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: $1,418 in Tirana versus $1,179 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,229 in Tirana versus $1,788 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,040 in Tirana versus $2,396 in Durres.

Living in Tirana is roughly 20% more expensive than in Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tirana is 4% above, Durres is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.90 ALL 785

$10.60 ALL 840

-6.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 ALL 4,546

$38.30 ALL 3,037

49.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 ALL 904

$10.50 ALL 833

8.57%

Cappuccino

$2.34 ALL 186

$2.08 ALL 165

12.50%

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

$2.51 ALL 199

$2.05 ALL 162

22.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ALL 106

$1.03 ALL 81.5

29.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ALL 286

$3.13 ALL 248

15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 ALL 321

$4.50 ALL 357

-10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 ALL 183

$2.20 ALL 175

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ALL 100

$1.09 ALL 86.8

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 ALL 190

$2.38 ALL 189

0.84%

Eggs

$3.82 ALL 303

$3.97 ALL 315

-3.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 ALL 1,084

$12.95 ALL 1,027

5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 ALL 719

$7.93 ALL 629

14.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.51 ALL 1,388

$15.04 ALL 1,193

16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ALL 160

$1.18 ALL 93.5

71.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 ALL 198

$2.45 ALL 194

1.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ALL 180

$1.59 ALL 126

43.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 ALL 150

$1.34 ALL 106

41.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ALL 82.3

$0.87 ALL 69.2

19.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ALL 107

$0.96 ALL 76.1

40.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ALL 117

$1.27 ALL 101

16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 63.6

$0.72 ALL 57.0

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 ALL 399

$4.43 ALL 351

13.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 ALL 888

$11.44 ALL 907

-2.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ALL 136

$1.52 ALL 120

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ALL 163

$2.09 ALL 166

-1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.40

$0.52 ALL 41.43

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.00 ALL 1,586

$19.12 ALL 1,516

4.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 ALL 291

$3.79 ALL 300

-3.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.69 ALL 292

$2.55 ALL 202

44.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.02 ALL 1,508

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.41 ALL 191

$2.26 ALL 179

6.64%

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

$34.8K ALL 2.8M

$16.1K ALL 1.3M

116.24%

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

$37.2K ALL 2.9M

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

$102 ALL 8,083

$98.0 ALL 7,773

3.99%

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

$19.23 ALL 1,525

$17.04 ALL 1,351

12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.82 ALL 1,651

$17.04 ALL 1,351

22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 ALL 4,592

$41.99 ALL 3,329

37.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.03 ALL 1,430

$61.9 ALL 4,907

-70.87%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ALL 800

$7.51 ALL 595

34.22%

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

$352 ALL 27.9K

$188 ALL 14.9K

87.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,192 ALL 649.6K

$4,691 ALL 372.0K

74.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 ALL 5,883

$39.91 ALL 3,164

85.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 ALL 3,869

$41.87 ALL 3,320

16.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ALL 9,828

$90.8 ALL 7,196

36.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ALL 9,068

$166 ALL 13.1K

-31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 ALL 67.0K

$459 ALL 36.4K

84.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ALL 39.2K

$342 ALL 27.1K

44.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 ALL 125.0K

$716 ALL 56.8K

120.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 ALL 74.5K

$472 ALL 37.4K

99.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,602 ALL 364.9K

$1,835 ALL 145.5K

150.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,138 ALL 169.5K

$1,155 ALL 91.6K

85.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 ALL 72.4K

$969 ALL 76.8K

-5.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

5.25

7.43%

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

Last update for Tirana: September 13, 2026

Last update for Durres: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $845 in Tirana and $459 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durres pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Tirana vs $38.00 in Durres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $269 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 20% 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 6% 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: $845 in Tirana versus $459 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,418 per month in Tirana versus $1,179 in Durres – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 5% less than in Tirana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,179 in Durres versus $1,418 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 20% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.