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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Elbasan vs $1,219 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,443 per month in Elbasan vs $1,877 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,967 per month in Elbasan vs $2,535 in Ballsh, rent included.

Elbasan is about 25% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Elbasan and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 32% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.64 ALL 787

$11.57 ALL 945

-16.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 ALL 2,624

$57.9 ALL 4,733

-44.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 ALL 589

$6.96 ALL 569

3.59%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ALL 146

$1.98 ALL 161

-9.60%

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

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.41 ALL 115

-8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ALL 55.9

$0.91 ALL 74.6

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ALL 146

$2.97 ALL 243

-39.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ALL 198

$4.10 ALL 335

-40.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ALL 150

$2.15 ALL 176

-14.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ALL 76.3

$1.08 ALL 88.1

-13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ALL 128

$2.24 ALL 183

-30.36%

Eggs

$3.04 ALL 249

$3.96 ALL 323

-23.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 ALL 821

$13.17 ALL 1,076

-23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ALL 426

$7.81 ALL 638

-33.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 ALL 992

$15.66 ALL 1,279

-22.48%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$1.71 ALL 140

-50.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ALL 202

$2.68 ALL 219

-7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 102

$2.04 ALL 167

-38.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ALL 79.0

$1.91 ALL 156

-49.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 ALL 78.1

$1.32 ALL 108

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 88.8

$1.32 ALL 108

-17.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.5

$1.46 ALL 119

-38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ALL 46.46

$0.79 ALL 64.8

-27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 323

$4.15 ALL 339

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 ALL 629

$10.99 ALL 898

-29.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.6

$1.59 ALL 130

-43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ALL 123

$2.14 ALL 175

-29.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.39

$0.49 ALL 39.73

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 ALL 1,567

$18.60 ALL 1,520

3.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ALL 283

$3.61 ALL 295

-4.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 ALL 101

$3.23 ALL 264

-61.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ALL 1,136

$17.50 ALL 1,430

-20.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$2.06 ALL 168

2.43%

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

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

-48.35%

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

$27.2K ALL 2.2M

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

-23.71%

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

$68.5 ALL 5,596

$107 ALL 8,734

-35.94%

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

$17.59 ALL 1,437

$17.98 ALL 1,469

-2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.13 ALL 1,236

$18.25 ALL 1,491

-17.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 ALL 5,392

$54.8 ALL 4,476

20.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.22 ALL 1,325

$24.88 ALL 2,033

-34.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ALL 469

$9.63 ALL 787

-40.39%

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

$142 ALL 11.6K

$156 ALL 12.8K

-9.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,761 ALL 143.9K

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

-68.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.55 ALL 3,804

$68.8 ALL 5,620

-32.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.60 ALL 2,827

$50.1 ALL 4,093

-30.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 ALL 7,650

$106 ALL 8,686

-11.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 ALL 14.5K

$129 ALL 10.5K

37.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 ALL 23.2K

$451 ALL 36.9K

-37.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ALL 16.0K

$338 ALL 27.6K

-41.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ALL 34.5K

$608 ALL 49.7K

-30.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ALL 24.2K

$429 ALL 35.1K

-31.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,350 ALL 110.3K

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

-22.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$862 ALL 70.5K

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

-32.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 ALL 43.8K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Elbasan versus $451 in Ballsh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Elbasan versus $58.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $281 – 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 33%, 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 $1,378 per month in Elbasan and $1,829 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 36% 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 $58.0 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 $919, than in Ballsh at $1,219. 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.