Moving to Albania from Portugal

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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 17.2% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €64,826 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly ALL4,903,067 in Albania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Albanian.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Portugal to Albania.

What does your salary buy?

€64,826 ALL4,903,067

To maintain the same standard of living in Albania

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 20.9% less

Groceries

pay 4.5% less

Transportation

pay 23.1% more

Housing

pay 48.8% less

Childcare

pay 64.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 7.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 94.97 ALL (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Portugal and Albania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PT
0.8
AL
1.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PT
7.2
AL
10.8

Portugal performs better than Albania across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PT
$4,928
AL
$1,464
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PT
57.7
AL
18.8

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Albania leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PT
10.0
AL
59.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PT
3.3t
AL
1.8t

Portugal generally does better on environment, though Albania leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PT
43.5
AL
20.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PT
12.3%
AL
4.8%

Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Albania leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PT
6.5%
AL
11.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PT
$41,700
AL
$18,100

Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Albania leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PT
81.5 yrs
AL
79.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PT
2.5
AL
10.8

Portugal generally does better on family life, though Albania leads in literacy rate.

Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

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

Portugal passport holder visiting Albania

Visa Free
Portugal passport holders can enter Albania without a visa.
Albania passport

Albania passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Free
Albania passport holders can enter Portugal without a visa.

Data: 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 20% 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 €64,826 comparable salary, that's around ALL1,225,767 in Albania for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Albania?

With 20.6 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 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 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 57.7 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.

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At a Glance

PT AL
Population 10,242,081 3,095,344
Currency Euro (€) Albanian Lek (ALL)
Languages Portuguese Albanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +351 +355
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 112