Cost of Living Comparison Between Lac and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Lac and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,104 per month in Lac vs $1,219 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,645 per month in Lac vs $1,877 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Lac vs $2,535 in Ballsh, rent included.

Lac is about 9% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lac and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Lac 18% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 ALL 774

$11.57 ALL 945

-18.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.95 ALL 3,019

$57.9 ALL 4,733

-36.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 ALL 575

$6.96 ALL 569

1.01%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ALL 159

$1.98 ALL 161

-2.02%

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

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.41 ALL 115

13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 66.7

$0.91 ALL 74.6

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ALL 199

$2.97 ALL 243

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ALL 262

$4.10 ALL 335

-21.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ALL 163

$2.15 ALL 176

-7.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ALL 73.9

$1.08 ALL 88.1

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 160

$2.24 ALL 183

-12.50%

Eggs

$3.06 ALL 250

$3.96 ALL 323

-22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 ALL 751

$13.17 ALL 1,076

-30.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ALL 639

$7.81 ALL 638

0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 ALL 1,092

$15.66 ALL 1,279

-14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 ALL 141

$1.71 ALL 140

1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 ALL 196

$2.68 ALL 219

-10.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 114

$2.04 ALL 167

-31.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 114

$1.91 ALL 156

-27.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 82.5

$1.32 ALL 108

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ALL 97.4

$1.32 ALL 108

-9.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ALL 92.9

$1.46 ALL 119

-21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ALL 62.4

$0.79 ALL 64.8

-3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ALL 339

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 ALL 799

$10.99 ALL 898

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ALL 141

$1.59 ALL 130

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ALL 98.6

$2.14 ALL 175

-43.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.18

$0.49 ALL 39.73

-6.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.12 ALL 1,562

$18.60 ALL 1,520

2.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ALL 284

$3.61 ALL 295

-3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 ALL 261

$3.23 ALL 264

-1.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 ALL 1,426

$17.50 ALL 1,430

-0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 ALL 180

$2.06 ALL 168

6.80%

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

$34.3K ALL 2.8M

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

-15.81%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

-29.99%

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

$66.5 ALL 5,429

$107 ALL 8,734

-37.84%

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

$17.69 ALL 1,445

$17.98 ALL 1,469

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.97 ALL 1,305

$18.25 ALL 1,491

-12.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ALL 4,454

$54.8 ALL 4,476

-0.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.06 ALL 2,048

$24.88 ALL 2,033

0.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.45 ALL 690

$9.63 ALL 787

-12.25%

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

$92.9 ALL 7,593

$156 ALL 12.8K

-40.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.78 ALL 3,822

$68.8 ALL 5,620

-32.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 ALL 4,343

$50.1 ALL 4,093

6.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ALL 7,571

$106 ALL 8,686

-12.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$129 ALL 10.5K

10.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 ALL 37.5K

$451 ALL 36.9K

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ALL 27.9K

$338 ALL 27.6K

1.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ALL 50.1K

$608 ALL 49.7K

0.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ALL 36.2K

$429 ALL 35.1K

3.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ALL 156.7K

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

9.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 ALL 98.3K

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

-5.34%

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 Lac: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $458 in Lac versus $451 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 Lac versus $58.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $281 – making Lac 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

Lac vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,655 per month in Lac and $1,829 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% 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 Lac 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 Lac, where all-in costs run around $1,104, than in Ballsh at $1,219. In Lac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lac – 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 Lac. 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.