Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Albania instead of Maryland, you would:

Health

live 2.7 years longer

In Maryland, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Albania, that number is 79 years (77 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 73.8% less money

Maryland has a GDP per capita of $69,127 as of 2024, while in Albania, the GDP per capita is $18,100 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 3.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Maryland, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Albania, that number is 11.6% as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 2.4 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Maryland, 9.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Albania, however, that number is 22.0% as of 2020.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 13.8% less likely to have internet access

In Maryland, approximately 91.6% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Albania, about 79.0% do as of 2021.

View global rankings →

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: Maryland vs. Albania

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Albania is 32.1% cheaper than Maryland
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Maryland is around the same size as Albania.
→

Albania: At a glance

Albania is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 27,398 sq km. Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939, and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997; however, each of Albania's post-communist elections have been marred by claims of electoral fraud. The 2009 general elections resulted in a coalition government, the first such in the country's history. In 2013, general elections achieved a peaceful transition of power and a second successive coalition government. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and is a potential candidate for EU accession. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles.
Read more

How big is Albania compared to Maryland? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Albania or United States. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.