How much does it cost to retire in Albania, and what permit do you need?
A retired couple renting a one-bedroom flat pays about €521 a month in Durrës and €717 in Tirana for rent, utilities, internet, municipal fees and voluntary health insurance (Domlivo calculation at October 2026 prices), before food and transport. To stay longer than 90 days in 180, a foreign pensioner needs a residence permit under Article 85 of Law 79/2021, which asks for a pension of at least 1,200,000 ALL a year, about €13,040.
Data compiled by Fedir AlpatovUpdated
Monthly budget for two
| Item | Durrës | Tirana | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1+1 | €390 | €590 | Durrës median asking rent, Sept 2026; Tirana average, H1 2026 |
| Electricity, 250 kWh | €27.7 | €27.7 | 10.2 ALL/kWh with VAT, the same everywhere |
| Water, 6 m³ with the fixed fee | €10.0 | €7.1 | ERRU tariffs: 70+50 ALL/m³ in Durrës, 65+11 in Tirana, 200 ALL fixed |
| Internet, 100 Mbps fibre | €14.0 | €14.0 | Tring list price, 1,290 ALL |
| Municipal cleaning and other fees | €5.4 | €4.5 | Durrës 6,000 ALL a year; Tirana 417 ALL a month |
| Voluntary health insurance, two people | €73.9 | €73.9 | 3.4% of twice the minimum wage, each |
| Total | about €521 | about €717 | Domlivo calculation |
Method: Health insurance: we read Law 10383/2011 as charging a voluntary member 3.4% of twice the minimum wage (50,000 ALL in 2026), 3,400 ALL a month per person; check the current amount with FSDKSH. Food, transport and medicines are not included. 92.02 ALL = €1.
Sources · 13
- DATA-RENT-DURRES-00061+1 (EUR-priced, n=18): min 300 / median 390 / max 550; 2+1 (EUR-priced, n=14): min 300 / median 500 / max 7001_1_min_300_median_390_max_550Confidence: LOWPeriod: listings dated 2026-09-06 to 2026-09-09verified 2026-09-09MerrJep.al "Apartamente me qera Durrës" (listing sample)
- Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: January–June 2026 vs January–June 2025verified 2026-09-09Sot.com.al (reprint of Monitor.al) "Të paktën 600 euro në muaj / Shtëpitë me qira bëhen mollë e ndaluar"
- Confidence: HIGHPeriod: from 1 Feb 2025, still valid 2026verified 2026-09-09Shqiptarja.com — "Ulet me 1 lek çmimi i energjisë për mbi 1 milion familje! SHEMBUJ…"
- Confidence: HIGHPeriod: from 2024-06-15, valid to 2026-12-31verified 2026-09-09ERRU "Tarifat Aktuale" (current approved tariffs, all utilities)
- Confidence: HIGHPeriod: from 2024-06-15 to 2026-12-31verified 2026-09-09ERRU "Tarifat Aktuale" (current approved tariffs, all utilities)
- Confidence: HIGHPeriod: from 2024-06-15 to 2026-12-31verified 2026-09-09durreslajm.al — "ERRU miraton tarifat e reja ... Durrës e Shijak"
- Confidence: HIGHPeriod: effective 2018-01-01; still current in ERRU table updated Javerified 2026-09-09ERRU "Tarifat Aktuale" (current approved tariffs, all utilities)
Read from the 2024 fiscal package file headed "projekt vendim"; the 2026 committee report lists eight changes, none to these fees.
- Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026 fiscal packageverified 2026-09-09Bashkia Tiranë — "Paketa fiskale (taksa dhe tarifa)"
- DATA-KB2-RETIRE-00053.4 % of twice the minimum wageVoluntary membership of the Albanian health insurance schemeConfidence: HIGHPeriod: 2026verified 2026-10-21Law 10383/2011 on compulsory health insurance (FSDKSH)
- DATA-KB2-RETIRE-CALC-0001521–717 EUR/monthMonthly housing and fixed costs for a retired couple renting a 1+1 (Domlivo calculation)Confidence: ESTIMATE (calculated, not measured)Period: 2026verified 2026-10-21DomLivo research calculation engine
Two people, 250 kWh and 6 m³ a month. Electricity 10.2 ALL/kWh incl. VAT (DATA-ELEC-0003); water Durrës 70+50 ALL/m³, Tirana 65+11, fixed 200 ALL (DATA-WATER-0001/0002/0003/0006); internet Tring 100 Mbps 1,290 ALL (DATA-INTERNET-0007); Durrës fees 6,000 ALL/year (DATA-KB2-DURRES-0001), Tirana cleaning 417 ALL/month (DATA-WASTE-0001); health insurance 3.4% × 2 × 50,000 ALL (DATA-KB2-RETIRE-0005, DATA-KB2-MACRO-0006), assuming the contribution minimum wage equals the statutory one; both partners insured. Rents: DATA-RENT-DURRES-0006, DATA-RENT-TIRANA-0015. 92.02 ALL/EUR.
For scale
The average gross wage in Albania was 92,150 ALL a month (about €1,000) in Q2 2026, the minimum wage is 50,000 ALL (about €543), and consumer prices rose 2.9% in the year to September 2026.
Staying longer than 90 days
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free stay | Up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa; Polish citizens can enter with an ID card | Law 79/2021 Art. 29; Polish foreign ministry |
| Pensioner residence permit | Up to one year at first, renewable every year; no work or business allowed; a spouse or partner can join | Law 79/2021 Art. 85 |
| Income required | A pension of at least 1,200,000 ALL a year (about €13,040, or €1,087 a month), shown with a pension certificate | VKM 858/2021 |
| How to apply | On e-Albania, with the form, a photo, a passport copy and a self-declaration of housing | VKM 858/2021 |
| If you buy instead of renting | An owner can apply for a separate permit under Art. 84 | Law 79/2021 Art. 84 |
Method: Law 43/2025 moved the permit criteria from the law into the Council of Ministers decision (VKM 858/2021); an amendment of that decision was in public consultation in 2026.
Sources · 4
- DATA-LEGAL-001390 days in 180Visa-free stay: up to 90 days in any 180; longer needs a residence permitConfidence: HIGHPeriod: 2025–2026verified 2026-10-19Law No. 79/2021 "Për të huajt" (On foreigners), consolidated text as amended by Law 43/2025
- DATA-ENTRY-PL-000190 days in 180Polish citizens: passport or ID card, 90 days in 180 without a visa, no registration dutyConfidence: HIGHPeriod: 2026verified 2026-10-19Albania: profil państwa (Podróżowanie, Zasady pobytu)
- DATA-LEGAL-001513040.64 EUR per year (income floor)Residence permit for pensioners: pension income of at least 1,200,000 ALL a yearConfidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2024–2026verified 2026-10-19Law No. 79/2021 "Për të huajt" (On foreigners), consolidated text as amended by Law 43/2025
- DATA-LEGAL-00141 year, renewableResidence permit for a property owner: up to 1 year, renewable; no minimum property value foundConfidence: HIGHPeriod: 2025–2026verified 2026-10-19Law No. 79/2021 "Për të huajt" (On foreigners), consolidated text as amended by Law 43/2025
Your pension: tax and payment
| Question | Poland | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the pension taxed? | Treaty Art. 18: pensions for past work only in the country of residence; pensions for state service (Art. 19) stay taxable in Poland unless you are also an Albanian national | Treaty Art. 18(1): only in the country of residence; civil-service pensions stay taxable in Germany (Art. 19) |
| Does Albania tax it? | Albanian law exempts pensions from the compulsory social insurance scheme (Law 29/2023 Art. 11) but does not say whether a foreign state pension counts; ask a tax adviser | Same rule |
| Can it be paid into an Albanian account? | Not yet: ZUS does not list Albania among the countries it pays to. A Poland-Albania social security agreement was signed on 23 February 2026; its start date is not yet published | A German-Albanian social security agreement has been in force since 1 December 2017; ask Deutsche Rentenversicherung about payment abroad |
Sources · 6
- DATA-KB2-RETIRE-0002Art. 18: pensions for past employment are taxed only in the state of residence. Art. 19(2): a pension paid by a state for public service is taxed only in that state, unless the person is a national and resident of the other state.Poland-Albania tax treaty (1993): pensionsConfidence: HIGHPeriod: in force since 1994verified 2026-10-21Umowa między Rzecząpospolitą Polską a Republiką Albanii w sprawie unikania podwójnego opodatkowania (Warszawa, 5.3.1993), Dz.U. 1994 nr 101 poz. 492
- DATA-TAX-DE-0002Art. 18(1): pensions are taxed only in the state of residence. The Finanzamt Neubrandenburg lists Albania among the countries where a German statutory pension is not taxed in Germany. Civil-service pensions are different (Art. 19(2): Germany taxes them).Germany–Albania treaty: a statutory pension is taxed only in the country of residenceConfidence: HIGHPeriod: 2012–2026verified 2026-10-19Bundestag-Drucksache 17/6613: Abkommen zwischen Deutschland und Albanien zur Vermeidung der Doppelbesteuerung (6.4.2010), mit Denkschrift
- DATA-KB2-RETIRE-0001Art. 11(a): income from the compulsory social and health insurance scheme is not subject to personal income tax; Art. 11(c): income covered by ratified treaties. The law does not say whether a foreign state pension falls under (a).Albanian income tax on pensions (Law 29/2023, Art. 11)
- DATA-KB2-RETIRE-0003ZUS transfers pensions to EU and EFTA countries, the UK and 14 agreement states; Albania is not among them. Otherwise the pension is paid to an account in Poland.ZUS pension transfers abroad: Albania not on the listConfidence: HIGHPeriod: 2023-06 (page date)verified 2026-10-21ZUS: Transfer of benefits for people living abroad
- DATA-KB2-RETIRE-0004Signed in Warsaw on 23 February 2026; Polish ratification act of 17 July 2026 (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1100) in force from 2 September 2026. The date the agreement itself enters into force was not published by 21 October 2026.Poland-Albania social security agreement (2026)Confidence: HIGHPeriod: 2026verified 2026-10-21Act of 17 July 2026 ratifying the Poland-Albania social security agreement (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1100)
- DATA-KB2-RETIRE-0006In force since 1 December 2017 (Deutsche Rentenversicherung).Germany-Albania social security agreementConfidence: HIGHPeriod: since 2017-12-01verified 2026-10-21Deutsch-albanisches Sozialversicherungsabkommen in Kraft (Pressemitteilung, 1.12.2017)
Questions and answers
For the residence permit, a pension of at least 1,200,000 ALL a year, about €1,087 a month. A couple renting a 1+1 spends about €521 a month in Durrës on rent and fixed bills, before food.
Yes. Up to 90 days in 180 without a visa, and longer with a pensioner residence permit under Article 85 of Law 79/2021.
No. Article 85 says the permit gives no right to any economic or professional activity.
A resident who is not otherwise covered can join the national health insurance scheme voluntarily; cover starts six months after registering and paying.
Sources
- Law No. 79/2021 "Për të huajt" (On foreigners), consolidated text as amended by Law 43/2025. Albanian State Police (ASP), 2025-11-01 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Council of Ministers Decision (VKM) No. 858 of 29.12.2021 on residence permits, consolidated to VKM 329/2024. Albanian State Police (ASP), 2024-11-01 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Umowa między Rzecząpospolitą Polską a Republiką Albanii w sprawie unikania podwójnego opodatkowania (Warszawa, 5.3.1993), Dz.U. 1994 nr 101 poz. 492. Sejm RP (ISAP), 1994-09-27 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Albania: profil państwa (Podróżowanie, Zasady pobytu). Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP (Odyseusz), 2026-10-15 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Bundestag-Drucksache 17/6613: Abkommen zwischen Deutschland und Albanien zur Vermeidung der Doppelbesteuerung (6.4.2010), mit Denkschrift. Deutscher Bundestag, 2011-07-15 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Deutsch-albanisches Sozialversicherungsabkommen in Kraft (Pressemitteilung, 1.12.2017). Deutsche Rentenversicherung, 2017-12-01 (accessed 2026-10-19)
- VKM 776 of 19.12.2025 on the minimum wage. Council of Ministers (copy on the State Labour Inspectorate site), 2025-12-19 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- INSTAT: Consumer price index, September 2026. INSTAT, 2026-10-08 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- INSTAT: Wages, Q2 2026. INSTAT, 2026-09-10 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Law 29/2023 on income tax, consolidated. Assembly of Albania (consolidated copy, aksesdrejtesi.al) (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Law 10383/2011 on compulsory health insurance (FSDKSH). Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (FSDKSH) (accessed 2026-10-21)
- ZUS: Transfer of benefits for people living abroad. ZUS (Polish Social Insurance Institution), 2023-06-26 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Act of 17 July 2026 ratifying the Poland-Albania social security agreement (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1100). Sejm of the Republic of Poland (ELI), 2026-07-17 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- MerrJep.al "Apartamente me qera Durrës" (listing sample), 2026-09-09 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- Sot.com.al (reprint of Monitor.al) "Të paktën 600 euro në muaj / Shtëpitë me qira bëhen mollë e ndaluar", 2026-08-09 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- Shqiptarja.com — "Ulet me 1 lek çmimi i energjisë për mbi 1 milion familje! SHEMBUJ…", 2025-01-08 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- ERRU "Tarifat Aktuale" (current approved tariffs, all utilities), 2026-01-01 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- durreslajm.al — "ERRU miraton tarifat e reja ... Durrës e Shijak", 2024-05-31 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- Tring — Internet page, 2026-09-10 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- Bashkia Durrës — "Paketa Fiskale 2024" (DOCX), 2024-02-01 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- Bashkia Tiranë — "Paketa fiskale (taksa dhe tarifa)", 2026-01-01 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- DomLivo research calculation engine. DomLivo Research Department (accessed 2026-09-10)
What is missing
Gaps we know about: questions we have no reliable data for yet.
- No official Albanian guidance says whether foreign state pensions are exempt from income tax.
- The date from which ZUS will pay pensions to Albania under the 2026 agreement is not published.
- No official consumer basket for a pensioner exists; food and transport are left out of the budget.