Cost of Living Comparison Between Shkoder and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Shkoder and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $996 per month in Shkoder vs $1,235 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,483 per month in Shkoder vs $1,892 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,969 per month in Shkoder vs $2,549 in Ballsh, rent included.

Shkoder is about 19% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shkoder and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 28% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.43 ALL 744

$10.13 ALL 800

-6.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 ALL 3,095

$53.3 ALL 4,212

-26.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ALL 497

$7.19 ALL 568

-12.38%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 163

$2.32 ALL 183

-11.21%

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

$1.93 ALL 153

$1.42 ALL 112

35.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ALL 52.0

$0.86 ALL 67.5

-23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 ALL 147

$3.70 ALL 292

-49.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ALL 251

$4.18 ALL 330

-24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ALL 158

$2.31 ALL 182

-13.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ALL 81.3

$1.24 ALL 97.8

-16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 ALL 166

$2.39 ALL 189

-11.72%

Eggs

$2.76 ALL 218

$3.86 ALL 305

-28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 ALL 581

$13.60 ALL 1,074

-45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 ALL 398

$9.14 ALL 722

-44.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 ALL 883

$17.57 ALL 1,388

-36.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 ALL 127

$2.02 ALL 160

-20.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ALL 183

$2.53 ALL 200

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ALL 134

$2.27 ALL 180

-25.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ALL 118

$1.86 ALL 147

-19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.1

$1.04 ALL 82.4

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 98.6

$1.30 ALL 103

-3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ALL 93.7

$1.50 ALL 118

-20.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 58.9

$0.82 ALL 64.7

-8.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ALL 342

$5.04 ALL 398

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 ALL 487

$11.50 ALL 908

-46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ALL 128

$1.76 ALL 139

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ALL 146

$2.04 ALL 161

-9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 37.75

$0.49 ALL 38.52

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 ALL 914

$20.29 ALL 1,603

-42.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 300

$3.72 ALL 294

2.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.02 ALL 317

$3.75 ALL 296

7.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.84 ALL 1,488

$18.96 ALL 1,498

-0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ALL 166

$2.39 ALL 189

-12.13%

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

$34.5K ALL 2.7M

-0.05%

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

$26.1K ALL 2.1M

$37.4K ALL 3.0M

-30.26%

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

$64.0 ALL 5,056

$102 ALL 8,060

-37.28%

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

$16.77 ALL 1,324

$18.98 ALL 1,499

-11.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.80 ALL 1,406

$20.84 ALL 1,646

-14.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.21 ALL 3,491

$58.8 ALL 4,640

-24.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 ALL 978

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ALL 608

$10.04 ALL 793

-23.41%

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

$93.4 ALL 7,379

$346 ALL 27.3K

-73.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,926 ALL 152.1K

$8,431 ALL 665.9K

-77.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 ALL 3,977

$51.3 ALL 4,050

-1.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.85 ALL 1,015

$48.84 ALL 3,857

-73.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ALL 5,917

$122 ALL 9,673

-38.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 ALL 11.8K

$114 ALL 9,016

30.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ALL 38.7K

$485 ALL 38.3K

0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ALL 25.6K

$337 ALL 26.6K

-3.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 ALL 30.3K

$717 ALL 56.6K

-46.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ALL 28.9K

$476 ALL 37.6K

-23.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,858 ALL 146.8K

$1,886 ALL 149.0K

-1.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 ALL 100.5K

$1,282 ALL 101.2K

-0.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ALL 46.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

-11.35%

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

Last update for Shkoder: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Shkoder versus $485 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 $39.00 in Shkoder versus $53.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $301 – making Shkoder 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

Shkoder vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,494 per month in Shkoder and $1,852 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shkoder, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $39.00 in Shkoder and $53.0 in Ballsh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Ballsh at $1,235. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shkoder – 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 Shkoder. 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.