Money, Prices and the Lek

The lek

The Albanian lek (ALL) is the legal currency, issued by the Bank of Albania. Notes and coins in circulation are denominated in the current lek.

The old lek trap

In 1965 Albania revalued the currency, dividing by ten. Many people, especially older people and in markets, still quote prices in the pre-1965 'old lek'. If a price sounds ten times too high, it probably is: 'two thousand' may mean 200 lek.

This is the single most common price confusion visitors run into. Confirming the figure rather than assuming is normal and nobody minds.

Euros

Rents, property sales, and some tourism and professional services are quoted and often paid in euros. Everyday shopping, transport and restaurants are in lek. Paying euro cash for a small purchase generally gets a poor rate.

Cards, cash and ATMs

Cards work in Tirana and the main coastal towns, and much less reliably inland, at small guesthouses and for furgons. ATMs are widespread; many charge a fee and offer their own conversion, which is usually worse than your own bank's.

Where prices are on this site

The Data section carries wage, inflation and price-level series with their observation dates and sources. This Atlas does not print undated price tables, because they are wrong within a year and there is no way for a reader to tell.