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: $1,395 in Tirana versus $1,053 in Durres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Tirana versus $1,608 in Durres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,032 in Tirana versus $2,163 in Durres.

Living in Tirana is roughly 32% more expensive than Durres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tirana is 4% above, Durres is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 ALL 971

$9.39 ALL 767

26.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 ALL 4,763

$35.05 ALL 2,862

66.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 ALL 780

$7.18 ALL 586

33.01%

Cappuccino

$2.05 ALL 167

$1.92 ALL 157

6.77%

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

$1.87 ALL 153

$1.62 ALL 132

15.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ALL 79.2

$0.84 ALL 68.3

15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 ALL 241

$2.34 ALL 191

26.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ALL 333

$3.36 ALL 275

21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 173

$2.02 ALL 165

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ALL 91.5

$0.86 ALL 70.6

30.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ALL 180

$1.93 ALL 158

14.51%

Eggs

$3.88 ALL 317

$2.94 ALL 240

31.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 ALL 1,061

$10.42 ALL 851

24.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 ALL 631

$7.78 ALL 635

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 ALL 1,260

$13.18 ALL 1,076

17.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ALL 139

$1.19 ALL 97.5

42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 ALL 215

$2.34 ALL 191

12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 161

$1.30 ALL 106

51.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 ALL 158

$1.14 ALL 93.5

69.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ALL 112

$1.11 ALL 90.4

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 103

$0.99 ALL 80.5

28.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ALL 124

$1.13 ALL 92.6

34.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.3

$0.62 ALL 50.7

29.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ALL 349

$3.99 ALL 326

7.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 ALL 836

$11.27 ALL 920

-9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 ALL 128

$1.68 ALL 137

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.75 ALL 143

21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.40

$0.45 ALL 36.74

2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.77 ALL 1,532

$18.03 ALL 1,472

4.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ALL 294

$3.57 ALL 292

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 ALL 253

$2.13 ALL 174

45.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.79 ALL 1,453

$17.76 ALL 1,450

0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 ALL 170

$2.21 ALL 180

-5.88%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$15.4K ALL 1.3M

161.73%

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

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

37.09%

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

$106 ALL 8,630

$66.3 ALL 5,414

59.40%

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

$17.61 ALL 1,438

$17.73 ALL 1,447

-0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.73 ALL 1,530

$16.07 ALL 1,312

16.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ALL 4,509

$37.33 ALL 3,048

47.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.59 ALL 1,844

$60.1 ALL 4,903

-62.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.64 ALL 787

$7.26 ALL 593

32.78%

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

$290 ALL 23.7K

$180 ALL 14.7K

60.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,668 ALL 462.8K

$4,417 ALL 360.6K

28.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 ALL 5,482

$38.32 ALL 3,128

75.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.89 ALL 4,073

$39.82 ALL 3,251

25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,832

$84.0 ALL 6,856

28.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ALL 10.7K

$153 ALL 12.5K

-14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 ALL 66.1K

$426 ALL 34.8K

89.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ALL 44.5K

$316 ALL 25.8K

72.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 ALL 121.6K

$598 ALL 48.9K

148.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ALL 73.4K

$422 ALL 34.5K

112.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,242 ALL 346.4K

$1,824 ALL 149.0K

132.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,048 ALL 167.2K

$1,142 ALL 93.2K

79.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ALL 72.4K

$844 ALL 68.9K

5.00%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Durres: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $810 in Tirana and $426 in Durres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tirana pays 5% 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 $277 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 32% 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 5% 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: $810 in Tirana versus $426 in Durres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,395 per month in Tirana versus $1,053 in Durres – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Durres runs roughly 4% less than in Tirana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,053 in Durres versus $1,395 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 32% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.