Cost of Living Comparison Between Kukes and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Kukes and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $976 per month in Kukes vs $1,211 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,436 per month in Kukes vs $1,879 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,896 per month in Kukes vs $2,548 in Ballsh, rent included.

Kukes is about 19% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kukes and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Kukes 27% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 ALL 765

$11.71 ALL 955

-19.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 ALL 3,038

$58.6 ALL 4,782

-36.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 ALL 563

$6.84 ALL 557

0.88%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ALL 151

$2.02 ALL 165

-7.92%

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

$1.57 ALL 128

$1.43 ALL 117

9.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 67.0

$0.90 ALL 73.8

-8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ALL 187

$2.93 ALL 239

-21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ALL 264

$4.03 ALL 329

-19.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ALL 127

$2.15 ALL 175

-27.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ALL 69.3

$1.10 ALL 89.7

-22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 164

$2.13 ALL 174

-5.16%

Eggs

$3.04 ALL 248

$3.92 ALL 320

-22.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 ALL 757

$13.24 ALL 1,079

-29.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 ALL 588

$7.62 ALL 621

-5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 ALL 664

$15.43 ALL 1,258

-47.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 94.0

$1.77 ALL 144

-35.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ALL 146

$2.67 ALL 218

-32.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ALL 80.4

$1.98 ALL 162

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 113

$1.92 ALL 157

-27.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ALL 60.1

$1.31 ALL 107

-43.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ALL 64.3

$1.28 ALL 105

-38.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ALL 75.8

$1.49 ALL 122

-37.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 58.9

$0.75 ALL 61.1

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ALL 290

$4.32 ALL 352

-17.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 ALL 593

$10.42 ALL 850

-30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ALL 74.6

$1.64 ALL 134

-44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ALL 140

$2.07 ALL 168

-16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 40.11

$0.49 ALL 39.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.63 ALL 1,519

$18.62 ALL 1,519

0.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ALL 293

$3.58 ALL 292

0.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 ALL 257

$3.08 ALL 252

2.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 ALL 377

$17.31 ALL 1,412

-73.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$2.09 ALL 170

0.96%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

-11.34%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

-28.91%

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

$67.8 ALL 5,528

$108 ALL 8,832

-37.41%

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

$17.32 ALL 1,413

$17.62 ALL 1,437

-1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.14 ALL 1,316

$18.27 ALL 1,490

-11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ALL 4,476

$55.8 ALL 4,549

-1.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 ALL 2,048

$25.12 ALL 2,049

Cinema Ticket

$3.46 ALL 282

$9.63 ALL 786

-64.07%

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

$95.4 ALL 7,776

$161 ALL 13.1K

-40.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,544 ALL 452.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.24 ALL 2,874

$68.9 ALL 5,617

-48.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.28 ALL 1,898

$50.0 ALL 4,080

-53.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.26 ALL 3,365

$108 ALL 8,807

-61.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 ALL 4,091

$131 ALL 10.7K

-61.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 ALL 36.1K

$455 ALL 37.1K

-2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ALL 28.2K

-0.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ALL 49.1K

$603 ALL 49.2K

-0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ALL 35.0K

$434 ALL 35.4K

-1.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,835 ALL 149.6K

$1,795 ALL 146.4K

2.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 ALL 98.2K

$1,327 ALL 108.2K

-9.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$520 ALL 42.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

-27.54%

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

Last update for Kukes: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Kukes 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 $37.00 in Kukes versus $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $278 – making Kukes 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

Kukes vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,464 per month in Kukes and $1,816 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $37.00 in Kukes 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 Kukes, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Ballsh at $1,211. In Kukes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kukes – 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 Kukes. 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.