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: $1,043 in Durres versus $1,432 in Tirana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Durres versus $2,187 in Tirana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Durres versus $2,942 in Tirana.

Living in Durres costs roughly 27% less than in Tirana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durres is 22% below, Tirana is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.48 ALL 766

$11.89 ALL 960

-20.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.56 ALL 2,874

$58.8 ALL 4,747

-39.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 ALL 587

$9.51 ALL 768

-23.55%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ALL 158

$2.05 ALL 165

-4.39%

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

$1.58 ALL 127

$1.84 ALL 149

-14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ALL 63.7

$0.97 ALL 78.1

-18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ALL 196

$2.86 ALL 231

-15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ALL 270

$4.20 ALL 339

-20.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 165

$2.04 ALL 165

0.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 74.0

$1.10 ALL 88.7

-16.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ALL 163

$2.20 ALL 177

-8.64%

Eggs

$3.01 ALL 243

$3.87 ALL 313

-22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ALL 847

$12.90 ALL 1,043

-18.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 ALL 618

$7.94 ALL 641

-3.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 ALL 1,061

$15.64 ALL 1,264

-16.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ALL 93.6

$1.71 ALL 138

-32.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ALL 197

$2.65 ALL 215

-7.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ALL 104

$2.05 ALL 166

-37.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 92.6

$1.97 ALL 159

-41.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ALL 88.8

$1.35 ALL 109

-18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ALL 80.2

$1.26 ALL 102

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ALL 92.8

$1.46 ALL 118

-21.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ALL 50.5

$0.75 ALL 60.7

-17.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ALL 333

$4.11 ALL 332

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.00 ALL 889

$10.80 ALL 872

1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ALL 134

$1.62 ALL 131

2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ALL 147

$2.05 ALL 166

-11.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.77

$0.45 ALL 36.64

8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.09 ALL 1,461

$18.59 ALL 1,502

-2.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 291

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 ALL 171

$3.07 ALL 248

-31.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 ALL 1,410

$17.44 ALL 1,409

0.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 170

$2.05 ALL 166

2.93%

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

$15.4K ALL 1.2M

$40.0K ALL 3.2M

-61.41%

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

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

$35.1K ALL 2.8M

-26.77%

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

$68.3 ALL 5,516

$107 ALL 8,653

-36.25%

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

$17.80 ALL 1,439

$17.83 ALL 1,441

-0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.74 ALL 1,272

$18.26 ALL 1,476

-13.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.70 ALL 3,046

$54.9 ALL 4,438

-31.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.9 ALL 4,758

$22.73 ALL 1,837

159.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ALL 568

$9.29 ALL 751

-24.33%

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

$174 ALL 14.1K

$294 ALL 23.7K

-40.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,370 ALL 353.1K

$5,610 ALL 453.3K

-22.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.89 ALL 3,142

$68.0 ALL 5,496

-42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 ALL 3,216

$50.8 ALL 4,107

-21.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 ALL 6,906

$108 ALL 8,726

-20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 ALL 12.7K

$130 ALL 10.5K

21.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ALL 33.6K

$826 ALL 66.8K

-49.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ALL 26.0K

$541 ALL 43.7K

-40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ALL 47.9K

$1,488 ALL 120.2K

-60.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 ALL 34.2K

$891 ALL 72.0K

-52.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,792 ALL 144.8K

$4,275 ALL 345.4K

-58.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 ALL 93.4K

$2,133 ALL 172.4K

-45.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 ALL 76.7K

$867 ALL 70.0K

9.55%

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 Tirana: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Durres and $826 in Tirana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Durres vs $59.0 in Tirana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $279 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 37% 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 10% 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: $415 in Durres versus $826 in Tirana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,043 per month in Durres versus $1,432 in Tirana – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 3% less than in Tirana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,043 in Durres versus $1,432 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 37% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.