You all felt the rise in prices after Covid and Albania together with its Tourism industry is no exception.
But taking into account that in neighboring Greece your travel daily spending can easily reach 100 Euro or that Turkey has raised prices for their tours 40% in 2023, Albania still fits the bill for a budget travel destination in 2024!
But at least there are pleasant exceptions in the form of cheap flights from London and other European destinations to Albania, Tirana from Wizzair: in low season it is 40 - 50 Euro for a direct return flight. You can stay several days in Tirana: enjoy Albania cuisine, Blloku district, Dajti National Park and the surrounding area.
Transport. How to get from Tirana airport to Saranda: you have 3 options
Renting a car in Albania. In Low season you can take a Suzuki Swift or Volkswagen Polo with unlimited mileage for 15 Euro/day, in the high season (July - August) - 20-30 Eur / day. 1 liter of diesel costs 1.85 Euro.
Take a taxi. From Tirana to Saranda it is 260 kilometers and 3.5 hours drive, so the price is a bit expensive - 150 - 180 Euro.
Take a public bus, the price is around 15 Euro for a 5 hour ride.
Accommodation
Saranda is developing really rapidly and you can see how many accommodation options with a 9.5+ rating are here. Imagine you decided to go for the European winter sun and visit the best Ksamil hotels or Saranda ones in February. Just do that and you will be surprised by the price for a double room at 25 - 35 Euro per night and by the weather like +20 degrees Celsius and the shining sun. In High Season the same room will cost at least twice higher.
Restaurants, Bars, Cafes
Saranda is the most popular sea resort in Albania hosting up to 300 000 Guests per month in High Season so the hospitality sector is up to such amounts of guests. There are lots of restaurants, bars and cafes on the promenade as well as on the neighboring streets.
Cappuccino in a cafe - 1.5 - 2 Euro.
Dinner in a restaurant with sea view and grilled Octopus and vegetables plus fresh orange juice 18 Euro. In addition they offered a small plate of watermelon and grapes + a shot of rachia for free:)
My Time Lounge Bar - 0.5 Korce beer - 4 Euro.
Saranda Orange night club with free entrance, 0,33 beer - 7 euro.
Seafood pizza enough for 3 persons - 14 Euro.
Street food
Byrek - 3 Euro.
Souvlaki - 3.5 Euro.
Activities
Boat trip with visiting 3-4 remote beaches - 20 Euro.
Butrint National park entrance fee - 10 Euro.
2 sunbeds with a parasol at Saranda Albania beaches - 10 Euro.
2 sunbeds with a parasol at Ksamil in Albania beaches - 15 Euro in High Season (July - August) and 10 Euro in off season (May - June, September - October).
Alcohol and Tobacco
A pack of cigarettes - 2.5 - 3 Euro.
Pack of natural tobacco - 4.5 Euro.
Bottle of a very good local cognac Skenderbeu in the shop - 16 Euro.
Local wine in plastic bottles 1.5 liter - 4 Euro.
Paulainer 0.5 in a nice cafe on the promenade with perfect sea view 4 - 5 Euro.
The same Paulainer 0.5 in the shop - 2 Euro.
Local 0.5 beer (Korca, Stela, Tirana) in the shop - 1 - 1.2 Euro.
1.5 liter of water - 0.5 Euro.
Meat
Lamb ribs for soup - 11 Euro/kg.
Beef - 10 Euro/kg.
Chicken - 4.5 Euro / kg.
Seafood
Sardines - 5 Euro/kg.
Squid - 12 Euro/kg.
King prawns - 25 Euro/kg.
- Seabass / Dorado - 10 Euro/kg.
Saranda town market near Hotel Villa Margarit with greenery, olives, fruits and vegetables. Prices as of October 2023 were:
Tomatoes - 1.5 Euro.
Pepper - 1.7 Euro.
Plums - 1.6 Euro.
Pomegranate - 1.2 Euro.
Sheep cheese - 13 Eur/kg.
Beans - 3 Euro/kg.
Olive oil for 1.0 liter - 6 Euro.
Olives - 3 Eur/kg.
Homemade wine for 1.5 liter - 5 Euro.
