 ALL 72.4K

-4.76%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Tirana: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Durres and $810 in Tirana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tirana pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Durres vs $58.0 in Tirana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $277 per month, with Durres cheaper across the board.

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 Tirana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durres wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Tirana. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durres the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Tirana earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $426 in Durres versus $810 in Tirana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,053 per month in Durres versus $1,395 in Tirana – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 4% less than in Tirana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,053 in Durres versus $1,395 in Tirana, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Durres but tight or insufficient in Tirana. The gap between the two cities makes Durres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Durres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.