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: $1,046 in Durres versus $1,411 in Tirana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Durres versus $2,188 in Tirana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,150 in Durres versus $2,966 in Tirana.

Living in Durres costs roughly 26% less than in Tirana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durres is 22% below, Tirana is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.49 ALL 776

$11.55 ALL 943

-17.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.73 ALL 2,838

$59.8 ALL 4,884

-41.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 ALL 574

$9.24 ALL 755

-24.03%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ALL 153

$2.00 ALL 163

-6.50%

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

$1.59 ALL 130

$1.90 ALL 155

-16.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ALL 68.1

$0.97 ALL 79.0

-14.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ALL 191

$3.01 ALL 246

-22.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ALL 270

$4.23 ALL 345

-21.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ALL 162

$2.13 ALL 174

-6.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ALL 74.3

$1.14 ALL 93.2

-20.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$2.21 ALL 180

-8.14%

Eggs

$2.95 ALL 241

$3.98 ALL 325

-25.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 ALL 859

$13.31 ALL 1,087

-21.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 ALL 636

$7.78 ALL 635

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 ALL 1,094

$15.90 ALL 1,299

-15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 94.3

$1.70 ALL 139

-32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 ALL 193

$2.69 ALL 220

-12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ALL 106

$1.99 ALL 163

-34.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 97.7

$1.90 ALL 155

-36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 89.2

$1.37 ALL 112

-20.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 84.7

$1.27 ALL 104

-18.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ALL 93.7

$1.45 ALL 118

-20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ALL 52.2

$0.80 ALL 65.4

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ALL 341

$4.17 ALL 341

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ALL 892

$10.94 ALL 894

-0.18%

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

$2.07 ALL 169

-12.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.36

$0.46 ALL 37.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.43 ALL 1,506

$19.21 ALL 1,569

-4.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ALL 296

$3.49 ALL 285

3.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ALL 167

$3.15 ALL 257

-34.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.71 ALL 1,447

$17.41 ALL 1,423

1.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 ALL 180

$2.13 ALL 174

3.29%

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

$36.1K ALL 2.9M

-29.35%

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

$67.9 ALL 5,548

$107 ALL 8,747

-36.57%

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

$17.82 ALL 1,456

$17.64 ALL 1,441

1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 ALL 1,284

$18.68 ALL 1,526

-15.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 ALL 3,025

$53.7 ALL 4,386

-31.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.5 ALL 4,857

$22.46 ALL 1,835

164.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 ALL 585

$9.64 ALL 787

-25.73%

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

$179 ALL 14.6K

$292 ALL 23.9K

-38.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,380 ALL 357.8K

$5,565 ALL 454.7K

-21.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.91 ALL 3,097

$67.5 ALL 5,512

-43.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.86 ALL 3,257

$51.3 ALL 4,189

-22.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ALL 6,910

$107 ALL 8,774

-21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 ALL 12.7K

$130 ALL 10.6K

19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ALL 34.9K

$818 ALL 66.8K

-47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ALL 25.4K

$551 ALL 45.0K

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ALL 50.2K

$1,459 ALL 119.2K

-57.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ALL 34.6K

$918 ALL 75.0K

-53.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 ALL 148.1K

$4,441 ALL 362.8K

-59.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,156 ALL 94.4K

$2,214 ALL 180.9K

-47.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ALL 68.1K

$903 ALL 73.8K

-7.68%

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 Tirana: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Durres and $818 in Tirana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tirana pays 8% 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 $60.0 in Tirana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $282 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 35% 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 8% 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: $427 in Durres versus $818 in Tirana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Durres versus $1,411 in Tirana – a 35% 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 $1,046 in Durres versus $1,411 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 35% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.