An american who lives in Saranda and has for over two years. My total monthly expenses including a 2 bedroom with a view, food, entertainment, utilities, Netflix, VPN all comes to about $700 dollars per month. You were charged way too much, it costs no where near 1800 even for a couple.
Thanks for sharing. Like we mentioned everyone's costs will be different depending on the lifestyle choices they make. I am sure we would spend less if we had a long term lease since we are not able to get long term rates of accommodations when slow traveling (ie we are staying in a place for 1 - 3 months at a time. Our first apartment was definitely over priced. Plus we could not cook in our first apartment since the kitchen was so poorly equipped, that meant we had to eat out almost everyday for the first month 😟 How much do you pay for your two bedroom? Is it in town or out of town?
Now I understand why you paid so much. Sorry to be critical. Rent is very subjective here, if you are going to stay longterm then you can get very cheap prices depending on where you stay. The closer to the water the more expensive. I lived up 3 street from the promenade and paid $400 euros a month. Electricity during the summer months running the AC all the time would be about 60 euros and the water maybe 10 euros. September through January are the best times to secure a long term lease cheaply. The good this is that Americans can stay here for a full year without having to leave so with a cheap apartment you can still explore other parts of Europe very inexpensively and still have a home port. @@TheWanderingHartz
No worries. We were on 5th street our first month and then moved to the south side of the bay for the second month. Yeah ,the Visa for Americans is really nice, especially now that Bulgaria and Romania are going Schengen Soon. We might be back this spring! Maybe we will run into you!
Have you been to Saranda? Let us know in the comments! 📰 Subscribe to Our Newsletter: swiy.co/WanderingNewsletter for more tips and insights on living an abundant life abroad. More Nomadlife and Slow travel videos: th-cam.com/play/PLRQeRgAkY6bXF6zQJnfCtA_Ui16mFwfqC.html 🟧More Guides and Travel articles wanderinghartz.com ⚕ Travel Medical Insurance tiny.one/WHNomadInsuranceth-cam.com/users/sgaming/emoji/7ff574f2/emoji_u1f4f0.png
@@kunalgupta2190 it depends on what country you're from, you will have to check with your countries embassy and then start looking into Albania's requirements for non citizens.
I’m Albanian /Canadian , and been to usa few times ( loved it too) , but gotta say, my preference is somewhere hot and low crime with good food and bit cheap ( that’s saranda )! Now I haven’t been in Albania more than 10+ years , I think you might be able to budget to 800$ a person including rental … so 400-500$ rent 1200$-1300$ groceries and entertainment.. ( that’s for a couple )
just found your channel, this was a very informative video, thanks. we think we are headed to seranda in march for a month and have found a place on airbnb that sounds pretty good near the port, but you sounded so happy with your 2nd months accommodations, would you share your contact info. Nate & Janice
Hi Nate & Janice, I dont want to share someone's personal phone number in public like this but I would suggest some of the FB groups for Seranda expats to find additional options. You can also reach out to us via our contact page on wanderinghartz.com. We were much happier with our second stay vs. the first since it was closer to the promenade and quiet. There is a lot of construction in town so you need to ask about this. The town is built into the hillside and they are always hammering into the bedrock. The Port side (Kodra) is really close to the SPAR which has a lot of options for groceries vs. the smaller markets scattered about the city.
I haven't seen any surf in Saranda, not sure about the rest of the Albanian coastline. The water stays pretty cool until summer, although there are braver people than me that don't mind cooler waters. I need it to be over 70 degrees F unless it's a scorcher! - Joel
That's what we are doing! If you want to buy a vehicle in the EU, we know a company in Germany that helps expats. We just bought a van and RV, and it is so much nicer to have our own home rather than various Airbnb's (we did that the first few months, and since we don't have a visa, and have 3 children, it cost a lot). We are also homeschooling. We were in Albania for a month and loved it!
At about the 330 mark, you guys talk about the average prices to live in Albania. Initially one of you said the pricing was for two people and then at the end of the segment you said it was for one. Can you clarify please thank you!
Our 1 month's cost averaged from the two months we stayed for two people as slow travelers/digital nomads. You can of course spend much more or less based on your habits and needs.
Very helpful video! Do you know if it's difficult for a new Expat to secure an apartment? During high season a couple could expect to spend closer to $3k US for a month..is that correct? Thank you so much!
During low season it does not seem to be difficult to secure an apartment. We booked an apartment on Airbnb our first month (April) and then were able to find one through a local landlord for our second month. (May) During high season we think you're estimate of $2.5K-$3K US per month is pretty accurate for a short term stay during the summer. From the expats we spoke to we know rents can triple during high season. Of course this all depends on your lifestyle, how much you like to eat out, how much you like to spend on entertainment and what kind of accommodations you are comfortable in. Thanks for watching!
Great question. As we understand the year resets after you have been out of Albania for 90 consecutive days. this is from the U.S. Embassy in Albania's website: "U.S. citizens may stay in the Republic of Albania for up to one year without a residence permit. When you enter the country, a border and migration officer stamps your passport with the entry date. (Lately, it has come to our attention that they do not stamp passports because the record is entered electronically in their systems. If this is the case, we suggest you save your boarding pass or ticket as evidence of your entry to Albania for later use.) To “restart the clock” on the one-year time limit, you must depart Albania and remain out of the country for at least 90 days in order to re-enter without a residency permit. Shorter trips outside of Albania during your stay do not lengthen or re-set the one-year limit." al.usembassy.gov/entering-and-residing/#:~:text=To%20%E2%80%9Crestart%20the%20clock%E2%80%9D%20on,set%20the%20one%2Dyear%20limit. We would recommend reaching our to the embassy with your specific plans to verify. This is not legal advice. Cheers, Joel
One month averaged across the two months we stayed. There are some grocery items that last longer than a month like mayonnaise or dish soap that get frontloaded into the first month.
Hi Michael, U.S. Citizens get one year on arrival visa free. The U.S. has a special relationships with Albania. Albania is not in the Schengen Zone either which is why a lot of people use it as a destination when you wish to stay in Europe but have to wait for your Schengen time to reset. Here is a link from the U.S. State Department. travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Albania.html Thanks for watching the video. We hope it was helpful! Joel
It’s one year for US always has been, there were talks they might change it to 3months but the US has massive influence here and told Albania government stop messing around with visas so Albania government confirm no changes to visa for US citizens.. ..
Your experience was one of "vacation mode" - a different experience from - ''retirement mode'' - that would perhaps be a bit more - 'frugal' ? -- I see much less expense for just me. - - - Perhaps a quite comfortable ''retirement'' on $1000/mo. ! ( ? ) 😊
We were probably in vacation mode a little bit during our time in Saranda but if you divide our total expenses in 2 it's about $900 per person so your $1,000 a month is very doable. 😄 Thanks for watching!
@@natalias8305 We were not exactly diving the rent only in two. It all depends on how you choose to spend money. In this video we shared our actually costs (all of them including travel insurance and more from 2023) for two people. We did not try to be as cheap as possible either. It is getting harder to find, but you can find long term accommodations for under $300 mo and short term for $350 ish further from the promenade in the off season or on the outskirts of town in 2024. It is totally doable to spend $900 a month for one person for the basics like Rent, Food, Utilities, Phone. We know several expats who live for this amount and even a couple of nomads. Also check these comments for more folks who are living on less than $1000 mo. We would of course suggest to have a bigger budget if possible. We break it down a bit further with some estimated costs in our updated Saranda Cost of Living video from this year. th-cam.com/video/_Pa5Vb0peTc/w-d-xo.html Hope that clears things up a bit 😊
An american who lives in Saranda and has for over two years. My total monthly expenses including a 2 bedroom with a view, food, entertainment, utilities, Netflix, VPN all comes to about $700 dollars per month. You were charged way too much, it costs no where near 1800 even for a couple.
Thanks for sharing. Like we mentioned everyone's costs will be different depending on the lifestyle choices they make. I am sure we would spend less if we had a long term lease since we are not able to get long term rates of accommodations when slow traveling (ie we are staying in a place for 1 - 3 months at a time. Our first apartment was definitely over priced. Plus we could not cook in our first apartment since the kitchen was so poorly equipped, that meant we had to eat out almost everyday for the first month 😟
How much do you pay for your two bedroom? Is it in town or out of town?
Now I understand why you paid so much. Sorry to be critical. Rent is very subjective here, if you are going to stay longterm then you can get very cheap prices depending on where you stay. The closer to the water the more expensive. I lived up 3 street from the promenade and paid $400 euros a month. Electricity during the summer months running the AC all the time would be about 60 euros and the water maybe 10 euros. September through January are the best times to secure a long term lease cheaply. The good this is that Americans can stay here for a full year without having to leave so with a cheap apartment you can still explore other parts of Europe very inexpensively and still have a home port.
@@TheWanderingHartz
No worries. We were on 5th street our first month and then moved to the south side of the bay for the second month. Yeah ,the Visa for Americans is really nice, especially now that Bulgaria and Romania are going Schengen Soon.
We might be back this spring! Maybe we will run into you!
You should do a video or blog about how to live cheaply in Sarande. I am currently in Durres and looking to move.
That's a great idea. We haven't been to Duress yet, why are you considering a move?
What would be your top questions about living in Saranda?
Have you been to Saranda? Let us know in the comments!
📰 Subscribe to Our Newsletter: swiy.co/WanderingNewsletter for more tips and insights on living an abundant life abroad.
More Nomadlife and Slow travel videos: th-cam.com/play/PLRQeRgAkY6bXF6zQJnfCtA_Ui16mFwfqC.html
🟧More Guides and Travel articles wanderinghartz.com
⚕ Travel Medical Insurance tiny.one/WHNomadInsuranceth-cam.com/users/sgaming/emoji/7ff574f2/emoji_u1f4f0.png
Thank you for this helpful info.
Glad it was helpful! 🙂
Very informative video. Thank you. Also, you both have pleasant voices.
Glad it helped! And thanks for the nice compliment 😊
@@TheWanderingHartzhow can I migrate to Albania
@@kunalgupta2190 it depends on what country you're from, you will have to check with your countries embassy and then start looking into Albania's requirements for non citizens.
@@TheWanderingHartz I am from india i want to buy real estate and move there is it possible do you know any immigration lawyer let me know
@@kunalgupta2190 sorry we don't know an immigration lawyer.
There are lots of lovely people in saranda and I do love it.. I will get back there soon!
You should! We have really enjoyed our time there!
I’m Albanian /Canadian , and been to usa few times ( loved it too) , but gotta say, my preference is somewhere hot and low crime with good food and bit cheap ( that’s saranda )! Now I haven’t been in Albania more than 10+ years , I think you might be able to budget to 800$ a person including rental … so 400-500$ rent 1200$-1300$ groceries and entertainment.. ( that’s for a couple )
We found that to be close to our own experience. Thanks for sharing!
Low crime, good food and nice weather, its my dream❤
Great video my friends!😊️
Thanks @Seanryshack7086! Have you made it back yet?
nice people and good info..just subscribed👍
Thank you for watching and subscribing!
Very helpful information. Thanks.
Wait that was for two months? For two people? Wow 😮 well done.
No, that was our average per month for 2 people. Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!
just found your channel, this was a very informative video, thanks. we think we are headed to seranda in march for a month and have found a place on airbnb that sounds pretty good near the port, but you sounded so happy with your 2nd months accommodations, would you share your contact info.
Nate & Janice
Hi Nate & Janice, I dont want to share someone's personal phone number in public like this but I would suggest some of the FB groups for Seranda expats to find additional options. You can also reach out to us via our contact page on wanderinghartz.com.
We were much happier with our second stay vs. the first since it was closer to the promenade and quiet. There is a lot of construction in town so you need to ask about this. The town is built into the hillside and they are always hammering into the bedrock.
The Port side (Kodra) is really close to the SPAR which has a lot of options for groceries vs. the smaller markets scattered about the city.
My brother in law has an apartment in Saranda and i want to go but it seems to be fully booked all the time. Need to have a chat with him. :)
Great video. Is there any surf at the ocean there? Or just ripples? And is the water too cold for swimming without a wetsuit?
I haven't seen any surf in Saranda, not sure about the rest of the Albanian coastline. The water stays pretty cool until summer, although there are braver people than me that don't mind cooler waters. I need it to be over 70 degrees F unless it's a scorcher!
- Joel
There is no ocean in Albania
@@natalias8305 Okay, then what is the body of water at the coast? How many months of the year can you swim there?
Just subbed. Wife and I from Nashville and looking g to homeschool while traveling. See the world. Save $$.
Welcome aboard! Love to hear this! You can definitely save money versus Nashville 😁
That's what we are doing! If you want to buy a vehicle in the EU, we know a company in Germany that helps expats. We just bought a van and RV, and it is so much nicer to have our own home rather than various Airbnb's (we did that the first few months, and since we don't have a visa, and have 3 children, it cost a lot). We are also homeschooling. We were in Albania for a month and loved it!
@@sarahwy13 that sounds awesome!
At about the 330 mark, you guys talk about the average prices to live in Albania. Initially one of you said the pricing was for two people and then at the end of the segment you said it was for one. Can you clarify please thank you!
Our 1 month's cost averaged from the two months we stayed for two people as slow travelers/digital nomads. You can of course spend much more or less based on your habits and needs.
Very helpful video! Do you know if it's difficult for a new Expat to secure an apartment? During high season a couple could expect to spend closer to $3k US for a month..is that correct? Thank you so much!
During low season it does not seem to be difficult to secure an apartment. We booked an apartment on Airbnb our first month (April) and then were able to find one through a local landlord for our second month. (May) During high season we think you're estimate of $2.5K-$3K US per month is pretty accurate for a short term stay during the summer. From the expats we spoke to we know rents can triple during high season. Of course this all depends on your lifestyle, how much you like to eat out, how much you like to spend on entertainment and what kind of accommodations you are comfortable in. Thanks for watching!
3k per month no way man it more like 400 dollars a month
@@ag5688 Perhaps for rent but I meant all monthly expenses.
I have a question. Does the year you get in Albania reset every time you exit Albania?
Great question. As we understand the year resets after you have been out of Albania for 90 consecutive days. this is from the U.S. Embassy in Albania's website:
"U.S. citizens may stay in the Republic of Albania for up to one year without a residence permit. When you enter the country, a border and migration officer stamps your passport with the entry date. (Lately, it has come to our attention that they do not stamp passports because the record is entered electronically in their systems. If this is the case, we suggest you save your boarding pass or ticket as evidence of your entry to Albania for later use.)
To “restart the clock” on the one-year time limit, you must depart Albania and remain out of the country for at least 90 days in order to re-enter without a residency permit. Shorter trips outside of Albania during your stay do not lengthen or re-set the one-year limit." al.usembassy.gov/entering-and-residing/#:~:text=To%20%E2%80%9Crestart%20the%20clock%E2%80%9D%20on,set%20the%20one%2Dyear%20limit.
We would recommend reaching our to the embassy with your specific plans to verify. This is not legal advice.
Cheers,
Joel
@@TheWanderingHartz thank you kindly Joel!
Was the 1816.00 for one or two months?
One month, two adults. $1816 is the monthly average of the two months we stayed. Thanks for watching I hope this helps!
😍😍
I dont think i could take all the cigarette smoke.
Totally get it! The smoke can be a bummer. We have found this to be case in most the places we have been in the Balkans.
$1816 for two months?
One month averaged across the two months we stayed. There are some grocery items that last longer than a month like mayonnaise or dish soap that get frontloaded into the first month.
I thought they changed it to 3 months for Americans, on par with other nations.
Hi Michael, U.S. Citizens get one year on arrival visa free. The U.S. has a special relationships with Albania. Albania is not in the Schengen Zone either which is why a lot of people use it as a destination when you wish to stay in Europe but have to wait for your Schengen time to reset.
Here is a link from the U.S. State Department. travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Albania.html
Thanks for watching the video. We hope it was helpful!
Joel
They changed for a few months and rolled back
It’s one year for US always has been, there were talks they might change it to 3months but the US has massive influence here and told Albania government stop messing around with visas so Albania government confirm no changes to visa for US citizens.. ..
@@ag5688 It was changed for few months. I saw it on official website. And reverted back to 1year
This rule was implemented for couple of months but was quickly reverted back for 1 year
The longer you stay in Albania the cheaper it gets.
👍
Your experience was one of "vacation mode" - a different experience from - ''retirement mode'' - that would perhaps be a bit more - 'frugal' ? -- I see much less expense for just me. - - - Perhaps a quite comfortable ''retirement'' on $1000/mo. ! ( ? ) 😊
We were probably in vacation mode a little bit during our time in Saranda but if you divide our total expenses in 2 it's about $900 per person so your $1,000 a month is very doable. 😄 Thanks for watching!
@@TheWanderingHartzyou can not divide your rent on two, so it won't be $900
@@natalias8305 We were not exactly diving the rent only in two. It all depends on how you choose to spend money. In this video we shared our actually costs (all of them including travel insurance and more from 2023) for two people. We did not try to be as cheap as possible either. It is getting harder to find, but you can find long term accommodations for under $300 mo and short term for $350 ish further from the promenade in the off season or on the outskirts of town in 2024.
It is totally doable to spend $900 a month for one person for the basics like Rent, Food, Utilities, Phone. We know several expats who live for this amount and even a couple of nomads. Also check these comments for more folks who are living on less than $1000 mo. We would of course suggest to have a bigger budget if possible.
We break it down a bit further with some estimated costs in our updated Saranda Cost of Living video from this year. th-cam.com/video/_Pa5Vb0peTc/w-d-xo.html Hope that clears things up a bit 😊
Uk is. HePer omg 1800 euros come on
??
I love albania 🇦🇱
👍 It's a lovely country, thanks for sharing!
@@TheWanderingHartz yes I have been there many times and going back in June for one month