Albania on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Albania is one of Europe's easiest budget destinations. Plan on about 4,800 lek per person per day (bed 2,000, food 1,500, sights 500, transport 800), very roughly €48, using guesthouses and furgons.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | lek2,000 | lek4,500 | lek12,000 |
| Food & drink | lek1,500 | lek3,000 | lek6,000 |
| Sights & tickets | lek500 | lek1,500 | lek4,000 |
| Local transport | lek800 | lek2,500 | lek5,000 |
| Per person, per day | lek4,800 | lek11,500 | lek27,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Albania day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk Skanderbeg Square in Tirana and see the Et'hem Bey Mosque from outside and the National History Museum's mosaic
- Explore the Mangalem and Gorica quarters of Berat and the old stone bridge over the Osum
- Wander Gjirokastër's Old Bazaar and its stone-roofed lanes
- Walk around the Pyramid of Tirana
- Watch sunset over the islands from Ksamil
- Walk down the canyon to the cove of Gjipe on the Riviera
Cheap eats
- Byrek with cheese or spinach for breakfast: roughly 100–200 lek
- Fërgesë with bread: a few hundred lek
- Qifqi rice balls in Gjirokastër: a few hundred lek
- Tavë kosi in a traditional restaurant: part of a 1,000–2,000 lek meal
- Grilled lamb or fresh fish on the coast: from about 1,000 lek
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in family-run guesthouses in Berat and Gjirokastër, often in historic houses with breakfast, at about 3,500–6,000 lek for a double, and in hostels in Tirana, Saranda and Ksamil. Book ahead on the Riviera in July and August.
Getting around cheaply
Furgons and buses are the cheapest way between towns, though timetables are informal; ask locally. In Tirana, city buses are cheap and an airport bus runs to the centre. Ferries link Saranda with Corfu in about 30–70 minutes.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk Berat's Mangalem quarter and climb to the castle (a few hundred lek)
- Lunch: byrek and a coffee (about 300–400 lek)
- Afternoon: Gorica quarter and the stone bridge, free
- Evening: dinner in Mangalem (about 1,000–1,500 lek)
- Total: about 2,500–3,000 lek plus your bed (2,000 lek per person), so roughly 4,500–5,000 lek
More ways to save
- Carry cash in lek; smaller guesthouses and furgons rarely take cards.
- Ask your guesthouse for furgon departure times and points, as they are not always posted.
- Travel inland in July and August, when the coast is most expensive.
- Share car rental between several people for the Riviera leg.
- Take the ferry from Corfu to Saranda if you are already in Greece, rather than flying in.
- Drink a coffee at a local café rather than a beach bar; the difference is large.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you travel Albania on a budget?
Yes, at about 4,800 lek a day with guesthouses, furgons and local food.
What is the cheapest way to get around?
Furgons (minibuses) and buses between towns; timetables are informal, so ask locally.
What can you do for free?
Walk Tirana's Skanderbeg Square, the old quarters of Berat and Gjirokastër, and the beaches and coves of the Riviera.