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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,007 per month in Pogradec vs $1,219 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Pogradec vs $1,877 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,991 per month in Pogradec vs $2,535 in Ballsh, rent included.

Pogradec is about 17% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pogradec and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Pogradec 25% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 ALL 655

$11.57 ALL 945

-30.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.69 ALL 3,079

$57.9 ALL 4,733

-34.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 ALL 595

$6.96 ALL 569

4.60%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ALL 75.7

$1.98 ALL 161

-53.03%

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

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.41 ALL 115

13.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 56.8

$0.91 ALL 74.6

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ALL 112

$2.97 ALL 243

-53.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 ALL 206

$4.10 ALL 335

-38.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 165

$2.15 ALL 176

-6.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ALL 69.5

$1.08 ALL 88.1

-21.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 165

$2.24 ALL 183

-9.82%

Eggs

$2.06 ALL 168

$3.96 ALL 323

-47.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ALL 607

$13.17 ALL 1,076

-43.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 ALL 338

$7.81 ALL 638

-46.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 ALL 1,076

$15.66 ALL 1,279

-15.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ALL 94.9

$1.71 ALL 140

-32.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$2.68 ALL 219

-11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ALL 113

$2.04 ALL 167

-31.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ALL 98.2

$1.91 ALL 156

-37.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.8

$1.32 ALL 108

-29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ALL 79.1

$1.32 ALL 108

-26.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ALL 79.3

$1.46 ALL 119

-33.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ALL 58.6

$0.79 ALL 64.8

-8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 324

$4.15 ALL 339

-4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 ALL 811

$10.99 ALL 898

-9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ALL 95.3

$1.59 ALL 130

-26.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ALL 144

$2.14 ALL 175

-17.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.34

$0.49 ALL 39.73

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 ALL 1,557

$18.60 ALL 1,520

2.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ALL 283

$3.61 ALL 295

-3.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 ALL 130

$3.23 ALL 264

-50.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.57 ALL 1,436

$17.50 ALL 1,430

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$2.06 ALL 168

2.43%

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

$34.0K ALL 2.8M

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

-16.57%

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

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

-29.89%

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

$67.0 ALL 5,476

$107 ALL 8,734

-37.30%

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

$17.67 ALL 1,444

$17.98 ALL 1,469

-1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.99 ALL 1,306

$18.25 ALL 1,491

-12.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 ALL 4,520

$54.8 ALL 4,476

0.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.27 ALL 2,064

$24.88 ALL 2,033

1.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ALL 658

$9.63 ALL 787

-16.41%

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

$94.0 ALL 7,680

$156 ALL 12.8K

-39.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 ALL 3,810

$68.8 ALL 5,620

-32.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 ALL 4,378

$50.1 ALL 4,093

6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 ALL 7,830

$106 ALL 8,686

-9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$129 ALL 10.5K

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ALL 36.2K

$451 ALL 36.9K

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ALL 27.6K

-0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ALL 49.9K

$608 ALL 49.7K

0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ALL 35.7K

$429 ALL 35.1K

1.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 ALL 126.8K

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

-11.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ALL 118.6K

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

14.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$462 ALL 37.7K

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 Pogradec: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Pogradec 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 $38.00 in Pogradec versus $58.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $281 – 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 21%, 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 $1,510 per month in Pogradec 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 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 $38.00 in Pogradec and $58.0 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 $1,007, than in Ballsh at $1,219. 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.