Video by Amelia And JP Abroad
Living in Tirana, Albania: What Two Months Were Like
Amelia And JP Abroad found Tirana, Albania easy to settle into and very safe, walking home from a bar around midnight without trouble. They said their food spending was very similar to what they spent in Ecuador, and a broken crown was replaced for €300 at a dental office where everyone spoke English.
What it cost them
As stated in the video, March 2024. Prices change; these are theirs.
| Replacing a broken crownstate-of-the-art dental office, English spoken | €300 | ▶ 9:19 |
|---|
Their situation
Questions this video answers
How much did a dental crown cost in Tirana?
Amelia And JP Abroad say replacing a broken crown was "only €300", at a state-of-the-art dental office where everyone spoke English. ▶ 9:19
Is Tirana safe to walk around at night?
They say they felt very safe walking all over the city day and night. They walked home from a bar around midnight or later without trouble and never felt targeted as tourists or foreigners. ▶ 8:16
Do you need to speak Albanian in Tirana?
Amelia's hairdresser told them no one would expect them to speak Albanian and that English was fine. They learned a few words anyway, out of respect, to make people smile. ▶ 4:39
What visa options did they describe for Albania?
They say US passport holders can get a one-year tourist visa, and the unique permit is automatically valid for 5 years for US, EU and Kosovo citizens. They say you can apply online only from outside Albania. ▶ 1:02
How did the cost of living in Albania compare with Ecuador?
They found Albania very affordable by European standards. Their food spending was very similar to what they spent in Ecuador, and the rentals they looked up were priced much the same. ▶ 8:47
The moments, in order
Press ▶ to play the video from that second.
- ▶ 0:30
Albania is not in Schengen, so they used it as a place to go when they had to leave the Schengen zone.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 1:02
US passport holders can get a one-year tourist visa. The residency 'unique permit' is valid for one year and can be renewed up to five times, but US, EU and Kosovo citizens get it for 5 years automatically. You can apply online, but only from outside Albania.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 4:39
Amelia's hairdresser, who had lived in New York, told them not to bother learning Albanian because English is enough. They still learned a few words out of respect, to make people smile at checkouts and in restaurants.
- ▶ 5:40
There are no direct flights from Tirana to the US or Canada, so coming from there means a layover somewhere in Europe.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 6:11
They could walk to most things in 15 to 30 minutes, but it is only 'somewhat' pedestrian friendly. Motorcycles ride on sidewalks and go the wrong way in bike lanes, so you have to look both ways.
- ▶ 8:16
They felt very safe walking all over the city by day and night. After watching a Chiefs game at a bar they walked home around midnight or later without trouble, and they never felt targeted as tourists or foreigners.
- ▶ 8:47
Their food spending was very similar to what they spent in Ecuador, and the rentals they looked up were also priced much like Ecuador's.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 9:19
A broken crown was replaced for €300 at a state-of-the-art dental office where everyone spoke English. Locals told them public health care is okay and private health care has improved a lot.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 11:24
Tirana is not a tipping culture: if you pay cash you can round up to the next bill, but no one really expects it.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 14:28
They settled in with almost no culture shock, even though a few people told them they had culture shock, especially right after arriving. They said maybe their six-plus years of living abroad is why it felt comfortable, and English covered them.
Worth knowing before you go
- ▶ 1:02
US passport holders can get a one-year tourist visa. The residency 'unique permit' is valid for one year and can be renewed up to five times, but US, EU and Kosovo citizens get it for 5 years automatically. You can apply online, but only from outside Albania.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 5:40
There are no direct flights from Tirana to the US or Canada, so coming from there means a layover somewhere in Europe.
as stated, March 2024
- ▶ 6:11
They could walk to most things in 15 to 30 minutes, but it is only 'somewhat' pedestrian friendly. Motorcycles ride on sidewalks and go the wrong way in bike lanes, so you have to look both ways.
This is their experience, retold in our words, and not medical, insurance or financial advice.