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: $1,179 in Durres versus $1,418 in Tirana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,788 in Durres versus $2,229 in Tirana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,396 in Durres versus $3,040 in Tirana.

Living in Durres costs roughly 17% less than in Tirana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durres is 14% below, Tirana is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.60 ALL 840

$9.90 ALL 785

7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.30 ALL 3,037

$57.3 ALL 4,546

-33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.50 ALL 833

$11.40 ALL 904

-7.89%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ALL 165

$2.34 ALL 186

-11.11%

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

$2.05 ALL 162

$2.51 ALL 199

-18.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ALL 81.5

$1.33 ALL 106

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 ALL 248

$3.61 ALL 286

-13.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 ALL 357

$4.05 ALL 321

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ALL 175

$2.30 ALL 183

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ALL 86.8

$1.26 ALL 100

-13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 ALL 189

$2.40 ALL 190

-0.83%

Eggs

$3.97 ALL 315

$3.82 ALL 303

3.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 ALL 1,027

$13.68 ALL 1,084

-5.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 ALL 629

$9.07 ALL 719

-12.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.04 ALL 1,193

$17.51 ALL 1,388

-14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 ALL 93.5

$2.02 ALL 160

-41.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ALL 194

$2.49 ALL 198

-1.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ALL 126

$2.28 ALL 180

-30.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 106

$1.89 ALL 150

-29.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ALL 69.2

$1.04 ALL 82.3

-16.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ALL 76.1

$1.35 ALL 107

-28.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.48 ALL 117

-14.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 57.0

$0.80 ALL 63.6

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ALL 351

$5.04 ALL 399

-12.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 ALL 907

$11.20 ALL 888

2.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ALL 120

$1.72 ALL 136

-11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ALL 166

$2.06 ALL 163

1.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 41.43

$0.48 ALL 38.40

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.12 ALL 1,516

$20.00 ALL 1,586

-4.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ALL 300

$3.66 ALL 291

3.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 ALL 202

$3.69 ALL 292

-30.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.02 ALL 1,508

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 ALL 179

$2.41 ALL 191

-6.22%

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

$16.1K ALL 1.3M

$34.8K ALL 2.8M

-53.75%

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

$37.2K ALL 2.9M

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

$98.0 ALL 7,773

$102 ALL 8,083

-3.84%

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

$17.04 ALL 1,351

$19.23 ALL 1,525

-11.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.04 ALL 1,351

$20.82 ALL 1,651

-18.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 ALL 3,329

$57.9 ALL 4,592

-27.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.9 ALL 4,907

$18.03 ALL 1,430

243.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 ALL 595

$10.08 ALL 800

-25.50%

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

$188 ALL 14.9K

$352 ALL 27.9K

-46.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,691 ALL 372.0K

$8,192 ALL 649.6K

-42.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.91 ALL 3,164

$74.2 ALL 5,883

-46.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.87 ALL 3,320

$48.79 ALL 3,869

-14.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 ALL 7,196

$124 ALL 9,828

-26.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 ALL 13.1K

$114 ALL 9,068

44.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ALL 36.4K

$845 ALL 67.0K

-45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ALL 27.1K

$494 ALL 39.2K

-30.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ALL 56.8K

$1,576 ALL 125.0K

-54.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 ALL 37.4K

$939 ALL 74.5K

-49.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,835 ALL 145.5K

$4,602 ALL 364.9K

-60.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 ALL 91.6K

$2,138 ALL 169.5K

-45.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ALL 76.8K

$913 ALL 72.4K

6.16%

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 Tirana: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $459 in Durres and $845 in Tirana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Durres vs $57.0 in Tirana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $300 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 20% 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.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Durres, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $459 in Durres versus $845 in Tirana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,179 per month in Durres versus $1,418 in Tirana – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 5% less than in Tirana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,179 in Durres versus $1,418 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 20% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.