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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Elbasan vs $1,200 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Elbasan vs $1,895 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,953 per month in Elbasan vs $2,589 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 34% lower, Ballsh 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 ALL 784

$10.01 ALL 793

-1.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.18 ALL 3,026

$56.5 ALL 4,476

-32.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ALL 553

$6.85 ALL 543

1.75%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ALL 138

$2.39 ALL 189

-27.20%

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

$1.42 ALL 112

$1.40 ALL 111

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 55.7

$0.86 ALL 68.1

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ALL 176

$3.72 ALL 295

-40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ALL 228

$4.08 ALL 324

-29.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ALL 157

$2.29 ALL 182

-13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ALL 78.7

$1.24 ALL 98.2

-20.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ALL 128

$2.49 ALL 197

-34.94%

Eggs

$2.78 ALL 221

$3.94 ALL 312

-29.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ALL 825

$13.48 ALL 1,069

-22.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ALL 472

$9.38 ALL 744

-36.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 ALL 912

$17.69 ALL 1,402

-34.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$1.95 ALL 155

-34.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ALL 179

$2.47 ALL 196

-8.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ALL 112

$2.18 ALL 172

-34.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ALL 88.7

$1.96 ALL 155

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 83.4

$1.04 ALL 82.5

0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ALL 84.6

$1.27 ALL 101

-15.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ALL 63.8

$1.43 ALL 113

-43.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 53.1

$0.75 ALL 59.7

-10.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ALL 359

$4.96 ALL 393

-8.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 ALL 650

$11.13 ALL 882

-26.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ALL 85.7

$1.79 ALL 142

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ALL 149

$2.11 ALL 167

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.21

$0.56 ALL 44.39

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.37 ALL 1,614

$18.00 ALL 1,427

13.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 301

$3.83 ALL 304

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ALL 122

$3.81 ALL 302

-59.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 ALL 1,207

$18.67 ALL 1,479

-18.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 173

$2.33 ALL 184

-6.44%

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

$30.3K ALL 2.4M

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

-11.56%

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

$30.5K ALL 2.4M

$37.3K ALL 3.0M

-18.04%

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

$61.7 ALL 4,890

$105 ALL 8,286

-40.99%

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

$15.59 ALL 1,236

$18.85 ALL 1,494

-17.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.04 ALL 954

$21.21 ALL 1,681

-43.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ALL 4,746

$55.4 ALL 4,391

8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ALL 1,371

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 ALL 343

$9.95 ALL 789

-56.48%

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

$147 ALL 11.7K

$353 ALL 28.0K

-58.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,867 ALL 148.0K

$8,313 ALL 658.8K

-77.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ALL 6,058

$51.1 ALL 4,051

49.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 ALL 3,635

$47.54 ALL 3,767

-3.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ALL 7,749

$124 ALL 9,837

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 ALL 7,808

$114 ALL 8,999

-13.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.2K

$439 ALL 34.8K

-30.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ALL 16.3K

$374 ALL 29.7K

-45.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ALL 35.3K

$744 ALL 59.0K

-40.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ALL 25.7K

$510 ALL 40.4K

-36.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,392 ALL 110.3K

$1,830 ALL 145.0K

-23.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 ALL 70.9K

$1,309 ALL 103.7K

-31.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 ALL 44.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.64

8.16%

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

Last update for Elbasan: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Elbasan versus $439 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 $38.00 in Elbasan versus $56.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $300 – 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 $1,364 per month in Elbasan and $1,800 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 39% 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 $38.00 in Elbasan and $56.0 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 $909, than in Ballsh at $1,200. 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.