Albania is a country located in the southeastern Europe. The capital city of Albania is Tirana. The official currency is Albanian lek. Since many people are looking for an affordable destination to travel and live , Albania has become a favorite for people who likes an European style vacation.
Albania has also become a recent attraction to people who are involved in the remote jobs where they work and live in different countries. Compared to UK and and Western Europe Albania seems to have a lesser cost of living.
The cost of living for the local people will be higher because of lower wages when compared to people working in remote.
Your rent depends on the location your rent the flat, and the size of the flat. If you are living alone or with partner you can have a smaller flat, but if you are with family and children you need a bigger flat to accommodate every one.
Saranda and Tirana are two major cities where people look while renting an apartment to stay. The rent will cost 150 Euros for a 2 bed and 2 bath facility. If you are going away from the city and take a stay in smaller village, you will save you some money. But, the facilities has to be compromised accordingly.
The cost of rent in Tirana , the capital city is little higher when compared to Saranda. It is better to avoid places which are tourist attraction to save money on your rent. You can find the place to rent on Indomino.
If you are looking to buy a house in Albania, before moving in, you can find the properties for sale here.
If you are looking for a shorter stay, you can book the best hotel for a cheaper rate in Agoda.
There are more apartments for rent in Albania, but finding a owner to rent an apartment for longer period is going to be task for you. It is always better to go in person and check the apartment and sign a valid contract. It is advisable to ask other expats who are already living there.
Some landlords avoid rental contract because of higher taxes on rental contract.
There is a high chance of people scamming you, by charging double the rent, knowing your are a foreigner or an EXPAT. Since there are more people flocking to Albania after pandemic, landlords are on the demanding side.
It is easy for people to charge 700 Euros for a 2 bed apartment to a foreigner and 150 Euro for locals, so it better to do a deep research and have a good local contact before you sign up for longer rentals in Albania.
You should posses a good negotiating skills before you finalize a contract. The first price that comes from a landlord is going to be an inflated price . And also confirm that the rent stay same during summer season or it will be higher. Since summer is the peak season in Albania for tourist, they tend to charge more during summer.
The electricity bill in Albania will cost you 20-35 Euros and water charges will cost you 15 Euros. The electricity charges may go high during winters to keep the heaters on.
If you are staying in a hotel these charges will be inclusive of your room rent.
This is the most important thing for people who work in remote . The Wi-Fi is very good in the country and you can find the best internet service providers and their package here. Averagely the internet will cost you about 17- 20 Euros monthly.
The food in Albania seems to be affordable with everything costing under 10 Euros and if you are looking to cook, you should check the super markets with price display to buy. Some times the local will charge you double if they know you are a foreigner. So, its better to buy your groceries from super markets or places where there are price tags. Once you become familiar with the city you can explore more from the local market
You can check the prices of all your groceries here.
The public transport system is cheaper with a monthly bus ticket which will cost you 11-15 Euros. If you are planning to take taxi for your it will be a costly affair and buying a car also looks expensive in Albania. The gas price in Albania is around 6 – 7 Euros
It is better to use the public transport and know the local bus timing. Ask the locals for more information to know more about the public transport.
Always carry cash on local transport to avoid any hassle.
All these information are basic for you to start with, you will always find a better way when you actually live in and network with the locals.
If you are looking to spend in bigger shops and restaurant they accept card , if you want to explore smaller shops and eateries they accept on cash. Cash is king in Albania. It is best to carry a debt card to withdraw in ATM’s and use the cash when necessary.
It is also not advisable to carry a lot of cash , because there are chances you can be mugged. Always carry cash which are needed for the week or a day .
Yes you can use Revolut in Albania , but you Revolut cards are not delivered to Albania residents . if you are not an Albania resident you can apply the card through the app and use the card in Albania.
An alternative to Revolut is Wise card in Albania .
