Moving to Albania from Portugal
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Portugal to Albania — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Portugal to Albania, you would find that Albania is 28.1% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €67,000 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly ALL4,410,000 in Albania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Albanian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Portugal to Albania.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → ALL4,410,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Albania
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 21.9% less
Groceries
pay 11.0% less
Transportation
pay 9.2% less
Housing
pay 47.9% less
Childcare
pay 56.6% 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.
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 15% less than cities in Portugal.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Albania
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How Portugal and Albania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs better than Albania across all safety metrics.
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
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Albania leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal 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
Portugal 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
share of people below the poverty line
Portugal 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal generally does better on family life, though Albania leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (2016), Albanian Taxation Office (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Albania
Visa Free
Albania passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa FreeData: 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 Portugal?
Generally yes: Albania runs about 28% cheaper than Portugal on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Albania?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around ALL1,102,500 in Albania for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Albania?
With 24.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Albania can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Portugal and Albania.
Is Albania safe for expats?
Portugal performs better than Albania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Albania is 1.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in Albania compared to Portugal?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Albania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 18.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Albania, compared to 58.5 in Portugal. Albania scores 64 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What language do they speak in Albania?
The official language in Albania is Albanian. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
