"You Can Buy A Studio For 50 Thousand Euros." Pros And Cons Of Living In Albania, Prices, Real Estate And Nature

Albania is a great place to live. Beautiful nature, delicious food, friendly people and favorable conditions for entrepreneurship. But, as everywhere, there are pitfalls. Helga told us about her life with her family in Albania, obtaining a residence permit, opening her own business and everyday moments.

About residence permit and business registration

— My name is Helga. My family, my husband and son, and I moved to Albania almost 3 years ago. We live in Durres.

Since we came and lived in this country for a month before moving, we already understood what we could do here. Therefore, after moving, we immediately registered and started working. At the same time, we opened a street-wear sportswear store and customized shoes, as well as a daily rental business.

We signed the first long-term lease agreement 2 weeks after arrival. Then friends and clients began to appear, and the business slowly grew and developed — soon the sales and renovation of apartments were added. The store did not meet our expectations: the local population is very fond of branded goods, not individual style, so it had to be closed.

As for the residence permit of Albania, it was and remains an easy task to obtain the relevant documents. There are several directions that allow us to do this — we were registered on the basis of business.

There is also a good program for obtaining a residence permit when buying real estate without a cost limit (with the necessary minimum of 20 meters per person), but at that time we had not yet decided whether we would buy a house here. For today, I will say that this is the fastest and most inexpensive option for obtaining an Albanian residence permit; in addition, it is a fairly profitable investment.

About the pros, cons and locals

— Albania is a beautiful country with magnificent nature, which impresses with its diversity: This is the sea with sandy and stone beaches, and mountains with lush vegetation, and mountain rivers, and coniferous forests. According to statistics, Albania has 320 sunny days a year, and it is very energizing and positive.

The biggest plus is, of course, the sea. In winter, you can walk and enjoy the view and the sound of the waves, and in summer you can swim and engage in water activities (scooter, catamaran, etc.).

Albania is developing and developing its infrastructure very noticeably, butAt first, the absence of urns on the streets was very striking. Traffic is very difficult in the beach areas during the season due to the large number of cars and small parking areas.

Albania has developed farming in the field of livestock and crop production, so there are very tasty natural products and fairly adequate prices for them, and the same situation with seafood. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are on sale all year round and have a rich taste and aroma.

At first, it was difficult to find our usual custard tea in establishments, since all locals drink coffee, but gradually the situation is improving — more often you can order both traditional black and green, as well as local herbs or mixtures with berries and fruits.

Albania has open, kind and responsive people, and therefore our adaptation was quite easy.

In general, the locals are very proud of their history and keep many folk traditions: everyone from kids to old people can dance national dances and certainly do it at any event. They are proud like the eagles depicted on their flag, and very family—friendly – traditionally, Albanian families have at least 2-3 children. Many residents speak several languages perfectly, and the older generation even knows Russian.

About prices and standard of living

— Although Albania is considered a poor country with an average salary of €450, now a lot of new housing is being built here (both in the capital and on the coast), and local residents often visit restaurants and drive good cars.

It was a little difficult to get used to a slower and more relaxed rhythm of life compared to Minsk, but over time we also started doing everything “Awash-Awash” (slowly, slowly).

Since I have been living here for quite a long time, it is difficult for me to compare prices. But I think that the cost of utilities is much higher here due to the lack of centralized heating and the unusual cold indoors in winter (it can be warmer outside during the day).

The products, considering the quality, are inexpensive:

pork — €7 kg;
cheese — €10kg;
milk — €1.5 per 1.5 liters;
olive oil — €7 per liter;
fresh shrimp — €12 per 1 kg;
oranges, apples, cucumbers — €1;
tomatoes in winter — €2-3, in summer – €1;
greens — €1.5 per 1 kg (lettuce, spinach, arugula).

A large pizza in the restaurant costs €7—€10, a hot dish with fish or chicken costs €10—€15, pasta, risotto will cost €6—€12.

In Albania, gasoline and diesel are quite expensive — € 1.8 per liter, but cheap gas — € 0.6.

Car insurance is also not cheap — from 200 € per year (depends on the volume and year of production)

The country has both public medicine and education, as well as private alternatives. A visit to a specialized doctor with an ultrasound examination will cost an average of € 50, a dental seal — from € 20.

Private kindergartens cost €80—€100 per month, private schools with meals with both Albanian and English — €200—€300 per month.

Clothing in large shopping malls is represented by all popular world brands (Zara, Massimo Duti, NY, H&M, Bershka, etc.). There are also many small shops with Chinese goods, and in the capital there are boutiques with branded Italian brands. There are many sports shops. It is harder to choose genuine leather shoes, since they are mainly sold in leatherette.

About housing prices

— As for housing, this is a very affordable market in Albania — an apartment on the sea can be rented for an annual rent (depending on the repair and proximity to the coast) from €300—€500, plus utilities. You can buy a studio for €50 thousand, larger apartments for €60—€70 thousand. On average, a square meter of housing now costs from €1—€1.5 thousand.

Nevertheless, real estate prices have risen very much over the past two years — due to the geopolitical situation, the large influx of Slavs and interest from other countries. There is an active development of both the coast and the capital, and this makes housing even more affordable and at the same time modern.

Of course, the operation of apartments in Albania is different from life in the middle zone. The climate is humid and there is no central heating, and mold can often appear if the ventilation system is incorrect. In autumn, due to heavy rains, apartments can be flooded both through windows (since the sealant can deteriorate during the summer season) and from the upper floors from neighbors.

If you are buying a property in Albania for your own life, then I would recommend calling an electrician and rechecking the entire system of wires and connections, as there are fires due to poor electrical wiring.

“Price increases can be observed not even annually, but monthly.” Who is currently buying real estate in Albania and for what purposes?

About work and the Albanian language

— It is not very easy to find a job without knowing the language, but small businesses are very developed here, which makes it easy to register and earn money in your business. Also, due to the large outflow of local youth and professionals, you can always find your place in Albania if you are a professional in your field and in a sought-after industry. And during the season, specialists in the service sector (hotels, restaurants, and so on) are in great demand here.

Since the country is actively developing, the laws for small business have been adopted very favorable: a law has been adopted here, according to which, until 2029, with a turnover of less than €85 thousand per year, an entrepreneur pays only income tax — it is about € 110 per month — and an annual fee for registration in the premises.

If the specifics of work or business involve mainly communication with Russian-speaking people, then you can live and not learn the Albanian language. But for everyday communication, even a small set is enough, since Albanians are happy to hear their speech from a foreigner. Besides English, many Albanians know Italian well.

— Although the country is small, it is very rich in interesting places, sights and delicious restaurants with traditional dishes. There are many ancient fortresses and castles in Albania, but the most important entertainment is the sea and the mountains.

In general, it is very comfortable, calm and free to live in Albania — it is a modern and Europeanized society. Everyone who appreciates quality, beauty, kindness and freedom falls in love with the country at first sight and stays alive.