Moving to Albania from United States

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What to Expect

Considering a move from United States to Albania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from United States to Albania, you would find that Albania is 52.3% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly ALL2,900,000 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 ↓

Is Albania cheaper than United States?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 43.4% less

Groceries

pay 45.2% less

Transportation

pay 3.8% less

Housing

pay 70.5% less

Childcare

pay 83.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 81.11 ALL (November 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.

What salary do you need in Albania?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → ALL2,900,000

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 52% less than cities in United States.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from United States to Albania.

Living there in 2020
2,225 ↓ 6% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Albania · UN DESA

Who's moving to Albania?

Top countries of origin for Albania's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Albania compared to United States.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

US
5.8
AL
1.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

US
14.2
AL
10.8

Albania performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

US
$13,473
AL
$1,465
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

US
36.8
AL
18.8

Albania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

US
14.0
AL
59.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

US
13.6t
AL
1.8t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

US
38.9
AL
24.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

US
28.2%
AL
4.8%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

US
4.2%
AL
10.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

US
$90,027
AL
$12,998

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

US
78.9 yrs
AL
79.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

US
5.5
AL
8.3

United States generally does better on family life, though Albania leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Albanian Taxation Office (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this

Can you move from United States to Albania?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Albania

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Albania without a visa.
Albania passport

Albania passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Albania passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 United States?

On average Albania is about 52% less expensive than United States, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Albania?

Budget about ALL725,000 for 3 months in Albania (based on a $75,000 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?

Albania performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Albania is 1.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.

How is healthcare in Albania compared to United States?

Albania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 18.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Albania, compared to 36.8 in United States. Albania scores 64 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).

What language do they speak in Albania?

The official language in Albania is Albanian. In United States, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

US AL
Population 341,784,857 2,349,580
Currency United States Dollar ($) Albanian Lek (ALL)
Languages English Albanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +355
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112