Property prices increase by up to 40% with EU entry - Analysis/ What will happen to the market 5-7 years after accession?
"The property sector in Albania is really moving forward and there is a lot of room to buy properties at an affordable price still. So what I would say to all those who have liquidity, money, and you have a lot of money here in Austria, to spend some of this money buying properties, apartments in Albania, it will be a really good investment, because prices are increasing and will increase more and more, even when we become a member state of the European Union. Something that has also happened to countries that are already member states, because when you become a member state, prices almost double. So you buy an apartment in Tirana, wait a few years and sell it for double the price."
This was the appeal made the day before by Prime Minister Edi Rama, addressed to Austrian investors.
Meanwhile, a recent analysis conducted by ALTAX concludes that membership in the European Union, whose objective is 2030, could bring a gradual increase in property prices in Albania of 20-40% over a 5-7 year period for areas with clear property titles, clean air, good transport links and well-maintained infrastructure.
The analysis is also based on the experience of other countries that have gone through this cycle, such as Croatia, Slovenia or Romania.
According to the document, doubling property values is not guaranteed as it may be almost impossible without structural reforms in: Law enforcement and property security. Reducing corruption in construction. Improving urban infrastructure and the environment.
For these reasons, it is said that EU entry is not a guarantee of quick riches. The market may maintain current prices for the next 2–3 years, but further growth will require real economics, not just political enthusiasm.
According to ALTAX data, in 2025, the real estate market in Albania, especially in Tirana and coastal cities, is experiencing record growth.
In the premium areas of Tirana (Bllok, Artificial Lake, Kodra e Diellit), prices of new apartments range from €2,200–3,500/m², while on the coastline (Vlora, Saranda, Durrës) prices of apartments in front of the sea reach up to €2,000/m², with some luxury projects exceeding €3,000/m². Currently, the average is €1,400 per m2. In countries such as Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia, in the 5 years after accession, property prices have increased by 27% - 45%, with the largest increase recorded in Romania.
According to the analysis, with an average income of around €7,000/year per capita, Albania already has one of the highest price/earnings ratios in the region (7–10 years of salary to buy a 70 m² apartment in Tirana). In Croatia or Slovenia, this ratio is 4–6 years.
This shows that the Albanian market is beyond the capacities of local buyers, relying on: The Albanian diaspora with savings in euros; Foreign buyers (Italians, Poles, Czechs) who see the coast as a vacation destination and informal capital (cash economy).
ALTAX highlights that these resources are limited and vulnerable to financial crises or legal changes. For this reason, it concludes that in the absence of a stronger domestic economy and an affordable credit market, further price increases are fragile.
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