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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $922 per month in Shkoder vs $1,202 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,353 per month in Shkoder vs $1,838 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Shkoder vs $2,474 in Ballsh, rent included.

Shkoder is about 23% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shkoder and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 31% lower, Ballsh 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 ALL 496

$11.72 ALL 961

-48.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.04 ALL 2,627

$59.1 ALL 4,843

-45.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 ALL 378

$6.81 ALL 559

-32.31%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ALL 147

$2.03 ALL 166

-11.82%

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

$1.57 ALL 129

$1.45 ALL 119

8.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.7

$0.90 ALL 74.0

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ALL 199

$2.97 ALL 244

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ALL 260

$4.19 ALL 344

-24.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 169

$2.12 ALL 174

-2.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ALL 75.9

$1.14 ALL 93.2

-18.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ALL 165

$2.16 ALL 177

-6.94%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 239

$3.89 ALL 319

-25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ALL 563

$13.34 ALL 1,094

-48.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 ALL 401

$7.70 ALL 631

-36.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ALL 849

$15.67 ALL 1,285

-33.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ALL 125

$1.77 ALL 145

-14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ALL 192

$2.78 ALL 228

-15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ALL 136

$2.04 ALL 168

-18.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 110

$1.98 ALL 162

-32.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ALL 80.7

$1.33 ALL 109

-26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ALL 95.8

$1.32 ALL 108

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ALL 89.6

$1.45 ALL 119

-24.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ALL 56.9

$0.80 ALL 65.8

-13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ALL 338

$4.37 ALL 358

-5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 ALL 510

$10.96 ALL 899

-43.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 120

$1.62 ALL 133

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 137

$2.07 ALL 170

-19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.87

$0.48 ALL 39.56

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 ALL 952

$19.01 ALL 1,559

-38.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 295

$3.55 ALL 291

1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 252

$3.23 ALL 265

-4.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.92 ALL 1,470

$17.99 ALL 1,475

-0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 ALL 180

$2.15 ALL 176

1.86%

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

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

$40.8K ALL 3.3M

-15.17%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

-29.60%

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

$67.9 ALL 5,570

$107 ALL 8,784

-36.59%

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

$16.90 ALL 1,386

$17.78 ALL 1,458

-4.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.11 ALL 1,321

$18.41 ALL 1,510

-12.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ALL 3,321

$55.6 ALL 4,556

-27.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ALL 958

$25.45 ALL 2,087

-54.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ALL 590

$9.21 ALL 755

-21.82%

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

$89.0 ALL 7,296

$159 ALL 13.0K

-44.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

$5,513 ALL 452.1K

-67.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.65 ALL 3,907

$67.1 ALL 5,499

-28.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.91 ALL 977

$50.2 ALL 4,113

-76.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ALL 5,901

$109 ALL 8,942

-34.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$129 ALL 10.6K

9.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ALL 25.4K

$444 ALL 36.4K

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.6K

$347 ALL 28.4K

-13.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ALL 28.9K

$615 ALL 50.4K

-42.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ALL 28.4K

$433 ALL 35.5K

-19.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

$1,749 ALL 143.4K

4.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

$1,196 ALL 98.0K

3.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 ALL 46.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

-9.42%

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

Last update for Shkoder: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Shkoder versus $444 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 $32.00 in Shkoder versus $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $282 – 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 30%, 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 $1,383 per month in Shkoder and $1,803 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 40% 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 $32.00 in Shkoder and $59.0 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 $922, than in Ballsh at $1,202. 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.