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: $1,447 in Tirana versus $1,036 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,202 in Tirana versus $1,594 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,956 in Tirana versus $2,151 in Durres.

Living in Tirana is roughly 40% more expensive than Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tirana is 9% above, Durres is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 ALL 964

$9.24 ALL 753

28.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 ALL 4,712

$34.65 ALL 2,824

66.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ALL 775

$7.13 ALL 581

33.38%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ALL 159

$1.86 ALL 151

4.84%

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

$1.84 ALL 150

$1.63 ALL 133

12.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ALL 75.7

$0.85 ALL 69.1

9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 ALL 233

$2.39 ALL 195

19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ALL 332

$3.24 ALL 264

25.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 175

$2.02 ALL 165

6.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ALL 88.7

$0.87 ALL 71.2

25.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ALL 175

$1.97 ALL 161

9.14%

Eggs

$3.84 ALL 313

$2.92 ALL 238

31.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 ALL 1,074

$10.55 ALL 860

24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 ALL 642

$7.73 ALL 630

1.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 ALL 1,279

$13.18 ALL 1,075

19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ALL 138

$1.16 ALL 94.9

45.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 ALL 223

$2.35 ALL 192

16.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ALL 166

$1.29 ALL 105

58.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ALL 162

$1.17 ALL 95.0

70.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ALL 108

$1.13 ALL 92.2

17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 107

$1.02 ALL 83.3

29.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 122

$1.13 ALL 92.2

32.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.0

$0.62 ALL 50.8

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 ALL 353

$4.01 ALL 327

8.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ALL 886

$10.91 ALL 890

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ALL 134

$1.68 ALL 137

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ALL 175

$1.77 ALL 144

21.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 40.03

$0.49 ALL 39.89

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.56 ALL 1,513

$18.48 ALL 1,506

0.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 ALL 283

$3.47 ALL 282

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 ALL 260

$2.15 ALL 175

48.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.85 ALL 1,455

$17.84 ALL 1,454

0.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 ALL 176

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

$40.8K ALL 3.3M

$15.1K ALL 1.2M

170.66%

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

$35.7K ALL 2.9M

$25.6K ALL 2.1M

39.60%

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

$105 ALL 8,579

$66.1 ALL 5,384

59.36%

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

$17.98 ALL 1,466

$17.65 ALL 1,438

1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.40 ALL 1,500

$16.01 ALL 1,305

14.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.4 ALL 4,519

$37.01 ALL 3,016

49.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 ALL 1,830

$58.7 ALL 4,784

-61.75%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ALL 754

$7.18 ALL 585

28.83%

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

$284 ALL 23.2K

$177 ALL 14.5K

60.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,607 ALL 457.0K

$4,338 ALL 353.6K

29.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 ALL 5,535

$38.20 ALL 3,113

77.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 ALL 4,135

$39.03 ALL 3,181

30.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,680

$86.0 ALL 7,009

23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.4K

$153 ALL 12.4K

-16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 ALL 67.8K

$416 ALL 33.9K

99.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 ALL 44.7K

$313 ALL 25.5K

75.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 ALL 121.2K

$613 ALL 49.9K

142.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 ALL 72.8K

$436 ALL 35.6K

104.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,515 ALL 367.9K

$1,782 ALL 145.3K

153.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,235 ALL 182.2K

$1,133 ALL 92.4K

97.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$910 ALL 74.2K

$846 ALL 68.9K

7.61%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Durres: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $832 in Tirana and $416 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tirana pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Tirana vs $35.00 in Durres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $240 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 40% 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.

Tirana pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $832 in Tirana versus $416 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Tirana versus $1,036 in Durres – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 0% less than in Tirana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,036 in Durres versus $1,447 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 40% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.