Can I pay with euro in Albania?

If you are wondering if you can pay with euros in Albania, this blog post will answer the question for you. In this blog post, you will find out what currency to bring to Albania for your holidays and when you must pay with the local currency in Albania.

Can I pay with euro in Albania? You can pay with euro in Albania for expenses, like hotels, taxis, tours and ferry tickets. The euro is widely used in Albania, so a good currency to bring with you to Albania. Exchange a small amount of euros for Albanian Leke for little expenses, like coffee, bread and bottled water.

As a tour guide, I would like to help you prepare for your holiday in Albania. In this blog post, I will explain where you can and cannot use euros in Albania. Where you can use your bank card. And the use of ATMs and cash in Albania.

Can you use the euro in Albania?

You can use euros in Albania. The euro is widely accepted in Albania. The local currency in Albania is the Albanian Leke, but many Albanian people and business owners have both Albanian Leke and Euros in their wallets.

“The lek (plural lekë) is the official currency of Albania, though the euro is widely accepted; you’ll get a better deal for things in general if you use lek.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

Below I will outline for you what expenses you can pay in euros in Albania and for which expenses you will need a small amount of Albanian Leke.

Hotels & Guesthouses in Albania

You can pay for your hotel or guesthouse in euros. All hotels in Albania quote their prices in Euros.

The most popular hotel booking website for Albania is Booking.com. What is different is that many Albanian hotels allow you to book online on Booking.com and pay in cash at the reception. So you won’t need to make a card payment online beforehand.

Another difference is that many hotels abroad strongly prefer debit or credit card payments. Whereas Albanian hotels accept cash payments easily. Many mom-and-pop owned hotels are very used to payment by Euros in cash. Obviously, you can pay with Albanian Leke too if that is your preference.

“Accommodation is generally quoted in euros but can be paid in either currency.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

Taxis in Albania

You can use Euros to pay for taxis in Albania.

The licensed taxis at Tirana International Airport quote their prices in Euros. The most popular route from Tirana Airport to the city centre of Tirana costs 20-25 euros. So if you plan on taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel, you can bring a small amount of euros to pay for the taxi. You can check the airport taxi price list online here -> https://tiataxi.al/travel/

“For long-distance taxi rides, haggling is definitely a good idea.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

It is not only the airport taxi service, but all the taxi drivers in Albania will allow you to pay in euros. Bear in mind that taxi travel in Albania is expensive. The Lonely Planet actually advises to negotiate the price for long-distance taxi rides, which will certainly save you some money.

I have also recently written a blog post with all the taxi prices for the popular routes in Albania. The blog post will help you to determine whether taxi travel is within your budget and how much it will cost for your particular journey. You can find the blog post with all the taxi prices in Albania here -> https://albaniatourguide.com/how-much-is-a-taxi-in-albania/

Bus travel in Albania

You will need Albanian Leke if you plan on travelling through Albania with the local bus. Albania does not have an effective train and rail system, so the local mini-busses are your only option if you want to travel by public transport.

The mini-busses in Albania are called “Furgons”. A bus ride with the Furgon mini-bus from one city to another is incredibly cheap. Let me give you some examples of the prices:

• Bus from Tirana to Kruje 100 Leke (0.82 euros)
• Bus from Tirana to Berat 400 Leke (3.30 euros)
• Bus from Tirana to Shkoder 400 Leke (3.30 euros)
• Bus from Tirana to Durres 150 Leke (1.25 euros)
• Bus from Tirana to Vlore 500 Leke (4.13 euros)
• Bus from Tirana to Saranda 12 Euros

As you can see the local mini-bus is incredibly cheap. So it makes sense to exchange a small amount of euros for Albanian Leke so that you can pay the bus driver the correct amount.

Unless you are willing to pay a 5 euro note or a 10 euro note and round the price up. Because euro coins cannot be exchanged by the local driver, only notes can be exchanged at the currency exchange offices.

Tourist attractions in Albania

Most tourist attractions in Albania actually quote their rates in Albanian Leke. So it makes sense to exchange a small amount of euros for Albanian Leke.

Prices for tourist attractions in Albania:

• Berat Castle 200 Leke (1.65 euro)
• Kruje Skanderbeg Museum 500 Leke (4 euros)
• Kruje Ethnographic Museum 400 Leke (3.30 euros)
• Rozafa Castle in Shkoder 400 Leke (3.30 euros)
• Apollonia archaeological park 600 Leke (5 euros)
• Butrint UNESCO sight 700 Leke (5.80 euros)
• Gjirokaster castle 200 Leke (1.65 euros)
• Lock in tower in Theth 1 euro
• Lake Koman Ferry ticket 800 Leke (6.60 euros)

Moreover, tourist attractions, like Castles and Museums, are actually surprisingly cheap in Albania. Most entrance tickets will cost you less than 5 euros. So it makes sense to exchange some local money, so you can give the cashier the correct amount in Albanian Leke.

Food and drinks in Albania

You will need to exchange a small amount of money to pay for food and drinks in Albania.

Daily Costs in Albania
Cheap meal: €2–4
Lunch or dinner in local restaurants: €4–10
Dinner in a leading Tirana restaurant: €15–30
From the Lonely Planet

If you pay for your food and drinks with Albanian Leke, you will probably get a better deal. Because if you pay in euros, they might round the price up.

“The lek (plural lekë) is the official currency of Albania, though the euro is widely accepted; you’ll get a better deal for things in general if you use lek.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

Another reason why you need a small amount of Albanian Leke is for bottled water. In Albania, the locals do not drink tap water. And most foreign health authorities advise against drinking tap water in Albania.

So you will need to buy a bottle of water frequently, especially in the hot summer. So have some small coins of Albanian Leke, so that you can buy ice-cold bottled water because you will definitely need it!

Prices of food and drinks in Albania:

• Lunch or dinner at a local restaurant 10 euros
• Bottled water 100 Lek (0.82 euros)
• Espresso coffee 100 Lek (0.82 euros)
• Burek pastry 30 Lek (0.25 euros)
• Fresh bread at the bakery 80 Lek (0.66 euros)
• Soft drink 200 Lek (1.65 euros)
• Albanian beer 300 Lek (2.50 euros)

You can eat incredibly cheap in Albania if you choose for the local restaurants, local bakeries and byrek places. Byrek is a filo dough pastry with a filling, which is widely sold in Albania. If you eat bread or pastry for breakfast or lunch, you will only spend 1-2 euros. In the local shops and restaurants, it simply makes sense to pay with Albanian Leke.

Of course, there are some really tourist restaurants and bars in tourist destinations like Vlore, Saranda, Durres and in the Albanian Riviera. They will certainly accept euros.

Can I use my bank card in Albania?

You can use your bank card in Albania at ATM machines, large hotels and large supermarkets in Albania. However, in Albania, there are many places, where you can only pay with cash. Albania is an old-fashioned country, where most transactions are in cash.

“Credit cards are accepted only in the larger hotels, shops and travel agencies, and few of these are outside Tirana.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

In Albania, the locals pay for all their transactions in cash. It is very normal in Albania to have a clip with cash in your pocket for all your expenses. The Albanian people rarely use a debit card or credit card to settle their bills.

Examples of places in Albania, where you can only pay by cash:

1. Small cafes
2. Bus travel (busses often do not have a card machine)
3. Small grocery shops / Corner shops
4. Fruit shops
5. Bakeries or Byrek pastry shops
6. Market places
7. Souvenir shops
8. Taxis

“ATMs are widely available in most towns. Acceptance of credit cards is normally confined to upper-end hotels, restaurants and shops, although every year their usage becomes more widespread.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

Of course, you can use your Visa or Mastercard to withdraw money from the ATM machines.

ATM machines can be found in big supermarkets. There are also plenty of ATMs in the city centre of big cities, like Tirana, Shkoder, Durres, Vlore, Berat, Gjirokaster and Saranda.

Bear in mind that little villages in the mountains, like Theth village, do not have an ATM machine. And even small beach towns may not have an ATM machine.

My advice is to always carry some cash with you when you travel to Albania. Carry some euros and some Albanian Leke in your pocket. Because you will see that the locals always pay by cash and you will be expected to do the same.

Is there an ATM at Tirana Airport?

There are ATM machines at Tirana Airport. The ATMs at Tirana Airport are from Tirana Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, Banka Kombetare Tregtare (BKT) and OTP Bank.

Is there a currency exchange office at Tirana Airport?

There are currency exchange offices at Tirana Airport. The currency exchange offices are: GSK Exchange, Iliria 98 Exchange and Banka Kombetare Tregtare (BKT) Exchange.

Bear in mind that currency exchange in Albania is very cheap. The currency exchange offices only make small margins. And it is usually cheaper to exchange currency in the city centre than at the airport.

Is a VISA card accepted in Albania?

A Visa card is accepted in Albania. You can use your Visa card to withdraw money from the ATM machine. However, it is best to always carry some cash with you. Because many shops, small cafes, local restaurants, busses, taxis etcetera, do not accept any card payments.

Where can I get Albanian currency?

You can get Albanian currency in Albania only. There are currency exchange offices on every street in the big cities in Albania.

Currency exchange is very popular in Albania. So you will easily find a currency exchange office on every street in the big cities.

The reason why currency exchange is so popular is that many Albanians have a family member who works abroad and sends them money. The family member will send them Euros, Pounds or US dollars via Western Union. It is also very common for Albanian family members to have a Euro account at their bank. As a result, the Albanian people use currency exchange offices on a daily basis.

As a foreigner, I recommend you bring some Euros, Pounds, or USD Dollars in cash with you to Albania. Go to the currency exchange and get some Albanian Leke. Use the Albanian Leke for small purchases, like coffee, pastries, bread, bottled water, souvenirs etcetera.

It is important to spend all your Albanian Leke before you fly home. Or you can change it back at the currency exchange. Because Albanian Leke cannot be exchanged outside of Albania.

“Albanian lek can’t be exchanged outside the country, so exchange them or spend them before you leave.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

What is the best currency to use in Albania?

The two best currencies to use in Albania are Euros and Albanian Leke.

Euros are widely accepted in Albania. You can use cash Euros to pay for your hotel, taxi to the hotel, any organized tours and ferry boat tickets.

Bring some euros cash with you to Albania and exchange a small amount for Albanian Leke.

Use the Albanian Leke for smaller expenses like coffee, bread, pastry, bottled water, souvenirs, bus tickets, fruit etcetera.

How do you pay for things in Albania?

You pay for things in Albania in cash and in person. Online shopping and card payments are very rare in Albania.

For instance, if you go by the local bus. You cannot book your bus ticket online. You cannot pay for your bus ticket by debit card or credit card. If you want to take the bus, you simply travel to the bus ticket and give cash to the bus driver.

You cannot reserve a ticket for the zoo, a museum or a castle. The only way to get a ticket is by driving to the attraction and going to the ticket office and paying in cash.

Many hotels do accept reservations via Booking.com, so that is perhaps one of the few exceptions. However, in many cases, you reserve the room on Booking.com. And then you pay at the hotel reception desk in cash.

Very few Albanian people shop at large supermarkets. Instead, the Albanian people shop at small corner shops, fruit stalls, bakeries and other family-owned shops. You will only be able to pay cash at the cash register. They might not even have a cash register and only use an old fashioned calculator to show you the price.

You really have to carry cash when you travel to Albania. There are ATMs where you can withdraw in the cities. And a little bit of foreign money goes a long way in Albania because the prices are low. But I guarantee that you will come across places where you can only pay in cash and in person at the counter.

Is bargaining normal in Albania?

It is not normal to bargain in Albania.

You are not expected to bargain in Albania. There are many tiny shops in Albania, little bakeries, tiny pastry shops, fruit shops and corner stores. The prices at these tiny shops are very low. So you certainly should not bargain there.

The only places where you may need to bargain in a touristic souvenir market. On the bazaar market in Kruje for instance, you will see that the entire market is full of handicraft and souvenir items, aimed at the tourists. You can bargain at a souvenir market because prices are set higher for the tourists.

“It’s perfectly acceptable to haggle at markets and at shops selling souvenirs. Elsewhere it’s not common. For long-distance taxi rides, haggling is definitely a good idea.” Quote from the Lonely Planet

The Lonely Planet advises bargaining for long-distance taxi rides. This is good advice because long-distance taxi rides are pricy in Albania. So many things, like food, drinks, hotels and bus rides are very cheap in Albania. However, a long taxi ride is very pricy. So absolutely see if you can get a discount.

Related Questions

Where can I change Albanian currency? You can change Albanian currency at a currency exchange office in Albania only. The Albanian Leke is not available abroad. There are currency exchange offices on every street in the big cities because currency exchange is used by the locals on a daily basis.

Should I tip in Albania? You should tip the waiter or waitress in a coffee house, bar or restaurant. Usually, a small amount of between 1-5 euros will be sufficient. Or if you are paying in Albanian Leke 100-500 Leke will be what is expected.

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