Today, I will share our estimated monthly cost to retire in Saranda Albania including rent, groceries, utilities, internet, cell phone, restaurants, drinking water, laundry, and transportation if the two of us retire here on a tight budget.
This is our second stop in Albania. We first spent time in the capital of Albania, called Tirana, and now we have come to the coast of Albania. Saranda Albania has one of the most beautiful coastlines on the Adriatic Sea. More beautiful than the Italian side in my opinion.
I have spent the last 17 years traveling all around the world finding the best places to retire overseas for less money than my home country the USA. Although I may settle down one day in my favorite place in the world, for now, I am still enjoying traveling the world and reporting on my favorite places overseas.
We took the video of Saranda Albania you are watching with our feet on the ground here. Some people report on foreign countries by collecting data from 10k miles away. We believe you have to put your feet on the ground before talking about a place.
After I share my cost of living in Saranda Albania, I will share what I learned about healthcare, food, real estate, things to do, social considerations, visas, walkability, weather, Internet speeds, and expat considerations.
Estimated Cost to Retire in Saranda Albania
Rents: Today, I found this furnished 1 bedroom apartment in Saranda advertised online with a long-term lease at 350 Euros ($389 USD) per month. The ad shows that it is located on the map about 10 minutes walk from central Saranda which is where we would want to live. If you rent for a short term on Airbnb it would be much more expensive.
A larger apartment closer to the old town could easily cost twice as much per month. So for the middle range expenses, I estimate $720 USD per month or more depending upon area and size.
Here is the process we use to find great apartments. So, we will show you a table of all estimated expenses in a moment. We will use $389 USD per month for our lower rent estimate and $720 per month for the middle cost of living estimate for expats who want more space.
In case these rents are too high for you, there are smaller towns up and down the coast of Albania with lower rents and even cheaper rents in rural areas. Subscribe now if you would like to know where what retirement destination we report om next.
Utilities: For the apartment above, we estimate the year-round average utilities for us would be about $55 USD per month. The utilities would cost more for the larger space, starting at around $90 USD per month.
Groceries: We would shop in the farmers market for fresh fruits and vegetables, and purchase nonperishable foods and other things like shampoo and detergents in the grocery stores. We estimate about $320 USD per month for groceries. Other expats are likely to spend more on imported groceries they miss from home spending $420 USD per month or more on groceries, since many don’t go to the farmer’s markets as often.
Restaurants: We would eat out twice per week mostly in more local-style restaurants averaging about $7 to $9 USD per meal per person and one or two splurges per month of $10 to $14 USD per meal per person. If you add all that up, we would spend around $220 per month for the two of us. We may have a beer here and there, but that is covered below in alcohol.
Other expats are likely to eat more the expensive expat-style restaurants and less in local-style restaurants, so they would likely spend more like $280 per month for 2 people in restaurants. It is lifestyle-dependent.
Cell Phone Data: The cheapest prepaid Vodaphone SIM cards in Albania are about $18 USD for 30 days including 10GB of data, 200 minutes, and 2000 texts. My Android phone will act as a hotspot so we can both be on the internet when we are out of the house together.
Other (retired) expat couples are likely to buy two prepaid SIM cards so they would need about $36 USD per month.
Laundry: The apartments all seemed to have clothes washing machines. The above grocery estimate includes laundry detergent.
Drinking Water: We read online that the water is clean here and many people drink water from the tap but we would be a little more careful. We didn’t see reverse osmosis delivery in 20-liter jugs here so we would probably get a Brita water filter. The filter refills would be about $5 USD per month.
Internet: We read online that in-home wifi costs about $28 USD per month for 100 Mbps.
Public Transportation: We didn’t ride the local buses in Saranda because it is s small town and everything was within walking distance for us. But you can grab a bus here for just a few dollars that will take you to various nearby tourist sites and beaches. For minivans to other cities in Albania (and other adjacent countries), you can find out the schedules and departure times at this bus stop. We never even took a taxi because the markets and stores are all within walking distance. So we estimate about $20 per month for public transportation.
Other expats might walk less and spend more on taxis and less on public transportation, so I estimate $60 per month for them.
Alcohol (Optional): Domestic beers in grocery stores in Albania start at 89 LEK, or $1.00 USD for the half-litre size which is about 50% larger than the standard-sized beer in the USA. In bars and restaurants, half-liter draft domestic beers run from about $3 to $5 USD. We estimate about $120 per month on alcohol for the two of us.
Many other expats would spend a higher amount for imported foreign or craft beers in expat bars, so about $220 USD per month for 2 people assuming they are not into imported whiskey or wine.
Entertainment (Optional): We would budget about $200 per month for entertainment for the two of us. We enjoy doing more do-it-yourself kinds of entertainment so expats would spend a little more, maybe $300 per month, for 2 of them?
Estimated Costs to Retire in Saranda Albania
|
Saranda Albania |
Lower (USD) |
Middle (USD) |
|
Rent |
389 |
720 |
|
Utilities |
55 |
90 |
|
Groceries |
320 |
420 |
|
Restaurants |
220 |
280 |
|
Cell Data |
18 |
36 |
|
Laundry |
0 |
0 |
|
Drinking Water |
5 |
5 |
|
Internet |
18 |
36 |
|
Transportation |
20 |
60 |
|
Total |
$1045 |
$1647 |
|
|
|
|
|
Alcohol |
120 |
220 |
|
Optional Total |
$1165 |
$1867 |
|
|
|
|
|
Entertainment |
200 |
300 |
|
Optional Total |
$1365 |
$2212 |
My above lower cost estimates would be for the two of us living on a tight budget. I gathered this data with my feet on the ground in Saranda Albania in August 2024.
When Qiang first started exploring the world with me in 2018, we were on a tighter budget, and that was before the recent inflation. But now, we spend more money now because we have it. We receive additional income from YouTube and Memberships.
Plus, slowly traveling the World costs more than the above stationary life estimates.
I would estimate that 80 to 90% of overseas retirees will spend significantly more than our above-estimated lower budget. So, the middle estimate is just another example of what other expats might spend for these expenses if they moved here.
To understand what it would cost you to live here, you must put your feet on the ground, see what you would choose to rent, eat, drink, and how you would entertain yourself, and add it all up. It doesn’t matter what anyone else spends because we are all different.
If you are a retired expat in Albania, we would like to share your cost of living on this channel, if you would like to be a guest. Please email me at https://vagabondbuddha.com/contact/ and I will invite you on my channel as a guest.
Saranda Albania Retirement Desirability Factors
I will now share what I learned about Saranda Albania’s retirement visas, healthcare, walkability, Internet, food, weather, things to do, social considerations, safety, expat communities, and real estate, and then assign an overall retirement desirability score to Saranda Albania.
Walkability: High. We walked everywhere in Saranda. We found all of our daily needs within a 5 to 20-minute walk from our apartment. So we would not need a car if we lived in Saranda. Avoiding the expense of a car would be highly desirable to us.
Internet: High. The wifi in our Airbnb had about 40 Mbps down and 12 Mbps upload speeds, but we heard that we could get 100M Mbps for about $28 USD.
Food: High. There was a small Farmer’s market two blocks from our apartment. For fresh fruits and vegetables we would shop in the Farmers Market. For other nonperishable foods, meats, and other items we would shop in any of the grocery stores. Our webpage with links to all this information is the first link in the first comment below this video.
There are local restaurants with delicious meals starting $7 to $9 USD per meal per person and international food restaurants starting at around $10 to $14 USD. Our restaurant list is on the full report for Saranda.
Weather: High. The coldest month in Saranda is in January with an average daily high of just 54F (12C) and nightly low of 36F (2C). The hottest month in Saranda is August with an average daily high of 96F (36C) and nightly low of 64F (18C). The best time to visit Saranda is May through September when it is beach weather. It rarely snows in Saranda, the last two times snow stuck on the ground was in 2001 and in 2017.
Things to Do: Medium. Saranda is a beach town so is less culturally interesting than the capital of Albania, Saranda. But if you are a beach/coast lover it likely provides most of what you are looking for: watersports, sailing, fishing, nightlife, restaurants, coffee shops, live music, festivals, and fairs.
An events calendar showcases a schedule of Saranda’s events and fairs including Saranda Jazz Festival, International Folk Festival, Saranda Summer Festival, Saranda International Film Festival, Saranda Beer Fest, and other cultural events and customs in Saranda.
Social Considerations: Medium. Saranda has many English speakers now because of its international tourism. Saranda is one of the most popular tourist cities on the coast of Albania because of the beautiful water and beaches remarkable beaches, and fun things to do there. Saranda is also a place where many English-speaking expats decide to retire. Thus, you will find many English speakers, both locals and foreigners in the areas within 4 to 5 blocks of the beach.
Safety Considerations: High. Albania was ranked the 42nd safest country in the world 90 spots safer the the USA. When I last checked, the US State Department webpage published a level 2 risk for Albania–Exercise increased precaution in Albania due to crime. You can also review my report, How to Travel the World Safely, which is how I have remained safe traveling the world for 17 years. We went out walking after midnight drinking in central Saranda and never felt a hint of trouble.
Expat Community: High. Albania joined NATO as a full member in 2009 and applied for European Union membership that same year. The EU has asked for final changes before Albania is admitted, but the President of the EU Commission in charge has signaled that the future of the western Balkans is in the EU. But Albania is not yet using the Euro which has kept prices lower in my opinion.
Here are a few Facebook pages that cater to English-speaking expats living in Saranda (1, 2, 3) and Albania ( 4, 5, 6). These online expat communities are great for learning all about things that expats want to learn when they first move overseas. Make sure to search for previous questions asked and answered recently before posting any questions to these groups.
Medical: Medium. This healthcare international comparison index ranks Albania 66th in the world, 3 spots more desirable than the United States which ranks 69th. There are different ways healthcare is rated, but this one seems to be considering quality of care in relation to what patients are charged.
Because Saranda is a small town, it does not have the resources that you will find in the capital of Albania, Tirana. So, if you decide to move here, make sure to ask around for referrals and establish relationships with doctors based on the feedback you have gotten from others who have used their services. The above Expats Facebook pages may be a good source for that information.
Tourist Visa: High. Citizens of 84 countries can visit Albania as tourists without obtaining a visa. This link provides a quick list of the countries but do double check with the Albania Embassy in your home country before making any final plans. The tourist visa exemption is good for a maximum of 90 days stay in Albania during any 180 day period for many countries but only US citizens get 1-year visa-free entry into Albania.
Residence Permits: High. According to this Albania source, there a number of ways to apply for residency in Albania, but I will focus on two: (1) Residence Permit for Pensioners, and (2) Residence Permit for Real Estate. Of course, these options change from time to time.
Residence as Pensioners must supply a lease contract in Albania, proof of pension from your home country of 120,000 LEK ($1343 USD) per month transferred into an approved bank Albania, proof of health insurance, and proof of judicial (criminal) record from your home country along with application and other forms.
Residency by Real Estate purchase permits must supply a certificate of real estate ownership, proof of sufficient financial resources to live in Albania along with application and other forms.
For all Albania residence permits, I would hire a local immigration lawyer to make sure I am doing it right.
Rather than promoting any particular immigration lawyer, I would recommend that you request a referral to a lawyer on one of the Albania Expat Facebook pages I shared above. Ask the expats there for an immigration lawyer who they have already successfully used to get residence permits for Albania.
Real Estate: High. When I read about it today, foreigners are allowed to purchase real estate in Albania. Today, I saw this 1-bedroom furnished apartment for sale for 59k Euros or $66k USD, but if you are willing to live outside the walkable city center you may be able to find an apartment for less.
However, I do not recommend buying real estate in a foreign country until you have lived there for an extended period of time making sure you love it. If you decide to buy real estate, you should also get your own lawyer who has no conflict of interest with you. For example, do not use a lawyer recommended by your real estate broker or your local lover.
Saranda Albania Retirement Desirability Score: High. Albania was one of our favorite countries during our tour of Eastern Europe in 2024. Plus, Saranda is on the coast and I love living near a beach. The winters are relatively mild here as compared to other parts of Eastern Europe, so I could live here year-round without the need to fly south for the winter.
What would it cost you to live here in Saranda Albania?
You should also add anything to the above table that you spend money on in your home country that is not listed in the above table. Presumably, you find those things necessary in life. To do that, visit the Numbeo Saranda and add anything not mentioned in the above table.
Also, if you are going to try to retire cheap offshore, make sure to read my report, the Two Biggest Risks of Retiring Early for Cheap Offshore, which explains why you should have emergency funds available for unexpectedly large expenses.
Never move anywhere until you have visited first personally to verify the living costs for your lifestyle and needs. I am not guaranteeing these prices. These are just my notes and estimates from the time of my visit and this post. Your costs will likely be drastically different depending on your lifestyle and the time since this post.
Short History of Saranda Albania
Saranda is a city on the Southern Coast of Albania right above Greece. Saranda has a Mediterranean climate with 300 sunny days per year.
Because of the beautiful water, Saranda has had a steady increase of tourists including cruise ships. The last census was in 2011 when Saranda had 11k citizens living here, so it can be quite empty in the off-season. But some estimates since put the local population at 33k now.
The best time to come is spring and fall when it is not quite as hot and prices are much lower.
Bronze Age tools found in the area have been dated back to about 1400 BC when it was presumed to be inhabited by an ancient Greek tribe.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Southern Albania including Saranda had become an Italian protectorate.
Saranda was again occupied by the Italians in 1939, during the Italian invasion of Greece. The Germans occupied Greece and Saranda a year later. Then, the British kicked the Germans out in 1944 and returned control back to the Albanians a year later when WW2 ended.
Presently, Albania is a parliamentary constitutional republic. The executive power is exercised by the Government and the prime minister. The legislative power is vested in the Parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The political system of Albania is laid out in its 1998 constitution.
Saranda Waterfront Walk
Where we stayed in Saranda
We stayed at this Airbnb for $51 USD per night before adding Airbnb fees, cleaning fees, and taxes. It was close in and only 2 blocks to the beach. It was a great location but we would move further out if we had time to stay for a month or longer since almost everywhere in town is walkable to central. Everything we needed was within walking distance and I have listed all of that below under restaurants, shopping, and services.
How we got to Saranda Albania
We could have taken the bus from Tirana Albania to Saranda Albania. But we decided to spend a few weeks in Italy before heading to southern Albania. So we took a bus from Tirana Albania to Durres Albania, where we caught the ferry over to Bari Italy. After a few weeks of visiting that part of Italy (more on that later), we took a ferry from Brindisi Italy to Vlore Albania, and then took a bus from Vlore Albania to Saranda Albania. We rolled our luggage from the bus stop in Saranda to our Airbnb.
Restaurants, Bars, Markets, Services
Restaurants, Bars (Local currency in LEK, 92 LEK is $1 USD)
Pastaria Cezare: Best pasta: Penne Arrabiata 600, Seafood pasta 750, beer 300, water big 250
Don Peppe Pizzeria Napoletana Saranda: Margherita 600, beer 0.4L 350
Liku, Pllakat Restaurant (beside Oceanic Restaurant): Gilhead fish with grilled vege 1000, Grilled pepper with cheese 500, Cheese omettle 500, cappuccino 200, orange juice 400
Taverna Joan: Vege rissoto 700, Seafood pasta 850 – free olive and bread
Taverna Rrapo: Fish with potato 850, greek salad 400, vege soup 350, water 200, tres leche dessert 300, beer 0.5l 250
Beer o’clock: beer 150
Moma Pasta Fresca: Tagliatelle mushroom 900, Ravioli 1500, water 200
Markets and Services
Bus stop 1 (local tourist attractions and beaches)
Bus stop 2 (buses to other cities in Albania and adjacent countries)
Boat Tour: 20 euro per person – big slow boat, included snorkeling mask – visited 7 places. We would probably opt for a faster nicer boat next time.