Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarande and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarande and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Sarande vs $1,219 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Sarande vs $1,877 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,118 per month in Sarande vs $2,535 in Ballsh, rent included.

Sarande costs about 5% more than Ballsh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Sarande and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 5% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 ALL 948

$11.57 ALL 945

0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 ALL 4,895

$57.9 ALL 4,733

3.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 ALL 788

$6.96 ALL 569

38.65%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.98 ALL 161

3.03%

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

$1.83 ALL 150

$1.41 ALL 115

29.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ALL 80.0

$0.91 ALL 74.6

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 ALL 235

$2.97 ALL 243

-3.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ALL 297

$4.10 ALL 335

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ALL 169

$2.15 ALL 176

-3.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$1.08 ALL 88.1

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ALL 175

$2.24 ALL 183

-4.02%

Eggs

$3.81 ALL 311

$3.96 ALL 323

-3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 ALL 1,077

$13.17 ALL 1,076

0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 ALL 651

$7.81 ALL 638

1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 ALL 1,277

$15.66 ALL 1,279

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ALL 145

$1.71 ALL 140

4.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ALL 229

$2.68 ALL 219

4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$2.04 ALL 167

-0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 161

$1.91 ALL 156

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ALL 112

$1.32 ALL 108

3.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.32 ALL 108

-2.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 124

$1.46 ALL 119

3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.9

$0.79 ALL 64.8

-7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ALL 352

$4.15 ALL 339

3.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 ALL 545

$10.99 ALL 898

-39.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ALL 135

$1.59 ALL 130

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ALL 170

$2.14 ALL 175

-2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ALL 92.8

$0.49 ALL 39.73

132.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ALL 1,871

$18.60 ALL 1,520

23.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ALL 290

$3.61 ALL 295

-1.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 251

$3.23 ALL 264

-4.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,414

$17.50 ALL 1,430

-1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 ALL 174

$2.06 ALL 168

3.40%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$40.7K ALL 3.3M

-14.16%

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

$28.7K ALL 2.3M

$35.6K ALL 2.9M

-19.43%

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

$102 ALL 8,332

$107 ALL 8,734

-4.60%

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

$17.69 ALL 1,445

$17.98 ALL 1,469

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.28 ALL 1,494

$18.25 ALL 1,491

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 ALL 7,309

$54.8 ALL 4,476

63.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.51 ALL 3,392

$24.88 ALL 2,033

66.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ALL 751

$9.63 ALL 787

-4.57%

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

$287 ALL 23.5K

$156 ALL 12.8K

83.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,483 ALL 447.9K

$5,623 ALL 459.4K

-2.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ALL 5,608

$68.8 ALL 5,620

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 ALL 4,039

$50.1 ALL 4,093

-1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,742

$106 ALL 8,686

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ALL 10.7K

$129 ALL 10.5K

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ALL 71.3K

$451 ALL 36.9K

93.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ALL 31.0K

$338 ALL 27.6K

12.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 ALL 89.7K

$608 ALL 49.7K

80.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 ALL 78.3K

$429 ALL 35.1K

123.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,643 ALL 379.4K

$1,753 ALL 143.2K

164.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,946 ALL 240.7K

$1,271 ALL 103.9K

131.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 ALL 62.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

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

Last update for Sarande: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $872 in Sarande 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 $60.0 in Sarande versus $58.0 in Ballsh. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Sarande vs $281 in Ballsh – so Sarande wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Sarande vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarande is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,912 per month in Sarande 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 Ballsh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Sarande – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Sarande and $58.0 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 Ballsh, where all-in costs run around $1,219, than in Sarande at $1,275. In Ballsh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ballsh – 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 Ballsh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.