Cost of Living Comparison Between Tirana and Durres Cost of Living Comparison Between Tirana and Durres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,432 in Tirana versus $1,043 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Tirana versus $1,573 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,942 in Tirana versus $2,103 in Durres.

Living in Tirana is roughly 37% more expensive than in Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tirana is 8% above, Durres is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 ALL 960

$9.48 ALL 766

25.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 ALL 4,747

$35.56 ALL 2,874

65.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ALL 768

$7.27 ALL 587

30.81%

Cappuccino

$2.05 ALL 165

$1.96 ALL 158

4.59%

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

$1.84 ALL 149

$1.58 ALL 127

16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ALL 78.1

$0.79 ALL 63.7

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 ALL 231

$2.43 ALL 196

17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 ALL 339

$3.34 ALL 270

25.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ALL 165

$2.05 ALL 165

-0.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ALL 88.7

$0.92 ALL 74.0

19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ALL 177

$2.01 ALL 163

9.45%

Eggs

$3.87 ALL 313

$3.01 ALL 243

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 ALL 1,043

$10.48 ALL 847

23.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.94 ALL 641

$7.64 ALL 618

3.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 ALL 1,264

$13.13 ALL 1,061

19.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 138

$1.16 ALL 93.6

47.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ALL 215

$2.44 ALL 197

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ALL 166

$1.28 ALL 104

60.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 159

$1.15 ALL 92.6

71.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 ALL 109

$1.10 ALL 88.8

22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ALL 102

$0.99 ALL 80.2

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ALL 118

$1.15 ALL 92.8

26.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 60.7

$0.62 ALL 50.5

20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ALL 332

$4.12 ALL 333

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 ALL 872

$11.00 ALL 889

-1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ALL 131

$1.66 ALL 134

-2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ALL 166

$1.82 ALL 147

12.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.64

$0.49 ALL 39.77

-8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.59 ALL 1,502

$18.09 ALL 1,461

2.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 291

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 248

$2.11 ALL 171

45.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.44 ALL 1,409

$17.45 ALL 1,410

-0.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 166

$2.11 ALL 170

-2.84%

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

$40.0K ALL 3.2M

$15.4K ALL 1.2M

159.10%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.8M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

36.55%

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

$107 ALL 8,653

$68.3 ALL 5,516

56.86%

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

$17.83 ALL 1,441

$17.80 ALL 1,439

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.26 ALL 1,476

$15.74 ALL 1,272

16.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 ALL 4,438

$37.70 ALL 3,046

45.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.73 ALL 1,837

$58.9 ALL 4,758

-61.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 ALL 751

$7.03 ALL 568

32.15%

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

$294 ALL 23.7K

$174 ALL 14.1K

68.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,610 ALL 453.3K

$4,370 ALL 353.1K

28.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 ALL 5,496

$38.89 ALL 3,142

74.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 ALL 4,107

$39.80 ALL 3,216

27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,726

$85.5 ALL 6,906

26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ALL 10.5K

$158 ALL 12.7K

-17.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 ALL 66.8K

$415 ALL 33.6K

98.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ALL 43.7K

$322 ALL 26.0K

68.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 ALL 120.2K

$593 ALL 47.9K

151.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 ALL 72.0K

$423 ALL 34.2K

110.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,275 ALL 345.4K

$1,792 ALL 144.8K

138.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,133 ALL 172.4K

$1,156 ALL 93.4K

84.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 ALL 70.0K

$949 ALL 76.7K

-8.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

5.33

3.56%

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

Last update for Tirana: July 26, 2026

Last update for Durres: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $826 in Tirana and $415 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Tirana vs $36.00 in Durres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $241 per month, with Durres cheaper across the board.

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 Durres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durres wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Tirana. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durres the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Durres. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $826 in Tirana versus $415 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,432 per month in Tirana versus $1,043 in Durres – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 3% less than in Tirana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,043 in Durres versus $1,432 in Tirana, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Durres but tight or insufficient in Tirana. The gap between the two cities makes Durres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Durres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.