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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $753 per month in Kukes vs $1,235 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Kukes vs $1,892 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,513 per month in Kukes vs $2,549 in Ballsh, rent included.

Kukes is about 39% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kukes and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Kukes 45% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 ALL 306

$10.13 ALL 800

-61.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.80 ALL 1,801

$53.3 ALL 4,212

-57.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 ALL 607

$7.19 ALL 568

6.95%

Cappuccino

$1.51 ALL 119

$2.32 ALL 183

-34.91%

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

$1.37 ALL 108

$1.42 ALL 112

-3.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ALL 54.8

$0.86 ALL 67.5

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 ALL 148

$3.70 ALL 292

-49.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ALL 178

$4.18 ALL 330

-45.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ALL 131

$2.31 ALL 182

-28.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ALL 67.4

$1.24 ALL 97.8

-31.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 ALL 164

$2.39 ALL 189

-13.39%

Eggs

$2.75 ALL 217

$3.86 ALL 305

-28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 ALL 766

$13.60 ALL 1,074

-28.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 ALL 586

$9.14 ALL 722

-18.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 ALL 862

$17.57 ALL 1,388

-37.85%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 ALL 77.8

$2.02 ALL 160

-51.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 156

$2.53 ALL 200

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.1

$2.27 ALL 180

-54.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ALL 134

$1.86 ALL 147

-9.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ALL 62.8

$1.04 ALL 82.4

-24.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 85.7

$1.30 ALL 103

-16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ALL 86.2

$1.50 ALL 118

-27.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 52.8

$0.82 ALL 64.7

-18.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ALL 357

$5.04 ALL 398

-10.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 ALL 615

$11.50 ALL 908

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ALL 87.5

$1.76 ALL 139

-36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 132

$2.04 ALL 161

-18.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 38.95

$0.49 ALL 38.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.48 ALL 1,617

$20.29 ALL 1,603

0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ALL 307

$3.72 ALL 294

4.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.97 ALL 313

$3.75 ALL 296

5.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ALL 394

$18.96 ALL 1,498

-73.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 ALL 179

$2.39 ALL 189

-5.02%

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

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

-0.86%

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

$25.5K ALL 2.0M

$37.4K ALL 3.0M

-31.62%

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

$63.3 ALL 4,998

$102 ALL 8,060

-37.99%

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

$16.46 ALL 1,300

$18.98 ALL 1,499

-13.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.83 ALL 1,408

$20.84 ALL 1,646

-14.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.1 ALL 4,589

$58.8 ALL 4,640

-1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.75 ALL 1,007

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ALL 307

$10.04 ALL 793

-61.25%

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

$103 ALL 8,134

$346 ALL 27.3K

-70.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,431 ALL 665.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.62 ALL 2,971

$51.3 ALL 4,050

-26.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 ALL 2,261

$48.84 ALL 3,857

-41.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 ALL 4,054

$122 ALL 9,673

-58.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.62 ALL 3,524

$114 ALL 9,016

-60.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 ALL 19.0K

$485 ALL 38.3K

-50.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ALL 13.8K

$337 ALL 26.6K

-48.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 ALL 22.6K

$717 ALL 56.6K

-60.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 ALL 16.8K

$476 ALL 37.6K

-55.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ALL 151.2K

$1,886 ALL 149.0K

1.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,264 ALL 99.9K

$1,282 ALL 101.2K

-1.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 ALL 43.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

-11.35%

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

Last update for Kukes: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Kukes versus $485 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 $23.00 in Kukes versus $53.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $301 – 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 64%, 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 $1,130 per month in Kukes and $1,852 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 $23.00 in Kukes and $53.0 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 $753, than in Ballsh at $1,235. 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.