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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $927 per month in Shkoder vs $1,211 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Shkoder vs $1,879 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Shkoder vs $2,548 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 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 ALL 486

$11.71 ALL 955

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 ALL 2,621

$58.6 ALL 4,782

-45.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ALL 395

$6.84 ALL 557

-29.24%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ALL 148

$2.02 ALL 165

-10.40%

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

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.43 ALL 117

11.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 66.5

$0.90 ALL 73.8

-8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ALL 189

$2.93 ALL 239

-21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ALL 274

$4.03 ALL 329

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$2.15 ALL 175

-4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ALL 71.2

$1.10 ALL 89.7

-20.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 159

$2.13 ALL 174

-8.45%

Eggs

$2.94 ALL 239

$3.92 ALL 320

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ALL 560

$13.24 ALL 1,079

-48.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 ALL 407

$7.62 ALL 621

-34.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ALL 842

$15.43 ALL 1,258

-33.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ALL 124

$1.77 ALL 144

-14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$2.67 ALL 218

-11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ALL 142

$1.98 ALL 162

-12.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ALL 112

$1.92 ALL 157

-28.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 82.5

$1.31 ALL 107

-22.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ALL 98.7

$1.28 ALL 105

-5.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ALL 90.2

$1.49 ALL 122

-25.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.2

$0.75 ALL 61.1

-1.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ALL 334

$4.32 ALL 352

-5.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 ALL 491

$10.42 ALL 850

-42.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ALL 118

$1.64 ALL 134

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ALL 141

$2.07 ALL 168

-16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.85

$0.49 ALL 39.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.40 ALL 930

$18.62 ALL 1,519

-38.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ALL 282

$3.58 ALL 292

-3.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 ALL 255

$3.08 ALL 252

1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.64 ALL 1,439

$17.31 ALL 1,412

1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ALL 171

$2.09 ALL 170

0.48%

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

$35.2K ALL 2.9M

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

-10.83%

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

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

-28.73%

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

$66.9 ALL 5,454

$108 ALL 8,832

-38.25%

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

$16.83 ALL 1,373

$17.62 ALL 1,437

-4.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.08 ALL 1,311

$18.27 ALL 1,490

-11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 ALL 3,386

$55.8 ALL 4,549

-25.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ALL 968

$25.12 ALL 2,049

-52.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 ALL 573

$9.63 ALL 786

-27.10%

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

$87.5 ALL 7,137

$161 ALL 13.1K

-45.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,756 ALL 143.2K

$5,544 ALL 452.1K

-68.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.51 ALL 3,793

$68.9 ALL 5,617

-32.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.56 ALL 943

$50.0 ALL 4,080

-76.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ALL 5,672

$108 ALL 8,807

-35.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$131 ALL 10.7K

8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.9K

$455 ALL 37.1K

-32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ALL 24.3K

$346 ALL 28.2K

-14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 ALL 29.1K

$603 ALL 49.2K

-40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ALL 27.6K

$434 ALL 35.4K

-22.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,825 ALL 148.9K

$1,795 ALL 146.4K

1.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 ALL 99.7K

$1,327 ALL 108.2K

-7.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 ALL 46.7K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Shkoder versus $455 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: $203 vs $278 – 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 31%, 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 $1,391 per month in Shkoder and $1,816 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 37% 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 $927, than in Ballsh at $1,211. 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.