The Truth About Living in Albania as a Woman: Pros and Cons (Expat) (2025)
The pros and cons of living in Albania as a woman (expat) include cost of living, weather, visas, and cultural differences.
Living in Albania (as a woman) comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. I will speak about my own personal experience living in Albania as a solo female traveler for a year (2023 – 2024). I cover factors such as safety, cost of living, quality of life, and cultural integration. Whether you’re considering a move to Albania or simply curious about what it’s like to live there, this post is meant to help you make an informed decision.
Albania is located in the Balkans, and has a unique blend of natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and a rapidly developing economy. With the stunning Alps mountain range in the north, pristine beaches along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, and a fascinating history spanning centuries, Albania has become an increasingly attractive destination for expats and digital nomads seeking a new adventure.
Table of Contents
Pros of Living in Albania
Cost of Living
Relative to the rest of Europe and the US, Albania is really affordable. However, in the last few years, they have had an influx of people moving into the main capital city of Tirana, which has caused prices to rise. So while it’s not as cheap as it was in 2020, it’s still an affordable place to live.
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 (it will cost more to use the AC in the hottest months). 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.
Long and Easy Visas
Albania is one of the best countries in the world for slow travel and digital nomads. They are one of the only countries in the world that offer US citizens one-year visa free, without any paperwork. Most other countries including the EU, Canada, Mexico, several countries in South America, Asia, and the Middle East get 90 days visa free to visit Albania. For more specific information, check out Albania’s guide to visas.
Bouncing around from place to place can get exhausting as a nomad, so having such a simple and easy entry into the country is a huge bonus. I anticipate that once more people find out about this beautiful country, it will have a tourism boom.
Climate
Albania has a Mediterranean climate along its coastline, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Inland areas experience more continental climate conditions with colder winters and hotter summers. Overall, Albania enjoys a diverse climate due to its varied topography, with mountains, plains, and coastline all contributing to local variations in weather patterns.
Living in Albania means you get pleasant weather for a 6-8 months out of the year. Be warned, a couple months in the summer can get oppressively hot. And a couple months in the winter can be cold and rainy.
On the coast, spring sees average daytime temperatures ranging from 59°F to 77°F (15°C to 25°C), gradually warming up as summer arrives. During the summer months of June to August, coastal areas experience warmer temperatures ranging from 77°F to 95°F (25°C to 35°C), with occasional peaks above 104°F (40°C) during heatwaves. Autumn brings a gradual decrease in temperatures, with averages dropping to 59°F (15°C) by November.
Inland regions tend to have slightly cooler temperatures overall. In spring and autumn, daytime temperatures range from 50°F to 68°F (10°C to 20°C). However, the summers of the last several years have felt like living inside a volcano, with June – August sustaining temperatures in the upper 90’s to 100°F (38°C).
Winter, from December to February, brings cooler temperatures across the country, with coastal areas experiencing averages of 50°F to 59°F (10°C to 15°C) and inland areas seeing averages of 41°F to 50°F (5°C to 10°C) in lower elevations. Higher elevations, especially in mountainous regions, may experience sub-freezing temperatures and receive snow during the winter months.
Tirana is one of the sunniest cities in Europe, so even in the winter, the sun shines and it is pleasant to walk around outside. Spring and fall are beautiful, with plenty of flowers and orange leaves respectively.
To Summarize: Most of the year in Albania has pleasant weather, with a few months getting unbearably hot in the summer, and a couple months in the winter being cold and rainy (coat, hat, gloves).
Internet
Broadband internet is widely available in major cities and towns in Albania, with access provided by various providers offering DSL, cable, fiber-optic, and wireless connections. In urban centers like Tirana, Durres, and Shkodër, internet speeds are generally faster and more reliable compared to rural areas.
The internet in Albania is reliable and available. Speeds are good for streaming and downloading. Wifi is commonly available in cafes and coworking spaces. Vodafone is the largest cellular network provider, with monthly plans starting at around $10 per month, making it easy and affordable to stay connected.
English-Speaking
English is widely known in Albania, and most younger people speak it pretty well. English is taught in schools, and the kids learn it from watching American movies/ TV and listening to english-speaking music. The older generation generally doesn’t speak English, so learning a few words to purchase from produce stands can come in handy. That being said, I only speak English and it has been very easy getting around and living here.
Natural Beauty
Despite being a small country, Albania has stunning landscapes, spanning from the Greek-like beaches in the south to the rugged Alps in the north. Ideal for people looking for an active lifestyle, there are a lot of outdoor activities to do, like hiking and swimming, and even a lot of canyons and rivers to explore. The beaches get very crowded during peak tourist season (June – August). The shoulder seasons (April – May and September – October) bring fewer tourists while still having great weather.
Safety
Albania is considered one of the safest countries in the world for solo female travelers. Every single Albanian person I have talked to has been proud to tell me how safe Albania is. This is actually a very impressive feat considering they had a brutal civil war and a complete change of government only 30 years ago. I have been told that there are no areas of the city that are unsafe, and violent crime against tourists/ foreigners is virtually unheard of.* You can freely walk around the city with your phone in your hands and not worry about it being stolen. Bag snatching and pickpocketing are also very rare in Albania, including in the capital city, Tirana.
I was told that even walking around at night is safe, and the few times I walked home when it was dark (before midnight) I felt totally safe, except once. A guy followed me in his car and was trying to talk to me, despite saying no to him several times. This freaked me out so I bolted down a few streets and found a place to hide. I told this story to a few Albanians and they all told he was trying to get my number. Hitting on women from their cars as a display of wealth is a common approach here. As an American, my brain automatically went to Ted Bundy, so I wasn’t a fan of this tactic. So while I felt unsafe, it could be argued that my safety was not actually in jeopardy.
However…….
*I was sitting in the Grand Park of Tirana at the edge of the artificial lake (where I had been literally dozens of times before) when a man began masturbating at me. I started recording him so I could report it to the police, and he attacked me with a knife. By the grace of god, I only ended up with a cut on my arm and was able to get away. I screamed like a banshee and within a minute, a crowd of 10-20 people had gathered on the main path to help me. Someone called the police, someone else provided a tissue for the blood, and another person gave me a bandage. Because of the video I took, the police were able to identify the man. The detective told me that this kind of crime against tourists is so rare and doesn’t even happen once a year. I just got unlucky I guess. But I feel lucky to be alive.
This brings me to the cons…..
Cons of Living in Albania as a Woman
The Men
It has been my personal experience as a solo female traveler in Albania that the men are really creepy. They stare A LOT, and unfortunately, they will often approach women to hit on them. This makes me really uncomfortable, so leaving my apartment usually required headphones, sunglasses, and emotional preparation. I have had men hit on me while I was wearing my big, over-the-ear, noise-cancelling headphones. I have had men lean out a taxi to hit on me. I have been hit on while I was literally *in the middle* of an anxiety attack. (That guy did NOT get a polite and docile ‘no thank you’…)
I thought maybe I was just being sensitive to all the attention, but after traveling around Europe for a bit (after staying in Albania for a couple months), I felt so much more comfortable walking around in places like Switzerland and the Netherlands, which confirmed that it was not me being sensitive, Albanian men are just really creepy.
I had THREE instances within ONE WEEK of men being abhorrently disgusting at the parks in Tirana (these are in addition to being attacked by a man with a knife); one man stared at me through the bushes and jerked himself off (yes, this happened TWICE). When I caught him, he tried to hide and keep going! I packed up my stuff and left.
Another time, an old man walked by and touched himself and made some comments, and then sat near me and stared at me until I left. Another man tried to sneak up on me while I was in a quiet section of the park, and when I grabbed my stuff and hurried to the main path, he chased me.
The man in the photo above approached me, and then wouldn’t leave when I told him I didn’t want to talk. After a few minutes of him hanging around despite me ignoring him, I decided to leave.
One time, I saw a guy struggling to carry an awkwardly large and moderately heavy box. When I offered to help him, he looked at me and said, and I quote, “no, you’re a woman.”
Just existing here as a (foreign) woman is really uncomfortable because I am constantly being stared at, watched, hit on, and sexualized.
As a final note, these are my experiences as a solo female. I had an American friend living here with her boyfriend, and she had a very different experience. Men still stared at her, but she wasn’t approached and hit on and harassed like I was because she wasn’t alone.
Public Transit
Unfortunately, unlike the rest of Europe, Albania doesn’t have trains. Albania’s public transit system primarily consists of buses, minibuses (known locally as “furgons”), and taxis. Buses and minibusses are the most common and affordable means of public transportation in Albania. They operate between cities, towns, and rural areas, connecting different regions of the country. They allow convenient transportation to southern destinations like Vlora and Sarande, and to the Alps in the north. Albania is a pretty small country, so fun things to do are not very far away. Buses and minibuses are relatively inexpensive and provide a convenient option for traveling longer distances.
Minibuses, or furgons, are smaller vans that operate on shorter routes and are particularly popular for intercity travel, offering frequent departures and flexibility in scheduling. They also go to and from the airport for a few dollars, departing every hour during the day.
Taxis are widely available in urban centers like Tirana, Durres, and other major cities. They are generally more expensive than buses but offer a convenient and flexible way to travel within cities or for shorter distances. Taxis can be hailed on the street or booked through taxi companies or mobile apps.
The capital city of Tirana has a bus system. The downside is that the buses can frequently be late (like, really late) which is really inconvenient and frustrating. They are inexpensive, and when they are on time, it is a convenient way to get around the city. That being said, the city is small enough that it’s walkable. If you live in the main part of Tirana (not the outskirts) you can walk everywhere and wont need to fuss with the buses.
Overall, Albania’s public transit system provides basic but functional transportation. While improvements to infrastructure and services continue to be made, particularly in urban areas, challenges such as limited routes, overcrowding, and inconsistent schedules may still be encountered.
Trash / Littering
I was shocked at the number of times I actually witnessed people littering. People would just throw food wrappers on the sidewalks, and leave their piles of trash in the parks. A guy who lived in the same building as me would throw his trash out his window onto the street. I saw a guy casually dump a handful of garbage on the street outside his business, like it was no big deal.
Maybe it’s because I am American, but I can’t fathom littering, and I can’t fathom living in a place that is littered with garbage. It’s ugly, it’s disgusting, it stinks, and it’s horribly disrespectful to everyone else who lives there, especially the planet. Luckily, there are sanitation workers who sweep the sidewalks, but it’s not enough to keep the cities clean. I noticed that they lack trash bins, especially ones of adequate size. But still, people throwing their trash on the street is a cultural problem, and it’s absolutely shameful.
Unfortunately, Albania is being known for being filled with trash. There are piles of trash in nature, including beaches, trails, parks, lakes, the side of the road, parking lots, everywhere. There are still a few unspoiled places, but they are increasingly becoming harder to find. I hope the government can figure out how to clean up their country because it is an embarrassment.
Lack of Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurants
Albanian people consume a lot of cheese and meat. Despite it being a Muslim country, there is an abundance of pork. They also eat a lot of beef, goat (sheep?), chicken, and fish. Cheese is served with a lot of meals, often accompanying main dishes, even breakfast.
In Tirana, the largest city, there are lots of restaurants serving really good food. However, finding vegetarian or vegan meals is challenging, and finding a vegan restaurant is basically impossible. This is even more challenging in smaller cities or rural areas, where veganism is basically unheard of.
In Tirana, I found some places were willing to exclude the cheese from a salad upon request, and some often had a small selection of vegetarian dishes. However, for vegan food, you wont really know if it’s actually vegan. Most people who aren’t familiar with a vegan diet will forget that sometimes there are animal products used in various breads, in broth for soups, sauces, and other dishes. So sometimes, if it looks vegan, it might not actually be vegan.
If you are strictly vegan, the best option will be to either only eat salads and fruit, or buy produce from the vegetable stands and cook your own meals.
Healthcare
Healthcare in Albania is bad. The national healthcare facilities are generally poor and in need of new, modern equipment. However, the private clinics have modern facilities and staff who often speak English. Additionally, healthcare costs, even at private facilities, are lower compared to many Western countries, making medical services surprisingly affordable. That being said, any major surgery or medical treatment would be best to have done outside the country.
The quality of healthcare outside major urban centers may vary, with rural areas often lacking in facilities and specialized care. Expats should also be aware of potential challenges such as long wait times, limited availability of certain medications, and varying standards of hygiene.
Based on what a few locals told me about the care they received, I would personally rather fly to another country than receive healthcare in Albania: doctors prescribing antibiotics for a cold (viruses can’t be treated with antibiotics…… *facepalm*), doctors prescribing antibiotics for dry eyes, doctors saying that ADHD isn’t a real condition and therefore the person didn’t need the meds their American doctor prescribed…….. the list goes on. They don’t seem well trained in modern medicine, and don’t seem to understand the basics of germ theory. Furthermore, seem to wholly abuse and participate in the pharmaceutical industrial complex. Hard pass.
Smoking
It seems like everyone in Albania smokes cigarettes. The worst part is that they can still smoke indoors and on (covered/ enclosed) patios. This makes sitting at some restaurants or cafes almost impossible to enjoy without secondhand smoke. What’s crazy to me is that the parents of newborn babies and young kids will smoke right near them, smoke billowing over their young faces. As we know from the 8,000+ scientific studies on the effects of cigarette use, this is crucially damaging to children, and anyone else who breathes in the smoke.
If you want to enjoy a coffee without feeling like you’re trapped inside a house fire, try to find cafes with fully outdoor patios to get some fresh air.
Corruption
Despite efforts to combat it, corruption remains a systemic problem in various sectors of Albanian society, including government, law enforcement, and business. Although Expats and tourists normally won’t be affected by the corruption in Albania, those who wish to put down deeper roots, especially buying real estate or starting a business, will probably encounter different levels of corruption.
Expats may find themselves frustrated by bureaucratic inefficiencies, requests for bribes, or unfair treatment due to connections or favors. This pervasive issue can undermine trust in institutions and hinder the smooth functioning of daily life, from obtaining permits and licenses to engaging in business transactions. While progress has been made in recent years, dealing with it is a notable downside for expats establishing a life in Albania.
Scams
People scam foreigners and tourists in every country, and unfortunately Albania is no exception. The most common “scam” is overcharging for things. I had several negative experiences in Albania of people trying to get unfair amounts of money from me.
For example, I had one landlord for an apartment I rented charge me double for electricity for a couple months (he wouldn’t provide me with copies of the bills). When I told him I was moving out because of this, he tried to use anger to intimidate me into submission (it was scary but didn’t work). Other more common instances are being overcharged for things in locally owned stores, taxis, and restaurants.
When buying things, make sure to count your change to make sure they gave you the correct amount back.
Pickpocketing seems to be pretty uncommon in Albania, while walking on the sidewalks and out in public. But of course, use common sense.
Summary
In conclusion, Albania is a good place to live for expats seeking a modern yet affordable place to live. Being a safe* place combined with its stunning natural beauty, rich history, and nice climate, Albania makes the list for great places to hang out for a while. However, navigating infrastructure limitations and occasional cultural differences may pose obstacles for some, especially solo female travelers.
Personally, I do not wish to go back to Albania, especially Tirana. *The men made the whole environment uncomfortable and I felt on edge having to share the sidewalks and just exist in the same place as them. Whether it was going for a walk, sitting the park, enjoying a coffee, or filing a police report, I was constantly hit on and given unwanted attention. Because of this, I rarely felt at peace in Albania. And unfortunately, attempting to escape the male gaze by heading out into nature was often disappointing because of all the trash and its being completely overrun with poorly managed mass tourism.
Albania has so much potential but they have to make some serious changes if they want a robust and safe tourism industry.
Other Albania Resources
- Is Albania Safe for Solo Female Travelers? My Honest Experience and Advice
- What it’s like Living in Albania as an Expat
- How to Live in Albania: Everything You Need to Know for Daily Life (Digital Nomads)
- 23 Best Things to do in Tirana, Albania
- Best Cafes in Tirana, Albania – Outdoor Patios (Personally Selected)
- Complete Guide to Best Vegan Food in Tirana, Albania
- Best Complete Guide to Gjipe Beach Albania – Everything You Need to Know
- How to Get Between Tirana Airport and City Center and Beyond
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