Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $916 per month in Elbasan vs $1,206 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,471 per month in Elbasan vs $1,871 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Elbasan vs $2,537 in Ballsh, rent included.

Elbasan is about 24% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Elbasan and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 32% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 ALL 754

$11.77 ALL 961

-21.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ALL 2,604

$59.5 ALL 4,856

-46.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 ALL 586

$7.12 ALL 581

0.84%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 147

$2.06 ALL 169

-12.62%

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

$1.27 ALL 103

$1.47 ALL 120

-13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ALL 55.4

$0.85 ALL 69.5

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 ALL 142

$2.97 ALL 243

-41.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ALL 194

$4.10 ALL 335

-42.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ALL 150

$2.12 ALL 173

-13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 74.9

$1.14 ALL 93.0

-19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ALL 128

$2.20 ALL 179

-29.09%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 238

$3.99 ALL 326

-27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ALL 798

$13.08 ALL 1,068

-25.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ALL 436

$7.79 ALL 636

-31.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 ALL 1,013

$15.94 ALL 1,302

-22.15%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 ALL 74.5

$1.72 ALL 141

-47.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$2.69 ALL 220

-11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ALL 103

$2.03 ALL 166

-37.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 ALL 73.1

$1.91 ALL 156

-53.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ALL 75.3

$1.31 ALL 107

-29.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 88.8

$1.27 ALL 104

-14.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ALL 80.3

$1.51 ALL 123

-35.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ALL 49.04

$0.74 ALL 60.5

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ALL 326

$4.36 ALL 356

-8.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ALL 672

$10.31 ALL 842

-20.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ALL 75.4

$1.60 ALL 130

-42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 119

$2.12 ALL 173

-31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.64

$0.48 ALL 39.52

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ALL 1,523

$18.98 ALL 1,550

-1.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 294

$3.50 ALL 286

2.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ALL 105

$3.22 ALL 263

-59.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.36 ALL 1,173

$17.67 ALL 1,443

-18.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$2.14 ALL 175

-1.40%

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

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

-47.80%

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

$27.5K ALL 2.2M

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

-21.67%

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

$67.2 ALL 5,487

$106 ALL 8,671

-36.71%

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

$17.26 ALL 1,409

$18.16 ALL 1,483

-4.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 ALL 1,248

$18.75 ALL 1,531

-18.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ALL 5,359

$55.9 ALL 4,561

17.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 ALL 1,336

$25.00 ALL 2,041

-34.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ALL 443

$9.62 ALL 785

-43.56%

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

$139 ALL 11.4K

$160 ALL 13.0K

-12.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,789 ALL 146.1K

$5,556 ALL 453.7K

-67.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ALL 8,511

$69.0 ALL 5,630

51.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 ALL 2,793

$49.58 ALL 4,048

-31.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 ALL 7,660

$106 ALL 8,631

-11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 ALL 14.7K

$128 ALL 10.4K

40.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ALL 23.6K

$448 ALL 36.6K

-35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ALL 16.2K

$343 ALL 28.0K

-42.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ALL 34.4K

$613 ALL 50.1K

-31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.5K

$436 ALL 35.6K

-31.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,362 ALL 111.2K

$1,844 ALL 150.5K

-26.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 ALL 69.1K

$1,234 ALL 100.7K

-31.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 44.9K

$673 ALL 54.9K

-18.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.52

10.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Elbasan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in Elbasan versus $448 in Ballsh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Ballsh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Elbasan versus $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $280 – making Elbasan 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

Elbasan vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,374 per month in Elbasan and $1,809 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $32.00 in Elbasan and $59.0 in Ballsh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Ballsh at $1,206. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – 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 Elbasan. 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.