tirana cityscape albania
|

How to Live in Albania: Everything You Need to Know for Daily Life (Digital Nomads)

ByBrooke

In the heart of the Balkans, Albania is quickly emerging as a hidden gem for digital nomads. With its stunning coastline and rugged mountains, this small Mediterranean country offers natural beauty and a rich history, plus a year-long tourist visa for Americans, which makes it an increasingly attractive destination for those seeking a change of pace.

I lived in Albania for one year in 2023 – 2024, and am writing from my own personal experience. 

If you are looking for information about cost of living, visas, and climate, check out the Pros and Cons of Living in Albania as an Expat.

This post is meant to help those who want insight into how to live daily life in Albania, like where to buy food and get safe drinking water.

Table of Contents

national historical museum tirana albania things to do in tirana
Tirana, Albania

Cash is King

Most people and places still only accept cash. Lek (the local currency) and Euro are generally accepted. Hotels and grocery store chains (Big Market, Conad, etc.) accept cards. A lot of restaurants accept cards and cash, but a lot only accept cash. Apple pay and other tap-to-pay are not very common here yet. 

ATMs are easily located throughout the city, and some even dispense Euros as well as Lek.

Drinking Water

water delivery tirana albania

It is not advised to drink tap water in Albania, especially Tirana. Unfortunately, the best options for getting drinking water aren’t that good. You can purchase large jugs (5 – 10L) of water from convenience stores for a couple dollars. But then you have to carry them home. And keep buying them every few days.

There are also companies that deliver 20 L reusable jugs, but they are hit and miss. A friend used one, but they would frequently miss deliveries, and not give any advanced notice when they were going to show up. It was unreliable and frustrating, but could be more convenient than having to buy smaller jugs and haul them home all the time. 

Tap water can be used for washing dishes, brushing teeth, laundry, etc. Bottled/filtered water should be used for drinking and cooking.

Produce Stands

produce market fruit vegetables albania

Decorating the streets of Tirana are fresh produce markets. They are small open-air markets that sell fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, honey, and other food items. Most of the food in these produce stands is imported from around the region (Balkans and Europe). They also have fruit from South America, such as bananas and avocado. A lot of things are sold by the kilo, so the handwritten number is the price per kilo. 

Living in Albania means you get to experience their amazing seasonal produce. In the spring, you can get DELICIOUS red cherries and LEGIT strawberries (not the GMO kind in the USA that are hard and white on the inside and utterly flavorless). Figs come into season In July and August, and they are plump, juicy, and amazing.

Albania has an abundance of nuts pretty much year round, to include walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, and even chestnuts! In the winter, people roast chestnuts over an open fire on the sidewalks of Tirana, and you can purchase some for only one euro! And they are delicious!

To learn more about what produce is in season, check out this Complete Guide to Seasonal Produce in Albania: Fruits, Vegetables, & More.

Buy Locally

local farmers vegetables tirana albania

Local people will often sit on the sidewalks selling produce from their home gardens. This is a great way to get healthy, organic fresh produce for really cheap. They usually don’t speak any English, but your phone calculator works great for understanding the price. To get the freshest produce, go in the mornings before 10am. They usually sit in the same place, and as you spend time in the city, you will come to know their spots. 

You will find people selling vegetables, fruit, eggs (I bought duck eggs one time!), honey, nuts, tea, herbs, milk, flowers, and more. Excellent way to support local people and get some good, healthy, fresh food.  

How to Find Housing in Albania

There is no shortage of available housing in Albania, especially Tirana. However, as more and more people flock to the city, the prices are have sharply increased since 2020.

AirBnb is a good resource for finding available apartments and accommodation in the larger cities. Monthly rent can be negotiated during the off season (September – May). However, beware of their exorbitant fees if you book through the app…

Facebook is a great resource for finding more affordable housing. There are Tirana expat groups (and other expat groups) where people post available housing with photos and prices. I found my apartment this way- I stayed for 5 months and never had a lease and didn’t have to pay a deposit. I paid my rent (plus utilities) in cash every month. It was so simple and easy.

If you meet any locals, they might be able to help you find a place. This culture still runs quite a bit on word of mouth and “knowing a guy”. Additionally, apartments for rent are often posted around the neighborhoods, so just take a walk around and keep an eye out for any signs advertising a place to rent.

Unfortunately, they often take advantage of foreigners by charging more for rent. Monthly rent for a one bedroom in the apartment will cost between $500-$700 USD (2024). Locals will pay $300-$500. However, this is still so much cheaper than the rest of Europe and the US, so it still makes it an affordable place to live. 

Electricity should cost between $20-$50 per month depending on the season (heater/ AC). Coffee/ espresso costs between $1 – $3. Meals in restaurants cost between $4 – $15. Drinks in a bar cost around $4 – $10. 

All said and done, it is easy for one person (or two people living together) to live comfortably in Albania for less than $1000 per month. 

Cafe Culture

cafe culture tirana albania

There is a huge cafe/ coffee culture in Albania, so there’s no shortage of cool places to hang out and get some work done (pretty much every cafe/restaurant has free wifi). The traditional Albanian breakfast consists of a shot of espresso and a cigarette, and so cafes are located everywhere (literally every street). A popular chain, Mulliri, offers plant-based milk as well as decaf, both of which can be challenging to find in local places. 

I visited a lot of cafes and became a regular at a couple. Check out my Top 10 Best Cafes in Tirana, Albania. 

Barber Culture

Albanians love a zero fade. Barbers are about as common as cafes in Tirana. Guys go at least once a week, and sometimes twice. They have personal relationships with their barbers that span years or decades, and some are even open as late as 2am! If you are someone who gets short haircuts, you are in luck! A regular haircut will cost around $5. What a deal. 

Tipping Culture

Tipping in Albania is appreciated but not obligatory. It is not the same as the US at all. It is common to round up, or give extra change. 10% would be fair and generous. Taxi drivers are generally tipped the same as everywhere. You do not need to tip food delivery drivers because the delivery fee goes directly to them. 

Food Delivery

baboon food delivery tirana albania

I got really sick for more than a week when I was living in Tirana, and had to download a food delivery app out of necessity (Baboon). I was blown away by how cheap and easy it was!

You confirm your order on the app, and pay in cash to the delivery driver! There are no service fees or taxes– just the price of your food and a very small delivery fee (the most I saw was $2, the least was $0.50). The US could never. 

*Important Note* To sign up for the app, you have to have an Albanian phone number. (This means that you need a physical SIM rather than most eSIMs – more on this below).

You have to have an Albanian phone number because the delivery driver will call you to ask where you live. It’s crazy, but they don’t use your address. It was so strange telling them the street, and then to “turn by the car wash, and go all the way down…” But somehow they always figured it out, despite the language barrier. 

SIM Card

Vodafone is the most common cellular provider in Albania, with regular modern speeds. You can get plans for around $10/month for 10GB of data, plus calls and text messages. I walked into a Vodafone store and the employee set everything up for me.

Alternatively, you can buy an eSIM from the app Airalo for a similar price to Vodafone. However, these don’t usually come with a phone number, so if you want to use food delivery apps, it’s best to get a physical SIM with a phone number.

clothes shopping tirana albania
Shopping in Tirana, Albania

Shopping (Everything is Fake)

The shoes and clothing in Albania are very low quality. Most stores are filled with fast fashion and cheap plastic crap from China. They also love fake designer here, so you will find a lot of Kavlin Klain, Hugo Bosse, Balenciagia, adiddas, and more. It was so hard to find quality clothing and shoes in Albania that I literally had them sent to another country and brought over when the opportunity arose. I also brought back clothes for Albanian friends when I visited other countries in Europe. 

Surprisingly, despite the quality being bad, things can still be expensive. A dress that cost $2 to make is being sold for $20. A pair of shoes being sold for $15 will only last 3 months. 

If you are living in Albania and need things, try to arrange ways of obtaining it outside of Albania. If you have it mailed to Albania, be careful of the very high VAT (import) tax, which is more than 20% (ask the DHL employee for tips on how to navigate this).

The best way to get what you need is to travel outside Albania and bring whatever you need back with you on the plane so you don’t pay any tax. 

To Summarize: Don’t go shopping in Albania. 

Where to Buy Toiletries

Like a lot of other things in Albania, it’s hard finding good toiletries (I don’t mean the mass produced kind you’d find at Walmart – you can find that in the chain grocery stores like Big Market).

The German chain store Rossman has higher quality toiletries, but they aren’t cheap. There are several locations in Tirana, just search for it in google maps.

albania nuclear bunker spring
Nuclear Bunker in Albania: Where life persists, a fragile bloom, defiant amidst impending doom.

Sending and Receiving Packages in Albania

The most reliable and fastest method to send and receive packages in Albania is DHL Express. If your package is time-sensitive or valuable, DHL is the top choice.

✅ DHL has:

  • The quickest delivery times
  • The most accurate tracking
  • The fewest customs delays
  • The best customer service in Albania

Shipping rates with DHL Albania are based on weight and destination zone.

There are 6 DHL zones worldwide.

  • Zones 1–3 = Europe (1-3 days)
  • Zone 4 = USA (2 days)
  • Zones 4–6 = Rest of the world

For Europe (Zones 1–3):

  • Minimum price: €39–48 per 0.5 kg

**Prices increase depending on the total weight and the destination zone.

DHL makes it super easy – you can simply head to a DHL service point to send or receive packages.

For more information, check out my Complete Guide to Sending & Receiving Packages in Albania (2025 Update).

Other Albania Resources

Similar Posts