Money in Albania: Lek, Euros and Cards

The currency: lek, not euros

Prices in shops, cafés and restaurants are shown in lek. You will sometimes see euro prices too, especially for hotels, tours and services aimed at visitors, and many businesses in Tirana will take euro notes. But paying in euros where the price is set in lek usually means accepting the business’s own rate and receiving change in lek. For everyday spending it is simpler and normally cheaper to use lek.

Cards or cash?

Tirana is far more card-friendly than many visitors expect. Hotels, larger restaurants, supermarkets, chain shops and most clinics that treat international patients take cards. Cash is still useful for:

• Small cafés, bakeries and bars, where a coffee costs very little and card machines are not always available.
• Markets and small shops.
• Some taxis. Ask before you set off whether the driver takes cards.
• Tips.

A sensible approach is to carry a modest amount of lek for small purchases and use a card for everything else. Tell your bank you are travelling to Albania before you leave so that card payments are not blocked as unusual.

ATMs and exchange

ATMs are common across central Tirana and at the airport. Fees vary by bank and by card, so check what your own bank charges for foreign withdrawals. Two habits save money:

• Decline conversion. If an ATM or card machine offers to charge you in pounds, euros or dollars instead of lek, choose lek. Your own bank’s rate is usually better than the conversion offered on the spot.
• Take out fewer, larger amounts if your bank charges a fixed fee per withdrawal.

Exchange offices are easy to find in the city centre. If you bring euro or pound notes to exchange, compare the posted buy and sell rates, and change only what you need for cash spending.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory in Albania, but it is common and appreciated. In cafés people often round up the bill. In restaurants, leaving around ten per cent for good service is a normal gesture. Drivers and hotel staff appreciate a small tip for help with luggage. Tips are easiest in cash.

Paying for your treatment

Payment for dental treatment is a separate question from day-to-day spending. Clinics set their own payment methods and schedules, and treatment plans for implants or full-arch work are often paid in stages across two visits. Our payment options guide explains the usual methods. Before you travel, confirm in writing:

• The currency your treatment price is fixed in.
• Which payment methods the clinic accepts, and whether card payments carry a fee.
• How much is due at each visit.
• Whether your bank’s daily card limit covers the amount, if you plan to pay by card. Raising the limit before you travel avoids a declined payment at the desk.

A simple money plan for a dental trip

1. Before leaving, tell your bank about the trip, check your foreign-use fees and your daily card limit.
2. On arrival, withdraw a modest amount of lek from an ATM, choosing to be charged in lek.
3. Use your card for hotels, restaurants and shops; use cash for cafés, markets, taxis and tips.
4. Pay the clinic by the method agreed in writing beforehand.

For the rest of the trip, see our travel tips, the what to bring checklist and the treatment timeline.