Prices in Albania
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
SC
I’ve got some new questions about Albania!

My boyfriend and I are going there for just 9 days, including the two travel days… It’s not much, but oh well!

Looking at prices online, I get the impression everything’s more expensive than I thought 😅 So, I wanted to get your feedback on a few things:

* Is hitchhiking common, easy, and generally safe in Albania? * Is it possible to find day-to-day accommodations without booking ahead? If so, are they usually cheaper than the ones you find online? * Is wild camping allowed or at least tolerated?

If any of you have traveled there recently, I’d love all the tips and great deals you’ve got!

Thanks ☺️
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
* Is it possible to find day-to-day accommodations without booking? If so, are they generally cheaper than those found online?

Yes, lots of people rent out rooms—it shouldn’t be hard to find without a reservation. I went there 2 or 3 years ago in mid-September, so not peak season, but I think it’s mainly on the coast where you need to book. Inland, I don’t think it’s necessary. We used Booking to compare different places and get an idea of prices, then negotiated the rate on the spot (without Booking as the middleman), since Booking takes 20% of the price.

* Is wild camping allowed or at least tolerated?

In the mountains, I think it’s possible, though I never saw tents in the wild. There are campgrounds.

Is hitchhiking common, easy, and relatively safe in Albania?

No idea, but what’s certain is that Albanians are super friendly. Once, with rented bikes, I got a flat in the middle of nowhere. We were looking for a repair shop, and at a bar, a guy offered to put the bike in his trailer and drive us back to town (about 15 km!). In the end, a local fixed my flat and refused to let me pay! Anyway, you won’t break the bank taking buses—they’re really cheap! Car rentals were actually more expensive than in neighboring countries like Romania or Bulgaria. If you ever go to Romania, avoid Booking or any other middleman—you can find accommodations everywhere (especially places frequented by locals) with homestays at half the price!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
SC Scoulems07 ·
Thanks so much for this info!!!
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
I took a quick look at hotel and guesthouse rates in Shkodër (via Booking.com) for July, and there are quite a few rooms between 24 and 35 € with breakfast included... and plenty under 50 €. Not really expensive for Europe. Shkodra Backpackers Hotel is at 32 €.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi there,

I’ve never stayed in Albania for very long, but I’ve been there several times. What always struck me about prices were how high they were in grocery stores. Everything comes from Italy, which is already the most expensive country in Europe for that kind of thing. Don’t hesitate to eat out at restaurants instead.

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
Hi there, I don’t know where you went or what kinds of food you bought, but as far as I’m concerned, I don’t know any country in Europe where food in general is cheaper than in Albania.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi there,

I’m talking about shops, small grocery stores, and supermarkets—these are the most expensive in Europe, in my opinion.

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
We’ve bought food supplies for mountain hikes several times, and I can confirm that prices were much cheaper than in France. Some items not produced in Albania might be pricier, but that’s not the case for most things.

I had a similar experience in Romania where, in a supermarket, meat (I can’t remember which type) was more expensive than in France. It surprised me because when eating out, the prices were really cheap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
I don’t know what you bought or where. In Albania, they produce almost nothing. Everything is imported. I can’t recall the name of that supermarket chain, but everything was more expensive than in Sweden. Romania’s the same—better to eat at a restaurant.

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
Sometimes I have a bit of trouble understanding how things work there? I’ve been to Romania three times. Since we do a lot of hiking, we usually pack a picnic for lunch... So we do our shopping, often in small supermarkets. All the groceries—cold cuts, cheeses, yogurts, fruits, pastries—are way cheaper than in France!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
VO Voyajou Globetrotter ·
In Albania (...) everything was more expensive than in Sweden.

In Stockholm last month, I was surprised by the number of Albanians in the grocery stores. Thanks for the insight (by the way, it’s said that Ryanair operates the direct Tirana/Stockholm flight not to let Swedes go sunbathing on a budget but so Albanians can do their shopping cheaply).

I can’t remember the name of that supermarket chain

Le Bon Marché?
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi,

So the store was Conad—I think it’s an Italian brand—but the other chains were really expensive too. In Sweden, there are a lot of Albanians or Kosovars; the flights are mostly for them, not so much for Swedish tourists. Just saying.

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
I must’ve gotten really lucky shopping repeatedly in small local markets where prices were 2 to 3 times lower than in France. I didn’t buy lobster caviar or Romanée-Conti either! That said, I’m not the only one noticing this!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTDtLn-lODb/

Note: even though it’s not mentioned in this video, meat and chicken are also on average twice as cheap as in France, and fruits and vegetables can be up to three times cheaper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
FA Fangui Veteran ·
Hi there!

I was in Albania in May, and we mainly rented apartments, had breakfasts and dinners in the apartment. So we did our grocery shopping and found the bill really gentle…
fangui

http://fanaumaroc.canalblog.com/
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
Maybe Tatra mostly dealt in imported luxury goods ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi there,

In Albania, almost nothing is imported. It was a Conad in the city center, and honestly, it was better to eat at a restaurant. But have those who talk about it actually compared?

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
There are at least two of us here (on VF) who’ve done grocery shopping all over the country—north, south, coast, etc.—and one thing’s clear: food prices in any little supermarket are at least half as cheap as in France. I really don’t get why you’re so stubborn about an undeniable fact...

Eating out, sure, we did that every night. It’s obviously more convenient and also cheaper than in France, but it’s clear that for those on a tight budget, doing your grocery shopping in Albania and cooking meals in your rental apartment is way more economical than eating out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
I know where I’ve tried shopping, and I also know where I shop in France. Now, if you’ve found better deals and in France you frequent stores that are much pricier than the ones I go to, that changes the perspective. I remember pieces of cheese or cold cuts, chicken—everything was at least 3 € each, and it was delicious. There are definitely discount spots in Albania too, but you have to buy in larger quantities, not just portions for two...

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
What I understood is that when faced with the obvious, you always try to muddy the waters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
What’s the goal of this discussion?

Next time you’re in Tirana, you’ll do some grocery shopping to cook for yourself at one of the chain supermarkets like Conad or Spar, and you’ll get a sense of it. There are a lot of factors: everything’s imported from countries where it’s already expensive, like Italy, the lek is strong, which means food prices in Albania are very similar to what they are elsewhere in Europe, and then there’s the “small shop,” “small volume,” and tourism effect. It’s not exactly a secret, by the way: https://www.balkanweb.com/en/Albania-will-become-more-expensive-in-2025--food-prices-will-exceed-the-EU-average-for-the-first-time/#gsc.tab=0

Now you trust your experience, and I’ll trust mine.

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
Next time you go to Tirana, you’ll do your grocery shopping at one of the chain supermarkets, like Conad or Spar, and you’ll get an idea.

Uh, no—in Tirana, I don’t need to do groceries; I go to the hotel and eat at restaurants😏. Same in all the big cities.

There are definitely discount places in Albania too, but you have to buy in larger quantities, not just portions for two...

I must’ve been really lucky because, without even looking, in every small village and bigger town, I only shopped at discount supermarkets!😏. What luck—I should play the lottery! We bought several times: various cold cuts, cheeses, yogurts, pastries, seasonal fruits, and even cans of tuna and mackerel—all at very low prices! The only place we didn’t shop was in big cities like Tirana because you don’t go hiking in the city! I wonder where you went in Albania?! Do you actually explore when you travel? Did you just do Airport/Tirana city center? Where did you buy groceries besides Conad in Tirana? At the airport? PS: One thing’s for sure—the price difference (for basic food items) compared to France doesn’t justify the hassle of grocery shopping; it’s definitely better to eat at restaurants. When we did shop, it wasn’t to save money but so we could picnic in nature. However, for students or young people on a tight budget, the best option isn’t hotels or restaurants but renting an equipped apartment to cook in—and thus doing your own grocery shopping. I didn’t pay much attention in Albania, but in Romania, local tourists stay in "hostels" where they can prepare their own meals. We took half-board while the Romanians were grilling outside... They almost always invited us for drinks! It’s actually really interesting to find these kinds of places that don’t show up on booking sites like Booking.com. They’re often a little less "modern," but so much warmer and always way cheaper!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi,

I don’t think I owe anyone an explanation about my exact travels.

It’s simple—the link I shared seems to confirm that food prices in Albania are high, statistically speaking, and above the European average. I’m not *that* off with my financial perception, so 😏. The numbers don’t lie, and neither do the long-time VoyageForum members, so I’ll leave it at that.

Michel
DJ Djalma Globetrotter ·
Numbers don’t lie

Apparently, it’s not just the numbers. 🙁 We must not be looking at the same ones. These are up-to-date (June 2026) and aren’t from a specific chain. They’re the actual "prices of products in stores in Albania"... But whatever, you’ll always be right. Even if you only spent a day in central Tirana and your only experience is from that one Conad store.

https://bdeex.com/fr/price/albania/?type=eat&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XCOyB7WStI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eI67iCbKY

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