Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pogradec and Tirana

For one person, living is cheaper in Pogradec: $820 a month against $1,401 in Tirana, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pogradec, Albania
Tirana, Albania
Pogradec
🇦🇱 Albania
$820
/mo nomad
Tirana
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,401
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pogradec and in Tirana

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pogradec and in Tirana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $820 in Pogradec versus $1,401 in Tirana.

  • Pogradec $820
  • Tirana $1,401

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in Pogradec versus $2,191 in Tirana.

  • Pogradec $1,353
  • Tirana $2,191

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,887 in Pogradec versus $2,982 in Tirana.

  • Pogradec $1,887
  • Tirana $2,982

Living in Pogradec costs roughly 41% less than in Tirana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pogradec is 40% below, Tirana is 3% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.62 ALL 781
$10.09 ALL 819
-4.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.12 ALL 3,177
$56.5 ALL 4,585
-30.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.30 ALL 593
$10.92 ALL 887
-33.15%
Cappuccino
$1.58 ALL 129
$2.21 ALL 179
-28.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 ALL 147
$2.45 ALL 199
-26.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 ALL 55.6
$1.27 ALL 103
-46.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.49 ALL 121
$3.56 ALL 289
-58.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 ALL 216
$4.13 ALL 335
-35.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 ALL 160
$2.28 ALL 185
-13.60%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 ALL 73.8
$1.15 ALL 93.3
-20.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 ALL 167
$2.39 ALL 194
-14.23%
Eggs
$2.28 ALL 186
$3.83 ALL 311
-40.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.19 ALL 665
$12.71 ALL 1,032
-35.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.36 ALL 354
$8.98 ALL 729
-51.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.35 ALL 1,166
$16.98 ALL 1,379
-15.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.27 ALL 103
$2.01 ALL 163
-36.82%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 ALL 191
$2.43 ALL 197
-3.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ALL 122
$2.14 ALL 173
-29.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 ALL 102
$1.89 ALL 154
-33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.97 ALL 79.0
$1.06 ALL 86.3
-8.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 ALL 83.1
$1.30 ALL 106
-21.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ALL 82.6
$1.46 ALL 118
-30.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 ALL 68.4
$0.79 ALL 64.2
6.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.28 ALL 348
$4.93 ALL 401
-13.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.80 ALL 634
$10.62 ALL 863
-26.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 ALL 102
$1.58 ALL 128
-20.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 ALL 148
$2.12 ALL 172
-14.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 ALL 41.08
$0.50 ALL 40.66
2.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.76 ALL 1,524
$19.97 ALL 1,622
-6.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 ALL 296
$3.81 ALL 310
-4.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.86 ALL 151
$3.77 ALL 306
-50.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.50 ALL 1,503
$18.87 ALL 1,533
-1.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 ALL 185
$2.39 ALL 194
-4.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K ALL 2.7M
$33.0K ALL 2.7M
0.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K ALL 2.0M
$29.8K ALL 2.4M
-18.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.3 ALL 4,976
$97.8 ALL 7,946
-37.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.66 ALL 1,353
$18.80 ALL 1,527
-11.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ALL 1,419
$19.77 ALL 1,606
-11.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.29 ALL 2,947
$59.4 ALL 4,820
-38.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.73 ALL 1,521
$19.68 ALL 1,598
-4.83%
Cinema Ticket
$8.62 ALL 700
$9.75 ALL 792
-11.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$99.8 ALL 8,105
$344 ALL 28.0K
-71.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$8,329 ALL 676.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.22 ALL 3,998
$72.7 ALL 5,902
-32.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.0 ALL 4,549
$48.76 ALL 3,960
14.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.9 ALL 7,871
$121 ALL 9,820
-19.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$149 ALL 12.1K
$110 ALL 8,958
35.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$185 ALL 15.1K
$810 ALL 65.8K
-77.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$126 ALL 10.2K
$511 ALL 41.5K
-75.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$366 ALL 29.7K
$1,572 ALL 127.7K
-76.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$251 ALL 20.4K
$888 ALL 72.1K
-71.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,626 ALL 132.1K
$4,085 ALL 331.8K
-60.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,499 ALL 121.8K
$2,081 ALL 169.0K
-27.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pogradec
Tirana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$478 ALL 38.9K
$886 ALL 71.9K
-45.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
5.16
-3.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Pogradec: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tirana: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Pogradec
$213
Tirana
$290 36.3% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Pogradec
$158
Tirana
$159 0.4% $0.6
Eating Out
Pogradec
$141
Tirana
$181 28.6% $40
Accommodation & Living
Pogradec
$126
Tirana
$511 307% $385
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pogradec
$95
Tirana
$136 43% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Pogradec
$54
Tirana
$79 47.3% $25
Getting Around
Pogradec
$34
Tirana
$45 32.3% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $185 in Pogradec and $810 in Tirana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tirana pays 85% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $39 in Pogradec vs $56 in Tirana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $290 per month, with Pogradec cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇱 Pogradec
🇦🇱 Tirana
🕒 Local time
14:41 2:41 PM
14:41 2:41 PM
Same time as Pogradec
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,848
418,495 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.69 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pogradec Tirana 85 km
From you
  • Pogradec
  • Tirana

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tirana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pogradec or Tirana?
Pogradec wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Tirana. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Pogradec the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Pogradec or in Tirana?
On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Pogradec. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Pogradec compared to Tirana?
Rent for a central apartment: $185 in Pogradec versus $810 in Tirana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Pogradec or in Tirana?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Tirana. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Pogradec and in Tirana?
Dining out is cheaper in Pogradec – a meal for two runs $39 versus $56 in Tirana. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Pogradec or in Tirana?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Pogradec is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Pogradec is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tirana, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Pogradec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Pogradec vs other spots: cost of living compared

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