Moving to Albania from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Albania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Albania, you would find that Albania is 23.4% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩100,000,000 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly ALL4,670,000 in Albania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Albanian.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Korea and Albania.
What does your salary buy?
₩100,000,000 → ALL4,670,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Albania
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 28.5% more
Groceries
pay 54.0% less
Transportation
pay 11.1% more
Housing
pay 19.1% less
Childcare
pay 70.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.9% 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 6% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Albania compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea performs better than Albania across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2016–2019), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016), Albanian Taxation Office (2016). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Albania
Visa Free
Albania passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 South Korea?
On average Albania is about 23% less expensive than South Korea, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Albania?
Budget about ALL1,167,500 for 3 months in Albania (based on a ₩100,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Albania?
Connectivity is usually fine (Albania: 24.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Albania offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Albania safe for expats?
South Korea performs better than Albania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Albania is 1.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Albania compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 26.1 in South Korea. Albania scores 64 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What language do they speak in Albania?
The official language in Albania is Albanian. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
