Eurostat: 24% of Albanian families do not pay their bills and rent on time

Around 24.2% of households in Albania have overdue payments related to rent, utility bills (electricity, water, heating), or installment purchases of property, according to Eurostat data for 2023.

This means that roughly one in four families faces real difficulties in meeting housing-related financial obligations on time.

This level is significantly higher than the European Union average, which stood around 9–10% in 2023, placing Albania among the countries with the highest housing cost difficulties, after Greece, North Macedonia, and Turkey. Compared to Eurozone countries, where about 9.5% of households have late payments, the situation in Albania is more than twice as problematic.

The high percentage of households unable to pay their bills indicates that a substantial portion of the population is financially fragile, exposed to small economic shocks, price increases, income loss, or unexpected expenses.

In most Western European countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, or Austria, only 5–10% of households have overdue payments, highlighting how far Albania is from the European standard of financial affordability.

In the Western Balkans, the situation is generally more challenging than in the EU, but Albania remains among the countries with the highest levels of difficulty. At 24.2%, Albania exceeds Serbia (17.9%) and approaches countries with high financial pressure, such as Turkey (26.3%).

Albania stands above the regional average and far from the EU level, reflecting a combination of factors such as low incomes, relatively high living costs, and a lack of protective mechanisms for families.

Other detailed Eurostat data show that while Albania still has some of the lowest rent and utility costs, a high share of households cannot pay these bills on time.

The situation may worsen in the coming years, as housing prices in Albania are rising faster than wages, and overall living costs are increasing, making it even more difficult for families to manage household bills.

“KORÇA BOOM”