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The food basket in Tirana is 46% more expensive than in Pristina, we even exceed the EU average. Dairy record

2026-11-13 08:00:00Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

The food basket in Tirana is 46% more expensive than in Pristina, we even exceed

If you have 100 euros to buy food products in Tirana, with the same amount you can buy about 46% more in Pristina, 34% more in Skopje, 25% more in Podgorica, 22% more in Sarajevo and 17% more in Belgrade.

The differences in food prices between the Albanian capital and other Western Balkan countries are significant, especially for everyday consumer products, from milk and eggs to cheese, meat and fruit.

According to a comparison made by "Monitor", based on data from the international platform Numbeo for prices in markets, a basket of 15 basic products costs 54.6 euros in Tirana, 46.9 euros in Belgrade, 44.6 euros in Sarajevo, 43.8 euros in Podgorica, 40.7 euros in Skopje and 37.3 euros in Pristina.

The differences are even greater for specific products. Eggs cost almost double the price in Tirana than in Pristina.

A package of 12 grains sells for an average of 3.24 euros in the Albanian capital, compared to just 1.61 euros in Pristina and 2.2 euros in Skopje.

Milk is another product where the differences are stark. A liter costs an average of 1.97 euros in Tirana, compared to 1.05 euros in Sarajevo, 1.12 euros in Skopje, 1.13 euros in Pristina, 1.16 euros in Podgorica and 1.27 euros in Belgrade.

Compared to Sarajevo, milk is almost 88% more expensive in Tirana.

Local cheese also has significantly higher prices. One kilogram costs an average of 11.4 euros in Tirana, compared to around 7 euros in Pristina and Skopje, 7.7 euros in Podgorica, 9.2 euros in Sarajevo, and 10.2 euros in Belgrade.

Significant differences also appear in meat. A kilogram of chicken fillet costs 8.2 euros in Tirana, compared to around 6 euros in Belgrade and Pristina. Beef sells for an average of 15.2 euros per kilogram, while in Podgorica and Pristina it costs around 11 euros.

Among the products with the highest differences are some fruits and vegetables. Bananas cost 2.2 euros per kilogram in Tirana, about 75% more than in Skopje. For green salad, the difference with Skopje is even greater, while for onions, Tirana is 75% more expensive than Belgrade.

However, not all products are more expensive in Albania. Tomatoes cost more in Belgrade and Podgorica, while rice is slightly more expensive in Belgrade.

Numbeo's data is based on user-reported prices and compares capital cities, not national averages. The illustrative basket contains one unit of each of 15 food and non-alcoholic beverage products, excluding alcoholic beverages and tobacco.

Eurostat also confirms high food prices in Albania

The differences identified by Numbeo are consistent with the general picture provided by European statistics.

According to Eurostat data for 2025, Albania is the most expensive country in the Western Balkans for food, exceeding the European Union average for the first time.

The food price index in Albania reached 102.9% of the EU average in 2025, up from 99.6% in 2024 and around 85% in 2022. In Serbia, the level was 96.6% of the European average, in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina 84.6%, while in North Macedonia only 74.3%.

In other words, a food basket that costs an average of 100 euros in the European Union, in Albania costs about 103 euros, while in North Macedonia only 74 euros.

The difference becomes even more noticeable in dairy products. According to Eurostat, in 2025 the prices of milk, other dairy products and eggs in Albania were 35.6% above the European Union average, being among the categories with the highest prices in relation to the European market.

Meanwhile, Albania has a per capita income of 43% of the EU average and individual per capita consumption of 48% of it. Thus, Albanian consumers face food prices comparable to, or even higher than, the European average, while their purchasing power remains much lower.

Food accounts for about 40% of Albanian families' expenses, so high prices of basic products directly weigh on family budgets.

The continued strengthening of the Lek against the Euro over recent years has reduced the local currency cost of imported goods, but this benefit has not been reflected to the same extent in sales prices for consumers.

The food basket in Tirana is 46% more expensive than in Pristina, we even exceed


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