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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $961 per month in Kukes vs $1,202 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Kukes vs $1,838 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,845 per month in Kukes vs $2,474 in Ballsh, rent included.

Kukes is about 20% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kukes and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Kukes 28% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 ALL 765

$11.72 ALL 959

-20.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.52 ALL 3,070

$59.1 ALL 4,832

-36.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 ALL 594

$6.81 ALL 557

6.61%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ALL 152

$2.03 ALL 166

-8.87%

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

$1.59 ALL 130

$1.45 ALL 119

9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ALL 70.8

$0.90 ALL 73.9

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ALL 188

$2.97 ALL 243

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ALL 261

$4.19 ALL 343

-23.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ALL 127

$2.12 ALL 174

-26.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ALL 64.3

$1.14 ALL 93.0

-30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$2.16 ALL 177

-6.02%

Eggs

$2.95 ALL 241

$3.89 ALL 318

-24.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 ALL 751

$13.34 ALL 1,091

-31.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 ALL 565

$7.70 ALL 630

-10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 ALL 658

$15.67 ALL 1,282

-48.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ALL 93.8

$1.77 ALL 145

-35.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ALL 146

$2.78 ALL 228

-35.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.9

$2.04 ALL 167

-54.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.98 ALL 162

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ALL 57.2

$1.33 ALL 109

-47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 ALL 69.2

$1.32 ALL 108

-35.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ALL 78.4

$1.45 ALL 119

-33.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 57.0

$0.80 ALL 65.6

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ALL 282

$4.37 ALL 357

-21.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 ALL 587

$10.96 ALL 897

-34.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ALL 75.7

$1.62 ALL 133

-42.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ALL 142

$2.07 ALL 170

-16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 37.20

$0.48 ALL 39.46

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.63 ALL 1,524

$19.01 ALL 1,555

-2.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ALL 292

$3.55 ALL 291

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 ALL 261

$3.23 ALL 264

-0.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 ALL 391

$17.99 ALL 1,472

-73.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 171

$2.15 ALL 176

-2.79%

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

$34.8K ALL 2.8M

$40.8K ALL 3.3M

-14.69%

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

$25.5K ALL 2.1M

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

-27.77%

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

$66.9 ALL 5,473

$107 ALL 8,763

-37.55%

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

$17.14 ALL 1,403

$17.78 ALL 1,455

-3.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.64 ALL 1,279

$18.41 ALL 1,506

-15.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 ALL 4,590

$55.6 ALL 4,545

0.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.00 ALL 2,045

$25.45 ALL 2,082

-1.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 ALL 296

$9.21 ALL 754

-60.69%

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

$94.5 ALL 7,729

$159 ALL 13.0K

-40.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,513 ALL 451.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.96 ALL 2,942

$67.1 ALL 5,486

-46.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 ALL 1,911

$50.2 ALL 4,104

-53.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.74 ALL 3,333

$109 ALL 8,922

-62.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.40 ALL 4,041

$129 ALL 10.6K

-61.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ALL 37.4K

$444 ALL 36.4K

2.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ALL 28.4K

0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.2K

$615 ALL 50.3K

-0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ALL 35.1K

$433 ALL 35.4K

-0.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ALL 163.2K

$1,749 ALL 143.1K

14.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 ALL 109.0K

$1,196 ALL 97.8K

11.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ALL 43.7K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Kukes versus $444 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 Kukes versus $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $282 – 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 25%, 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 $1,441 per month in Kukes and $1,803 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 45% 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 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 $961, than in Ballsh at $1,202. 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.