Cost of Living Comparison Between Tirana and Lushnje Cost of Living Comparison Between Tirana and Lushnje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Tirana versus $1,244 in Lushnje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,214 in Tirana versus $1,889 in Lushnje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,032 in Tirana versus $2,534 in Lushnje.

Living in Tirana is roughly 12% more expensive than Lushnje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tirana is 4% above, Lushnje is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 ALL 971

$11.90 ALL 972

-0.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 ALL 4,763

$58.0 ALL 4,734

0.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 ALL 780

$9.57 ALL 781

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$2.05 ALL 167

$1.99 ALL 163

3.02%

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

$1.87 ALL 153

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ALL 79.2

$0.91 ALL 74.1

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 ALL 241

$3.03 ALL 247

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ALL 333

$4.24 ALL 346

-3.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 173

$2.07 ALL 169

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ALL 91.5

$1.13 ALL 92.7

-0.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ALL 180

$2.16 ALL 176

2.31%

Eggs

$3.88 ALL 317

$3.95 ALL 323

-1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 ALL 1,061

$13.04 ALL 1,065

-0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 ALL 631

$7.54 ALL 615

2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 ALL 1,260

$15.46 ALL 1,262

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ALL 139

$1.78 ALL 145

-4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 ALL 215

$2.78 ALL 227

-5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 161

$1.98 ALL 162

-0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 ALL 158

$1.99 ALL 162

-3.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ALL 112

$1.36 ALL 111

1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 103

$1.33 ALL 109

-4.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 ALL 124

$1.51 ALL 123

0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.3

$0.75 ALL 61.5

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ALL 349

$4.22 ALL 345

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 ALL 836

$10.40 ALL 849

-1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 ALL 128

$1.58 ALL 129

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 174

$2.09 ALL 171

1.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.40

$0.46 ALL 37.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.77 ALL 1,532

$18.57 ALL 1,516

1.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ALL 294

$3.56 ALL 291

0.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 ALL 253

$3.19 ALL 260

-2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.79 ALL 1,453

$17.81 ALL 1,454

-0.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 ALL 170

$2.05 ALL 167

1.46%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

0.03%

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

$35.3K ALL 2.9M

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

0.69%

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

$106 ALL 8,630

$107 ALL 8,719

-1.02%

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

$17.61 ALL 1,438

$17.98 ALL 1,468

-2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.73 ALL 1,530

$18.75 ALL 1,531

-0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ALL 4,509

$55.1 ALL 4,498

0.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.59 ALL 1,844

$25.56 ALL 2,087

-11.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.64 ALL 787

$9.46 ALL 773

1.90%

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

$290 ALL 23.7K

$161 ALL 13.1K

80.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,668 ALL 462.8K

$5,615 ALL 458.4K

0.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 ALL 5,482

$67.6 ALL 5,518

-0.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.89 ALL 4,073

$50.4 ALL 4,112

-0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,832

$108 ALL 8,828

0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ALL 10.7K

$129 ALL 10.5K

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 ALL 66.1K

$445 ALL 36.4K

81.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ALL 44.5K

$346 ALL 28.3K

57.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 ALL 121.6K

$620 ALL 50.6K

140.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ALL 73.4K

$430 ALL 35.1K

109.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,242 ALL 346.4K

$2,037 ALL 166.3K

108.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,048 ALL 167.2K

$1,224 ALL 99.9K

67.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ALL 72.4K

$604 ALL 49.3K

46.82%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lushnje: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $810 in Tirana and $445 in Lushnje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tirana pays 47% 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 $58.0 in Lushnje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $278 per month, with Tirana 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 Lushnje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lushnje wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Tirana. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lushnje the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tirana pays 47% 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 $445 in Lushnje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lushnje – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $58.0 in Tirana. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,395 per month in Tirana versus $1,244 in Lushnje – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,244 in Lushnje versus $1,395 in Tirana, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lushnje but tight or insufficient in Tirana. The gap between the two cities makes Lushnje 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.

Safety-wise, Tirana and Lushnje are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lushnje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Tirana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.