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How much are utilities in Albania? Less than most buyers from Western Europe expect, and the list is short. We checked the 2026 tariffs against the real bills of an owner in Durrës, who showed them in a short video on the channel "Жизнь в Албании". All amounts in euros are at about 93 lek to the euro, the October 2026 rate.
What you do not pay for: central heating, which Albania does not have, and mains gas, which does not exist for homes. Some people install a gas bottle for the cooker, but most flats cook on electricity.
| Item | Tariff in 2026 | A typical month |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 10.2 lek per kWh with VAT up to 700 kWh a month; 11.4 lek for the whole month above that | About 2,350 lek (€25) at the average 230 kWh; about €50 in winter with air-conditioner heating |
| Water and sewerage, Durrës | 120 lek per m³ plus 200 lek a month | About 1,040 lek (€11) for 7 m³, two people |
| Internet, fibre | Median price 1,690 lek a month | About €18; €11-13 with a yearly contract |
| Building administration | 400-500 lek a month in old blocks, 1,000-1,500 lek in buildings after 1993, up to 3,000 lek in premium blocks | About €11-16; €100-120 a year in the Durrës building |
| Property tax | 0.05% a year of the fiscal value | 3,600-10,200 lek a year for a 90 m² flat in Tirana |
The owner in the video pays about €70-80 a month for electricity and water together, plus €100-120 a year for the building and €130-150 a year for internet. That is more than the tariff sums above suggest for an average household, and the reason is the way the flat is used: without gas, the water heater and air conditioners carry the whole load, and a flat heated and cooled by air conditioning all year easily uses twice the average 230 kWh.
How the bills are paid also surprises newcomers. In many buildings each meter has a small booklet: every month the payment is stamped in it and the receipt is kept, one booklet for electricity and one for water.
| Situation | Per month |
|---|---|
| A 60 m² flat, two people, our estimate from 2026 tariffs | €93-112 |
| The Durrës owner, electricity and water only | €70-80 |
| The Durrës owner, internet and building fee spread over the year | about €20 more |
| An empty flat with the fridge on | about €45-50 |
For a landlord this matters twice. On a long let the tenant usually pays the meters; on short lets the owner pays everything, and in summer air conditioning in every room drives the bill. Put utilities into the yield sum before you buy: the advertised yields almost never include them.
Looking for a flat with low running costs? See apartments for sale in Durrës, the prices by district, or our guide to what a seaside flat costs to own.
For a 60 m² flat with two people, about €93-112 a month in total by our estimate from 2026 tariffs, internet and the building fee included. An owner in Durrës pays about €70-80 a month for electricity and water alone, plus €100-120 a year for the building and €130-150 a year for internet.
Households pay 8.5 lek per kWh before VAT, 10.2 lek with it, up to 700 kWh a month. If a month goes over 700 kWh, the whole month is billed at 9.5 lek before VAT, 11.4 lek with it. The average household uses about 230 kWh a month, about 2,350 lek or €25.
No. Albania has no central heating and no mains gas for homes. Flats are heated with air conditioners and electric heaters, and most people cook on electric stoves; a few install a gas bottle. That is why electricity is the largest utility bill.
Each owner pays a share of the building's costs to its administrator, under Law 55/2025: 400-500 lek a month in old blocks, 1,000-1,500 lek in buildings put up after 1993 and up to 3,000 lek in premium ones. Some buildings bill once a year; in a Durrës building we checked it is €100-120 a year, lift chip included.
