In January-June 2026, rents for 1+1 apartments reached an average of 590 euros per month, while for 2+1 apartments, at 954 euros, with an increase of 4.4% to 27% compared to January-June 2024. According to calculations, in the vast majority of Tirana, from the outskirts to the center, the cost of housing exceeds the international affordability limit. For real estate agents, the increase in demand, the expansion of daily rents and the limited supply are pushing prices higher, burdening the budgets of families and young people.
A family in Tirana, to live in a 1+1 rental apartment, must pay an average of 590 euros per month. While for a larger apartment, the average rental cost reaches 954 euros per month.
In the period January – June 2026, according to data from the real estate agency “Century 21” (analyzed based on transactions, for 13 areas in Tirana that include both the suburbs and the center), the average monthly rent reached 590 euros from 565 euros per month in January – June 2025.
Compared to the same period, the average price has increased by 4.4%.
For 2+1 apartments, the average rental price reached 954 euros per month from 755 euros in January-June 2025. For the period January-June 2026, average rental prices increased by about 26% compared to the same period of the previous year, according to data from “Century 21” processed for “Monitor”.
Even INSTAT data on the change in the annual rental price index show that for several years, the rental housing market has entered a phase of increasing prices.
According to INSTAT data, rental prices have shown an upward trend during the period 2022 – May 2026. According to the index, the annual change in rents from March 2022 to May 2026 fluctuates from 1 to 8.5%.
The acceleration of growth is observed to have started in May 2025. After a decrease in the index in January – February 2025 (the annual change reached 0.9) compared to the same period of the previous year, in the following months, an acceleration of growth is observed, rising to 8.5% at the end of 2025 and in the first months of 2026.
Referring to the data, for the month of May 2026, the annual change in rental prices reached 6%, which indicates that rental prices for the month of May 2026 have increased by 6% compared to May 2025.
How have rental prices changed by area?
From the real estate agency’s data, according to areas in Tirana, it results that in the period January-June 2026, the highest increase in average rental prices for 1+1 apartments is for the area near the “Air Albania” stadium.
The average price reached 800 euros per month or 45.4% more than in January – June 2025.
In the former Blloku area, the average monthly rent for 1+1 apartments reached 700 euros. Compared to the same period in 2025, when the average rent was 650 euros per month, the price increased by 7.6%.
There was also a significant increase in average rental prices in the “Zogu i Zi” area, by 29%, and in Elbasani Street, by 18%.
The suburban areas of Tirana also saw an increase in rental prices during the period January–June 2026, although rental levels remained significantly lower compared to central areas.
For 1+1 apartments, the average rent in “Astir” reached 550 euros per month, an increase of 16% compared to the same period in 2025. In “Zogun e Zi”, the average rent increased by 29%, reaching 620 euros per month.
While in “Don Bosko”, “Kinostudio” and “Kombinat”, the growth fluctuates from 2 to 3%.
On the other hand, some areas experienced a drop in rental prices. The largest drop was recorded in the area of the “Selman Stërmasi” stadium, where the average rent dropped by 23%, from 740 to 570 euros per month.
There was also a decrease in the Artificial Lake area by 15% and in the Paris Municipality, by 6%. Real estate agents at “Century 21” explain that the drop in prices was influenced by the decrease in the number of rental transactions and the limited supply in these areas for this category of properties.
Likewise, for 2+1 apartments, the highest rental prices during the period January-June 2026 were recorded in the area near the “Air Albania” stadium and in the area of the “Selman Stërmasi” stadium, where the average rent reached 1,500 euros per month.
Compared to the same period in 2025, prices increased by 46 to 53%, respectively.
There was also a strong increase in the “Myslym Shyri” area, where the average rent for 2+1 apartments reached 1,400 euros per month, or about 87% more than a year ago. On Elbasani Street, the average rent reached 1,250 euros per month, or about 25% more than the first 6 months of 2025.
Meanwhile, in the former Bloc, the average price remained almost unchanged, increasing by only 0.1%, from 1,099 to 1,100 euros per month.
In “Zogun e Zi”, the average rent reached 900 euros per month, or 12.5% more than a year ago.
For 2+1 apartments, price increases were also visible in suburban areas.
In the “Astir” area, the average rent reached 665 euros per month, an increase of about 17% compared to the same period of the previous year.
In the Fresku area, average rental prices for this category of apartments increased by about 29%, reaching 450 euros per month.
Despite the increase in prices, suburban areas continue to offer more affordable alternatives for tenants compared to elite areas and those near the center of Tirana, where rental prices are significantly higher.
2+1 apartments, the most sought after for rent
The data shows that the strongest increases in rental prices were recorded for 2+1 apartments and in the central areas of Tirana.
“2+1 apartments are the most sought-after product in the rental market. They are suitable for families, young couples, but also for professionals or students sharing an apartment, so they have a very broad customer base,” according to Dritan Leka.
Central areas remain the most preferred due to their proximity to workplaces, universities, and major services as well as points of interest.
When demand is much higher than supply, it is normal for these segments to register the highest price increases.
“Demand in these areas is also supported by young professionals, employees of foreign companies, diplomats and foreign citizens living in Albania.
For these categories, proximity to the center and the convenience offered by urban infrastructure often carry more weight than the difference in rental cost.
The number of foreigners looking for apartments to rent has increased significantly in recent years, and this has increased demand, especially for properties with a good standard and in premium areas.
“The phenomenon is more visible in areas like the former Blloku, near the Artificial Lake, in the Center, the Paris Municipality and some other favorite areas of Tirana,” says Mr. Leka. /Monitor