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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,298 per month in Sarande vs $1,206 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,205 per month in Sarande vs $1,871 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Sarande vs $2,537 in Ballsh, rent included.

Sarande costs about 8% more than Ballsh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Sarande and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 3% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.84 ALL 968

$11.77 ALL 961

0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 ALL 4,744

$59.5 ALL 4,860

-2.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 ALL 792

$7.12 ALL 582

36.10%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ALL 169

$2.06 ALL 169

0.49%

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

$1.83 ALL 150

$1.47 ALL 120

24.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ALL 78.9

$0.85 ALL 69.6

14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 ALL 243

$2.97 ALL 243

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ALL 284

$4.10 ALL 335

-15.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ALL 167

$2.12 ALL 173

-3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ALL 92.6

$1.14 ALL 93.1

-0.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ALL 177

$2.20 ALL 179

-1.36%

Eggs

$3.98 ALL 325

$3.99 ALL 326

-0.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ALL 1,052

$13.08 ALL 1,069

-1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 ALL 639

$7.79 ALL 637

0.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 ALL 1,296

$15.94 ALL 1,303

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 140

$1.72 ALL 141

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ALL 220

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$2.03 ALL 166

-2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.91 ALL 156

3.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.27 ALL 104

1.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 122

$1.51 ALL 123

-0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.4

$0.74 ALL 60.5

1.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ALL 351

$4.36 ALL 357

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 ALL 537

$10.31 ALL 843

-36.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.60 ALL 130

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ALL 173

$2.12 ALL 174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ALL 92.2

$0.48 ALL 39.55

135.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 ALL 1,906

$18.98 ALL 1,551

22.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ALL 287

$3.50 ALL 286

0.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 ALL 263

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.75 ALL 1,451

$17.67 ALL 1,444

0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 ALL 169

$2.14 ALL 175

-3.27%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

-12.99%

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

$29.2K ALL 2.4M

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

-16.82%

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

$102 ALL 8,323

$106 ALL 8,678

-4.09%

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

$18.05 ALL 1,475

$18.16 ALL 1,484

-0.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.11 ALL 1,480

$18.75 ALL 1,532

-3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 ALL 7,334

$55.9 ALL 4,565

60.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.29 ALL 3,374

$25.00 ALL 2,043

65.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 ALL 783

$9.62 ALL 786

-0.42%

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

$292 ALL 23.8K

$160 ALL 13.1K

82.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,563 ALL 454.6K

$5,556 ALL 454.1K

0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ALL 5,530

$69.0 ALL 5,634

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ALL 4,102

$49.58 ALL 4,052

1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ALL 8,933

$106 ALL 8,638

3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ALL 10.6K

$128 ALL 10.4K

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ALL 72.2K

$448 ALL 36.6K

97.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ALL 31.1K

$343 ALL 28.0K

10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 ALL 89.6K

$613 ALL 50.1K

78.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 ALL 77.6K

$436 ALL 35.6K

118.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,737 ALL 387.1K

$1,844 ALL 150.7K

156.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 ALL 241.4K

$1,234 ALL 100.8K

139.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 ALL 64.2K

$673 ALL 55.0K

16.74%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $884 in Sarande versus $448 in Ballsh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Sarande, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Sarande versus $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $280 – making Sarande 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

Sarande vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarande is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,946 per month in Sarande and $1,809 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 $58.0 in Sarande and $59.0 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 $1,206, than in Sarande at $1,298. 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.