Cost of Living Comparison Between Pogradec and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Pogradec and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Pogradec vs $1,200 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Pogradec vs $1,895 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,938 per month in Pogradec vs $2,589 in Ballsh, rent included.

Pogradec is about 29% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pogradec and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Pogradec 38% lower, Ballsh 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 ALL 805

$10.01 ALL 791

1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.39 ALL 3,112

$56.5 ALL 4,462

-30.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 ALL 611

$6.85 ALL 541

12.99%

Cappuccino

$1.57 ALL 124

$2.39 ALL 189

-34.31%

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

$1.94 ALL 153

$1.40 ALL 111

38.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ALL 51.1

$0.86 ALL 67.9

-24.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ALL 116

$3.72 ALL 294

-60.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ALL 213

$4.08 ALL 323

-34.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 162

$2.29 ALL 181

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 72.7

$1.24 ALL 97.9

-25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ALL 166

$2.49 ALL 196

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.21 ALL 175

$3.94 ALL 311

-43.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 ALL 664

$13.48 ALL 1,065

-37.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 ALL 355

$9.38 ALL 741

-52.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 ALL 1,125

$17.69 ALL 1,398

-19.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ALL 97.5

$1.95 ALL 154

-36.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 ALL 186

$2.47 ALL 195

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ALL 122

$2.18 ALL 172

-28.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ALL 98.2

$1.96 ALL 155

-36.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ALL 80.9

$1.04 ALL 82.2

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 81.9

$1.27 ALL 101

-18.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ALL 81.3

$1.43 ALL 113

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ALL 67.1

$0.75 ALL 59.5

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ALL 338

$4.96 ALL 392

-13.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 ALL 800

$11.13 ALL 879

-8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ALL 96.8

$1.79 ALL 141

-31.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ALL 152

$2.11 ALL 167

-9.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 41.43

$0.56 ALL 44.25

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ALL 1,520

$18.00 ALL 1,422

6.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 ALL 292

$3.83 ALL 303

-3.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 ALL 152

$3.81 ALL 301

-49.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 ALL 1,487

$18.67 ALL 1,475

0.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 ALL 177

$2.33 ALL 184

-3.86%

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

$34.1K ALL 2.7M

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

-0.49%

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

$25.7K ALL 2.0M

$37.3K ALL 2.9M

-30.91%

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

$63.4 ALL 5,011

$105 ALL 8,260

-39.34%

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

$16.30 ALL 1,288

$18.85 ALL 1,489

-13.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.24 ALL 1,362

$21.21 ALL 1,675

-18.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.85 ALL 2,832

$55.4 ALL 4,377

-35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 ALL 1,501

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ALL 715

$9.95 ALL 786

-9.05%

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

$101 ALL 7,962

$353 ALL 27.9K

-71.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,313 ALL 656.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ALL 4,020

$51.1 ALL 4,038

-0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 ALL 4,499

$47.54 ALL 3,755

19.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ALL 8,000

$124 ALL 9,806

-18.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ALL 11.7K

$114 ALL 8,970

30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 ALL 14.6K

$439 ALL 34.7K

-57.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ALL 9,954

$374 ALL 29.6K

-66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 ALL 29.9K

$744 ALL 58.8K

-49.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ALL 19.6K

$510 ALL 40.3K

-51.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,604 ALL 126.7K

$1,830 ALL 144.6K

-12.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,534 ALL 121.2K

$1,309 ALL 103.4K

17.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 ALL 38.7K

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 Pogradec: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $185 in Pogradec 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 Pogradec versus $56.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $300 – making Pogradec 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

Pogradec vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,270 per month in Pogradec 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 Pogradec, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 Pogradec and $56.0 in Ballsh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pogradec, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Ballsh at $1,200. In Pogradec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pogradec – 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 Pogradec. 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.