Moving to Albania from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Albania — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Albania, you would find that Albania is 36.4% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,000 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly ALL3,790,000 in Albania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Albanian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Albania cheaper than New Zealand?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 23.4% less
Groceries
pay 28.6% less
Transportation
pay 13.6% less
Housing
pay 50.7% less
Childcare
pay 71.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.5% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Albania?
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,000 → ALL3,790,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Albania
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Albania cost about 11% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Albania.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Albania leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Albania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand generally does better on environment, though Albania leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Albania leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Albania leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
New Zealand performs better than Albania across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (2016), Albanian Taxation Office (2016). How we calculate this
Can you move from New Zealand to Albania?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Albania. To live, work, or study long-term in Albania, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Albania's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Albania
Visa Free
Albania passport holder visiting New Zealand
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Albania than New Zealand?
Yes — Albania is on average about 36% cheaper than New Zealand. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Albania?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ALL947,500 in Albania on a NZ$130,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Albania?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Albania has 24.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Albania safe for expats?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Albania leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Albania is 1.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Albania compared to New Zealand?
Albania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 18.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Albania, compared to 36.1 in New Zealand. Albania scores 64 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What language do they speak in Albania?
The official language in Albania is Albanian. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
