Albania’s food import costs fell 7% in 2024, yet shoppers are still paying high prices, official data shows.
INSTAT reports that 1.3 million tonnes of food were imported last year, worth 156 billion leks. The average price per kilogram in the “food, beverages, and tobacco” category dropped to 120.8 leks from 129.8 leks in 2023—a 17% fall compared to 2022.
Yet food inflation still rose by 2.7%, as Albania’s heavy reliance on imports—outweighing exports by 2.7 times—keeps costs high.
Why aren’t prices dropping?
Two key reasons: a strong lek and lower global prices. Albania’s currency has gained against the euro, making imports cheaper and boosting importers’ profits. Meanwhile, global food prices have eased since the Ukraine war shock.
But local retailers haven’t passed those savings on. Importers blame rising labor costs, saying worker shortages have pushed up wages. One importer, speaking anonymously, admitted revenues jumped 5-6% due to the weaker euro—but so did expenses.
Cost-of-living squeeze
Despite the cheaper imports, Albania is still one of Europe’s pricier places for food. A Numbeo index ranked Tirana 92nd out of 141 European cities for living costs in early 2025.
Food eats up a huge chunk of household income—residents spend 42.5% of what a New Yorker does on groceries. Meanwhile, wages are 30% lower than the regional average.
The only break? Cheaper rent. Tirana’s housing costs are just 13.6% of New York’s.
