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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Elbasan vs $1,194 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Elbasan vs $1,831 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,949 per month in Elbasan vs $2,468 in Ballsh, rent included.

Elbasan is about 23% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Elbasan and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 31% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 ALL 770

$11.70 ALL 951

-19.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 ALL 2,655

$57.7 ALL 4,688

-43.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 579

$7.14 ALL 580

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 147

$2.04 ALL 166

-11.76%

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

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.48 ALL 120

-12.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 60.5

$0.90 ALL 73.1

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ALL 147

$2.88 ALL 234

-37.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ALL 187

$4.22 ALL 343

-45.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ALL 146

$2.09 ALL 170

-13.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 75.0

$1.08 ALL 87.8

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 ALL 121

$2.21 ALL 180

-32.58%

Eggs

$3.00 ALL 244

$3.99 ALL 325

-24.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 ALL 787

$13.34 ALL 1,084

-27.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ALL 442

$7.78 ALL 633

-30.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 ALL 1,012

$15.98 ALL 1,299

-22.09%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 ALL 70.5

$1.77 ALL 144

-50.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$2.77 ALL 225

-14.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 102

$2.00 ALL 162

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.5

$1.90 ALL 155

-51.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 81.7

$1.31 ALL 107

-22.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 83.8

$1.32 ALL 107

-21.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$1.44 ALL 117

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ALL 46.05

$0.81 ALL 65.6

-29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 321

$4.15 ALL 337

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 ALL 661

$11.09 ALL 901

-26.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$1.63 ALL 132

-44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ALL 116

$2.13 ALL 173

-32.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.02

$0.49 ALL 39.80

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.61 ALL 1,512

$18.51 ALL 1,504

0.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ALL 279

$3.48 ALL 283

-1.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ALL 104

$3.20 ALL 260

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 ALL 1,163

$17.82 ALL 1,448

-19.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 177

$2.06 ALL 168

5.83%

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

$21.6K ALL 1.8M

$39.6K ALL 3.2M

-45.51%

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

$27.7K ALL 2.2M

$36.3K ALL 2.9M

-23.71%

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

$66.8 ALL 5,425

$106 ALL 8,578

-36.76%

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

$17.59 ALL 1,429

$17.73 ALL 1,441

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.21 ALL 1,235

$18.40 ALL 1,495

-17.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 ALL 5,364

$56.2 ALL 4,564

17.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 ALL 1,314

$25.61 ALL 2,081

-36.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 ALL 461

$9.24 ALL 751

-38.64%

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

$139 ALL 11.3K

$160 ALL 13.0K

-13.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,791 ALL 145.5K

$5,536 ALL 449.8K

-67.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 ALL 3,866

$68.6 ALL 5,570

-30.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.42 ALL 2,797

$49.86 ALL 4,051

-30.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 ALL 7,760

$106 ALL 8,613

-9.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 ALL 14.5K

$127 ALL 10.3K

40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ALL 23.2K

$455 ALL 37.0K

-37.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ALL 15.7K

$341 ALL 27.7K

-43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ALL 33.8K

$605 ALL 49.2K

-31.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ALL 24.0K

$432 ALL 35.1K

-31.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,310 ALL 106.5K

$2,050 ALL 166.5K

-36.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$866 ALL 70.3K

$1,333 ALL 108.3K

-35.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 44.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Elbasan versus $455 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 $33.00 in Elbasan versus $58.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $283 – 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 30%, 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 $1,375 per month in Elbasan and $1,790 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 37% 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 $33.00 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 $917, than in Ballsh at $1,194. 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.