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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,316 per month in Sarande vs $1,241 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,227 per month in Sarande vs $1,870 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,138 per month in Sarande vs $2,498 in Ballsh, rent included.

Sarande costs about 6% more than Ballsh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Sarande and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 4% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 ALL 777

$9.92 ALL 774

0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ALL 3,959

$50.1 ALL 3,905

1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 ALL 869

$7.04 ALL 549

58.10%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ALL 178

$2.38 ALL 186

-4.20%

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

$2.40 ALL 187

$1.41 ALL 110

70.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ALL 93.5

$0.92 ALL 71.9

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ALL 277

$3.52 ALL 275

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ALL 325

$4.03 ALL 314

3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ALL 176

$2.33 ALL 182

-3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ALL 99.1

$1.28 ALL 99.6

-0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ALL 196

$2.49 ALL 194

0.80%

Eggs

$3.65 ALL 285

$3.69 ALL 288

-1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 ALL 1,071

$13.41 ALL 1,046

2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 ALL 731

$8.96 ALL 699

4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.51 ALL 1,366

$17.53 ALL 1,368

-0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 157

$2.03 ALL 158

-0.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 ALL 197

$2.59 ALL 202

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ALL 167

$2.25 ALL 176

-4.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ALL 146

$1.86 ALL 145

0.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ALL 86.4

$1.16 ALL 90.4

-4.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ALL 104

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ALL 111

$1.47 ALL 115

-3.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 63.9

$0.79 ALL 61.3

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 ALL 382

$4.89 ALL 381

0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 ALL 530

$11.09 ALL 865

-38.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ALL 135

$1.71 ALL 134

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 167

$2.09 ALL 163

1.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ALL 91.6

$0.49 ALL 38.55

138.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.47 ALL 1,831

$21.61 ALL 1,686

8.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ALL 288

$3.72 ALL 290

-0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.86 ALL 301

$3.66 ALL 285

5.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.37 ALL 1,433

$18.90 ALL 1,475

-2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 165

$2.37 ALL 185

-10.97%

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

$35.2K ALL 2.7M

$34.6K ALL 2.7M

1.58%

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

$28.6K ALL 2.2M

$37.0K ALL 2.9M

-22.69%

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

$102 ALL 7,958

$109 ALL 8,527

-6.67%

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

$18.96 ALL 1,479

$18.91 ALL 1,475

0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.60 ALL 1,607

$20.42 ALL 1,593

0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.5 ALL 7,062

$51.0 ALL 3,981

77.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.94 ALL 3,272

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 ALL 761

$10.00 ALL 780

-2.50%

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

$303 ALL 23.7K

$346 ALL 27.0K

-12.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,338 ALL 650.5K

$8,361 ALL 652.3K

-0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 ALL 5,656

$49.66 ALL 3,875

45.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.10 ALL 3,831

$48.77 ALL 3,805

0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ALL 9,460

$123 ALL 9,561

-1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ALL 9,139

$115 ALL 9,006

1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 ALL 67.9K

$525 ALL 40.9K

65.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ALL 30.7K

$342 ALL 26.7K

15.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 ALL 88.9K

$671 ALL 52.3K

69.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 ALL 74.1K

$419 ALL 32.7K

126.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,784 ALL 373.2K

$1,854 ALL 144.7K

158.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,920 ALL 227.8K

$1,206 ALL 94.1K

142.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 ALL 62.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.55

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

Last update for Sarande: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $870 in Sarande versus $525 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 $51.0 in Sarande versus $50.0 in Ballsh. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Sarande vs $299 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 6%, 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 $1,974 per month in Sarande and $1,862 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 2% 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 $51.0 in Sarande and $50.0 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 $1,241, than in Sarande at $1,316. 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.