What it costs to buy property in Albania
A foreign buyer should budget roughly 1.3%–2.4% of the purchase price on top of the price itself. No licence or permit is required.
What you pay
- Legal fees1.0%–1.5% of the price$5,000–$7,500
- Notary fees0.2%–0.4% of the price$1,150–$1,750
- Cadastral registration (ASHK)0.1%–0.5% of the price$500–$2,500
| On a purchase of | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notary fees | $575 – $875 | $1,150 – $1,750 | $2,300 – $3,500 |
| Cadastral registration (ASHK) | $250 – $1,250 | $500 – $2,500 | $1,000 – $5,000 |
| Legal fees | $2,500 – $3,750 | $5,000 – $7,500 | $10,000 – $15,000 |
| Total on top of the price | 1.3%–2.4% | 1.3%–2.4% | 1.3%–2.4% |
Who carries the taxes and fees
What the seller pays — not you
- Agency commission — 3%Around 3%, customarily the seller's, though practice on the Riviera varies.
Guides that add every tax together and present the total as a buyer's bill overstate the cost. These are the seller's.
Can you buy as a foreigner?
No licence required
A foreign individual may buy apartments, houses and other buildings freely, with no permit. Land is the restriction: agricultural land cannot be held by a foreign natural person, and acquiring construction land generally means doing it through an Albanian company, sometimes with an investment commitment attached. Title is the real risk here rather than permission — commission a full search on restitution claims and on whether any construction was properly legalised.
No approval to wait for
With no permission to obtain, the timeline is set by conveyancing rather than by a government queue.
Take it with you
These figures as a PDF, worked out at the price you enter, with every source and the date it was checked.
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Nearby markets compared
What a foreign buyer pays on top of a $500,000 price, here and in the markets around it nearest in cost.
- SloveniaNo licence1.1%–2.5%
- AlbaniaNo licence1.3%–2.4%
- MontenegroNo licence5.4%–6.3%
- CroatiaLicence needed6.5%–8.8%
An estimate for budgeting, not legal or tax advice. These rates are traced to published sources but have not been reviewed by a practitioner in this jurisdiction. Confirm the current position with an attorney before you commit.
Albania's tax on the transfer of real property is the seller's liability, and it is deliberately not modelled here: sources disagree on whether the 15% rate applies to the gain or to the price, and on how the per-square-metre minimum interacts with it, so no figure could be stated honestly. That omission does not affect a buyer's total. Everything above is secondary-sourced and not reviewed by an Albanian lawyer.