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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Lac vs $1,206 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,656 per month in Lac vs $1,871 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,226 per month in Lac vs $2,537 in Ballsh, rent included.

Lac is about 10% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lac and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Lac 19% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.69 ALL 791

$11.77 ALL 961

-17.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.94 ALL 3,016

$59.5 ALL 4,856

-37.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 ALL 564

$7.12 ALL 581

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$1.97 ALL 161

$2.06 ALL 169

-4.37%

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

$1.57 ALL 128

$1.47 ALL 120

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ALL 66.2

$0.85 ALL 69.5

-4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ALL 195

$2.97 ALL 243

-19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ALL 270

$4.10 ALL 335

-19.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ALL 160

$2.12 ALL 173

-8.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ALL 70.5

$1.14 ALL 93.0

-24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 161

$2.20 ALL 179

-10.45%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 237

$3.99 ALL 326

-27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ALL 752

$13.08 ALL 1,068

-29.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 ALL 631

$7.79 ALL 636

-0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ALL 1,074

$15.94 ALL 1,302

-17.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ALL 149

$1.72 ALL 141

5.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 ALL 189

$2.69 ALL 220

-13.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 114

$2.03 ALL 166

-31.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 110

$1.91 ALL 156

-29.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 85.9

$1.31 ALL 107

-19.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ALL 96.6

$1.27 ALL 104

-7.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ALL 89.9

$1.51 ALL 123

-27.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 58.5

$0.74 ALL 60.5

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ALL 333

$4.36 ALL 356

-6.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 ALL 818

$10.31 ALL 842

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 136

$1.60 ALL 130

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 ALL 95.0

$2.12 ALL 173

-45.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.65

$0.48 ALL 39.52

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.82 ALL 1,537

$18.98 ALL 1,550

-0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ALL 291

$3.50 ALL 286

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 ALL 263

$3.22 ALL 263

0.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.95 ALL 1,466

$17.67 ALL 1,443

1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 ALL 177

$2.14 ALL 175

1.40%

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

$34.8K ALL 2.8M

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

-13.54%

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

$25.6K ALL 2.1M

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

-26.99%

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

$66.9 ALL 5,461

$106 ALL 8,671

-37.02%

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

$17.10 ALL 1,396

$18.16 ALL 1,483

-5.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.68 ALL 1,281

$18.75 ALL 1,531

-16.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 ALL 4,438

$55.9 ALL 4,561

-2.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.84 ALL 2,028

$25.00 ALL 2,041

-0.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 ALL 692

$9.62 ALL 785

-11.95%

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

$93.9 ALL 7,668

$160 ALL 13.0K

-41.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,556 ALL 453.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.30 ALL 3,862

$69.0 ALL 5,630

-31.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 ALL 4,408

$49.58 ALL 4,048

8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ALL 7,551

$106 ALL 8,631

-12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$128 ALL 10.4K

11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 ALL 36.5K

$448 ALL 36.6K

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ALL 27.9K

$343 ALL 28.0K

-0.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 ALL 50.8K

$613 ALL 50.1K

1.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ALL 35.4K

$436 ALL 35.6K

-0.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,579 ALL 128.9K

$1,844 ALL 150.5K

-14.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,325 ALL 108.2K

$1,234 ALL 100.7K

7.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ALL 54.9K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $447 in Lac versus $448 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 $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $280 – 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 11%, 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 $1,628 per month in Lac and $1,809 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 18% 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 $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 Lac, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Ballsh at $1,206. 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.