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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,145 per month in Lac vs $1,200 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,722 per month in Lac vs $1,895 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,300 per month in Lac vs $2,589 in Ballsh, rent included.

Lac is about 5% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lac and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Lac 16% lower, Ballsh 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.00 ALL 792

$10.01 ALL 793

-0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.94 ALL 3,086

$56.5 ALL 4,476

-31.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 ALL 583

$6.85 ALL 543

7.45%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ALL 164

$2.39 ALL 189

-13.39%

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

$1.98 ALL 157

$1.40 ALL 111

41.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ALL 51.3

$0.86 ALL 68.1

-24.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ALL 203

$3.72 ALL 295

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ALL 266

$4.08 ALL 324

-17.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 164

$2.29 ALL 182

-10.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ALL 76.5

$1.24 ALL 98.2

-21.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ALL 163

$2.49 ALL 197

-17.27%

Eggs

$2.70 ALL 214

$3.94 ALL 312

-31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ALL 803

$13.48 ALL 1,069

-24.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 ALL 707

$9.38 ALL 744

-4.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 ALL 1,162

$17.69 ALL 1,402

-17.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ALL 145

$1.95 ALL 155

-6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 ALL 190

$2.47 ALL 196

-3.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ALL 117

$2.18 ALL 172

-32.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ALL 128

$1.96 ALL 155

-17.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ALL 84.0

$1.04 ALL 82.5

1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 100

$1.27 ALL 101

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ALL 97.3

$1.43 ALL 113

-13.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 67.2

$0.75 ALL 59.7

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ALL 342

$4.96 ALL 393

-13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 ALL 789

$11.13 ALL 882

-10.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 140

$1.79 ALL 142

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ALL 101

$2.11 ALL 167

-39.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ALL 36.94

$0.56 ALL 44.39

-16.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.28 ALL 1,369

$18.00 ALL 1,427

-4.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ALL 301

$3.83 ALL 304

-1.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.86 ALL 306

$3.81 ALL 302

1.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.00 ALL 1,506

$18.67 ALL 1,479

1.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ALL 172

$2.33 ALL 184

-6.87%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.8M

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

2.19%

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

$25.1K ALL 2.0M

$37.3K ALL 3.0M

-32.58%

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

$63.8 ALL 5,056

$105 ALL 8,286

-38.98%

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

$16.68 ALL 1,322

$18.85 ALL 1,494

-11.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.71 ALL 1,403

$21.21 ALL 1,681

-16.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ALL 4,751

$55.4 ALL 4,391

8.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 ALL 707

$9.95 ALL 789

-10.35%

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

$99.7 ALL 7,904

$353 ALL 28.0K

-71.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,313 ALL 658.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ALL 4,030

$51.1 ALL 4,051

-0.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 ALL 4,508

$47.54 ALL 3,767

19.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ALL 7,912

$124 ALL 9,837

-19.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 ALL 12.0K

$114 ALL 8,999

33.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 ALL 40.6K

$439 ALL 34.8K

16.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.2K

$374 ALL 29.7K

-18.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 ALL 62.5K

$744 ALL 59.0K

6.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ALL 39.1K

$510 ALL 40.4K

-3.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 ALL 157.8K

$1,830 ALL 145.0K

8.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,249 ALL 99.0K

$1,309 ALL 103.7K

-4.61%

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 Lac: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Lac 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 $39.00 in Lac versus $56.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $300 – 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 5%, 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 $1,717 per month in Lac 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 Lac, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $39.00 in Lac 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 Lac, where all-in costs run around $1,145, than in Ballsh at $1,200. 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.