Cost of Living Comparison Between Tirana and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Tirana and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,413 per month in Tirana vs $1,202 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,176 per month in Tirana vs $1,838 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,939 per month in Tirana vs $2,474 in Ballsh, rent included.

Tirana costs about 18% more than Ballsh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tirana sits 5% above the global median, while Ballsh is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ALL 978

$11.72 ALL 959

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 ALL 4,861

$59.1 ALL 4,832

0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.36 ALL 765

$6.81 ALL 557

37.44%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ALL 160

$2.03 ALL 166

-3.45%

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

$1.81 ALL 148

$1.45 ALL 119

24.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 ALL 76.8

$0.90 ALL 73.9

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 ALL 246

$2.97 ALL 243

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 ALL 340

$4.19 ALL 343

-0.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$2.12 ALL 174

0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ALL 89.5

$1.14 ALL 93.0

-4.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ALL 177

$2.16 ALL 177

0.46%

Eggs

$3.87 ALL 316

$3.89 ALL 318

-0.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 ALL 1,070

$13.34 ALL 1,091

-1.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 ALL 617

$7.70 ALL 630

-2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 ALL 1,282

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ALL 138

$1.77 ALL 145

-4.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ALL 229

$2.78 ALL 228

0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$2.04 ALL 167

-0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 ALL 159

$1.98 ALL 162

-2.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 ALL 112

$1.33 ALL 109

2.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ALL 120

$1.45 ALL 119

0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.7

$0.80 ALL 65.6

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ALL 352

$4.37 ALL 357

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 ALL 909

$10.96 ALL 897

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.62 ALL 133

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 175

$2.07 ALL 170

2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.27

$0.48 ALL 39.46

-4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.09 ALL 1,562

$19.01 ALL 1,555

0.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ALL 292

$3.55 ALL 291

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 ALL 256

$3.23 ALL 264

-3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.96 ALL 1,469

$17.99 ALL 1,472

-0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 ALL 170

$2.15 ALL 176

-3.26%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$40.8K ALL 3.3M

-1.20%

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

$36.2K ALL 3.0M

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

2.51%

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

$105 ALL 8,591

$107 ALL 8,763

-1.97%

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

$17.92 ALL 1,466

$17.78 ALL 1,455

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.38 ALL 1,504

$18.41 ALL 1,506

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ALL 4,421

$55.6 ALL 4,545

-2.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.31 ALL 1,907

$25.45 ALL 2,082

-8.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.31 ALL 761

$9.21 ALL 754

1.09%

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

$288 ALL 23.6K

$159 ALL 13.0K

81.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,480 ALL 448.4K

$5,513 ALL 451.1K

-0.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ALL 5,535

$67.1 ALL 5,486

0.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 ALL 4,200

$50.2 ALL 4,104

2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,749

$109 ALL 8,922

-1.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ALL 10.7K

$129 ALL 10.6K

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 ALL 68.1K

$444 ALL 36.4K

87.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ALL 44.2K

$347 ALL 28.4K

55.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 ALL 119.0K

$615 ALL 50.3K

136.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$896 ALL 73.3K

$433 ALL 35.4K

106.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,601 ALL 376.4K

$1,749 ALL 143.1K

163.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,244 ALL 183.6K

$1,196 ALL 97.8K

87.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$918 ALL 75.1K

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 Tirana: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $833 in Tirana 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 $59.0 in Tirana versus $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $282 – making Tirana 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

Tirana vs Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tirana is pricier by about 18%, 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 $2,120 per month in Tirana 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 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 1% cheaper in Tirana – 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 $59.0 in Tirana 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 $1,202, than in Tirana at $1,413. In Ballsh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tirana 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, Tirana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.