Grocery Shopping in Albania

Anyone on a budget, whether traveling or not, knows you can’t eat in restaurants all the time or you will go broke. The less money you have, the more you eat at home. Greg and I grew up in homes that ate a lot of casseroles and stews because our family budget was small. We learned how to stretch our dollars when it came to grocery shopping and food. Thankfully, I enjoy cooking now, and eating at home helps us eat healthier and save money while traveling through Europe.

We frequently stay in each location for three to four weeks which means that grocery shopping is needed multiple times in that location. Our first few shopping trips are larger simply because we must start from scratch in each move by purchasing things we don't transport in our suitcases (toilet paper, coffee, butter, oil, sugar, etc.). Though we are living smaller than our USA life, sometimes we need to buy items for the apartment itself (a cutting board, knife, or cheese grater) just to make it through the daily comforts.

We've all heard that shopping in Europe is different than shopping in America, but first-hand experience and pictures tell most of the story. For example, warehouse shopping is rare with small chain stores or mom-and-pop shops being the norm. Shopping 2-4 times per week is not uncommon in the towns we visited because people buy smaller quantities with fewer preservatives in their foods. It’s just healthier. You can’t purchase medications, even Tylenol in the grocery store. Medications must be purchased at the pharmacy. If medications were needed on the same day as a grocery trip, you will see those items in the photographs next to the grocery items.

Throughout several stories in this series, we will show you photos and costs of grocery items that matched our diet and preferences. Today’s story will reveal shopping costs in the Albanian towns of Vlore, Pogradec, and Sarande where we stayed for a month in each city. Keep in mind that exchange rates from EURO to USD change daily and our totals may reflect that change.

The photo gallery below shows Greg purchasing three months of meds at a traditional pharmacy. The only documentation needed was a written prescription from his American doctor. Some photos show shelves of a smaller chain grocery store. And, some photos show a small chain pharmacy called a biologic store which feels more like an American pharmacy.

Vlorë

• Water (5Lt) 120

• Honey 470

• Cheese 90

• Gum 60

• Olives 79

• Fresh Mozzarella 442

• Sliced Mozzarella 340

• Sausages 399

• Salame 250

• Cheese wedges 140

• Butter (200g) 380

• Chips 90

• Gnocchi 150

• Cheese Wedge 307

• 1 Kg Hamburger 621

• Bread loaf 100

• Cookies (1/2 dozen) 200

• Blueberries 216

• Tomatoes 160

• Lettuce 125

• Mushroom 199

  Total 4936 LEK = $59.48

• Lemon 54

• Ginger 49

• Feta Cheese 1179

• Chicken 733

• Salami whole 355

• Meatballs 449

• Sliced Turkey 249

• Sliced Ham 299

• Sliced Salame 359

• Swiss Cheese 399

• Yellow Tomato 309

• Basil 199

• Carrots 169

• Red Tomato 263

• Zucchini 128

• Aluminum Foil 159

• Artichokes 499

• Yogurt 345

• Water 65

• Honey 459

• Wine Vinegar 379

• Cognac 499

  Total 7598 LEK = $91.00

Pictured below you will see photos and cost analysis of two grocery trips in this city.

Pogradec

• Sprite 100

• Napkins 79

• Olive Oil 719

• Honey 999

• Paper Towels 219

• Room Freshener 149

• Instant Ramen Soup x2 179

• Potato Chips 299

• Sausages 399

• Eggs 239

• Greek Yogurt x2 329

• Oatmeal 140

• Plastic-Wrap 159

• Granola 279

• Peppers 40

• Potatoes 70

• Cookies X3 189

• Dish Soap 439

• Hand Soap 219

• Butter 300

• Coffee 619

  Total 6,161 LEK = $73.43

Pictured below in white you will see a common grocery purchase with prices for Pogradec. In green you'll see some of the beautiful produce we had access to during the summer of 2025 in Pogradec.

Sarandë

• water 120

• torte cake 369

• hard apple cider (x2) 185

• mayonnaise 360

• shower gel 165

• razor blades-her 1595

• disposable razors-him 245

• tortillas 350

• pasta 124

• mushrooms 280

• Red pepper 20

• green beans 125

• zucchini 40

• cheese grater 160

• knife 160

• cutting board 160

  Total 4458 LEK = $53.66

• Toilet Paper combo 435

• Laundry detergent 475

• Fabric Softener 429

• Pringles 249

• Milk 225

• Water 238

• Cleaning spray 399

• Dish soap 239

• Aluminum foil 199

• Oatmeal 125

• Sugar 289

• Crackers 259

• Cookies 225

• Butter 229

  Total 4015 LEK = $48.39

Pictured below you will see photos and cost analysis of two grocery trips in this city.