Buying a home in Albania has become one of the most difficult in Europe in relation to family income. Data published by “Visual Capitalist”, based on the UN-Habitat “World Cities Report 2026”, ranks Albania among the least affordable real estate markets in the world.
According to this report, an Albanian family needs an average of 15.7 years’ worth of income to afford the price of a typical home. With this indicator, Albania ranks second in Europe after Serbia, where the ratio reaches 15.9 years of income.
In the global ranking, Albania ranks 156th out of 181 countries and territories analyzed, with lower positions representing markets where buying a home is less affordable.
The house price-to-income ratio measures the number of years of annual income needed to purchase a home, excluding other living expenses. The higher this indicator, the more difficult it is to access the property market.
Albania’s indicator is about 40% higher than the world average, which is 11.2 years of family income.
Strong price increase in Tirana
The increasing difficulty of purchasing a home is also related to the significant increase in apartment prices, especially in the capital.
According to “Keydata” data, published by “Monitor”, the average price of apartments in Tirana reached around 2,141 euros per square meter in March 2026.
Compared to the first quarter of 2019, when the average price was around 965 euros per square meter, the value of apartments in the capital has increased by around 122% within seven years.
The growth has been driven by high demand for properties, new construction, higher prices in central areas and residential projects, as well as other economic factors that have influenced the market.
At the current average price, a 70 square meter apartment in Tirana costs around 150 thousand euros, a price that remains difficult for many families to afford, given the average salary level in the country.
Albania facing Europe
After Serbia and Albania, in Europe the highest ratios between housing prices and income are recorded in the Czech Republic with 14.9 years, Hungary with 14.6 years, while Croatia and Slovakia with 13.2 years each.
In countries like Italy, Germany and Greece, the ratio is lower: around 9.7 years in Italy, 10.7 years in Germany and 12.5 years in Greece.
At the other end, some Gulf countries have the most affordable markets, where the ratio between house prices and household income is around three.
The rapid increase in property prices in Albania, especially in Tirana, continues to remain one of the main challenges for families intending to buy a home.