Real cost of living: a month in Durrës, Albania

Draft. All numbers are estimates — verify before you go.

Durrës is Albania's oldest city and its busiest port, with a long sandy beach and a Roman amphitheatre right in the middle of town.

Estimated monthly costs

• Room at our home: about $500/month
• Groceries from markets: roughly $150–$250
• Eating out often: $100–$250 (byrek and coffee are cheap; seafood less so)
• Local buses and the bus to Tirana: $20–$40
• SIM card with data: $10–$20

Estimated total: about $780–$1,060/month.

A local routine

Morning espresso at a seafront café (Albanians take coffee seriously and slowly), produce from the old market, an evening xhiro — the walk along the promenade the whole city seems to join.

Visas

Many passports get visa-free stays, but the rules change. Verify before you book.

Honest downsides

August is crowded and loud. Some buildings are under construction. Winters are quiet and some beach spots close.