Cost of Living Comparison Between Tepelene and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Tepelene and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,246 per month in Tepelene vs $1,200 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,914 per month in Tepelene vs $1,895 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,581 per month in Tepelene vs $2,589 in Ballsh, rent included.

Tepelene costs about 4% more than Ballsh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tepelene and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Tepelene 9% lower, Ballsh 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 ALL 803

$10.01 ALL 793

1.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 ALL 4,498

$56.5 ALL 4,476

0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 ALL 892

$6.85 ALL 543

64.23%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ALL 187

$2.39 ALL 189

-1.26%

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

$2.43 ALL 193

$1.40 ALL 111

73.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ALL 106

$0.86 ALL 68.1

55.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ALL 291

$3.72 ALL 295

-1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 ALL 326

$4.08 ALL 324

0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 ALL 181

$2.29 ALL 182

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ALL 96.3

$1.24 ALL 98.2

-2.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ALL 191

$2.49 ALL 197

-2.81%

Eggs

$3.91 ALL 310

$3.94 ALL 312

-0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 ALL 1,069

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 ALL 740

$9.38 ALL 744

-0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 ALL 1,398

$17.69 ALL 1,402

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 154

$1.95 ALL 155

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ALL 194

$2.47 ALL 196

-0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ALL 180

$2.18 ALL 172

4.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 154

$1.96 ALL 155

-0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 86.1

$1.04 ALL 82.5

4.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ALL 107

$1.27 ALL 101

6.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ALL 117

$1.43 ALL 113

3.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ALL 61.3

$0.75 ALL 59.7

2.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 ALL 380

$4.96 ALL 393

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 ALL 882

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ALL 138

$1.79 ALL 142

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ALL 165

$2.11 ALL 167

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.38

$0.56 ALL 44.39

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.31 ALL 1,610

$18.00 ALL 1,427

12.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 ALL 297

$3.83 ALL 304

-2.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.83 ALL 304

$3.81 ALL 302

0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.13 ALL 1,516

$18.67 ALL 1,479

2.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 ALL 183

$2.33 ALL 184

-0.86%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.8M

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

2.07%

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

$37.0K ALL 2.9M

$37.3K ALL 3.0M

-0.76%

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

$103 ALL 8,131

$105 ALL 8,286

-1.87%

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

$18.86 ALL 1,495

$18.85 ALL 1,494

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.96 ALL 1,661

$21.21 ALL 1,681

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 ALL 4,632

$55.4 ALL 4,391

5.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ALL 806

$9.95 ALL 789

2.21%

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

$350 ALL 27.7K

$353 ALL 28.0K

-1.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,146 ALL 645.6K

$8,313 ALL 658.8K

-2.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 ALL 4,045

$51.1 ALL 4,051

-0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.37 ALL 3,754

$47.54 ALL 3,767

-0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ALL 9,734

$124 ALL 9,837

-1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ALL 9,110

$114 ALL 8,999

1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 ALL 38.6K

$439 ALL 34.8K

11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ALL 27.1K

$374 ALL 29.7K

-8.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 ALL 56.5K

$744 ALL 59.0K

-4.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ALL 37.5K

$510 ALL 40.4K

-7.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 ALL 151.6K

$1,830 ALL 145.0K

4.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 ALL 100.8K

$1,309 ALL 103.7K

-2.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 ALL 55.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

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

Last update for Tepelene: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Tepelene versus $439 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 $57.0 in Tepelene versus $56.0 in Ballsh. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Tepelene vs $300 in Ballsh – so Tepelene 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

Tepelene vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tepelene is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Tepelene and $1,800 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 0% cheaper in Tepelene – 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 $57.0 in Tepelene and $56.0 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 $1,200, than in Tepelene at $1,246. In Ballsh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tepelene 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, Tepelene makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.