# Albania food price inflation and cost of living > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/albania-food-price-inflation > Updated: 2026-08-22T21:18:02.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 6. Eurostat data for 2025 show Albania as the EU’s third-most expensive market for dairy, with milk and egg prices at 135.6% of the EU average. Household-level figures reveal that Albanian families allocated a record 20.4% of the country’s nominal GDP to food purchases in 2025, the highest share in Europe. By mid-2026, inflationary pressures on essential goods intensified. In June 2026, the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) reported that consumer prices for items like lemons (+23.5%), coffee (+14.6%), liquid gas (+12.4%), and wine (+11.2%) significantly outpaced the 3.2% overall inflation rate. Rising costs extended to meat and dairy, with meat prices increasing by approximately 30% and dairy products rising by 30% to 35% due to shortages and transport costs. In July 2026, inflation reached 3.4%, surpassing the European Union average of 3%. Local vendors have attributed meat shortages to increased competition from Bulgarian imports, alongside rising transport and labeling costs. In response to rising costs, the Albanian Competition Authority launched a monitoring initiative in August 2026, targeting major supermarkets to assess market competition. Recent reports indicate that vegetable prices have also been impacted by rising oil costs and seasonal flooding. Broader food security concerns persist. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 31.8% of Albanians faced moderate or severe food insecurity during the 2023–2025 period, a rate roughly 4.3 times higher than the European average. Within Albania, 8.3% of the population is classified as facing severe food insecurity. While child stunting rates improved, reaching 7.4% in 2024, other health indicators declined: adult obesity rose to 24.1% in 2024 and anemia among women increased to 24.7% in 2023. Additionally, the cost of a healthy daily diet in Albania reached $5.16 in purchasing power parity by 2025, which is 30% above the European average. ## Claims - Beef and livestock meat prices have increased by 30%. (single source) - Dairy product prices have risen by 30-35% over the last two years. (single source) - Local meat supply has been replaced by meat imported from Bulgaria. (single source) - Vegetable prices increased by 3.8%. (single source) - Fruit prices decreased by 2.8%. (single source) - Increased costs for labeling and transport have raised supermarket dairy prices. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-22: Food insecurity in Albania and rising prices in North Macedonia FAO reports nearly 32% of Albanians face food insecurity, far exceeding European averages. Meanwhile, North Macedonia prepares for rising food prices due to global supply shocks and climate factors. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albania-faces-high-food-insecurity-rates-fao-reports ### 2026-08-22: Albanian Competition Authority monitors supermarket prices The Albanian Competition Authority is monitoring 30 essential consumer products in major supermarkets to investigate pricing trends and ensure fair market competition following rising inflation. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albanian-competition-authority-monitors-supermarket-prices ### 2026-08-04: Albania sees sharp rise in food imports amid inflation and tourism cost pressures Albania's food imports rose 14% to 716,000 t in H1 2026, led by Croatia, while inflation at 3.2% and a stronger lek raise tourism costs 8%, creating a policy dilemma for the Bank of Albania. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albania-sees-sharp-rise-in-food-imports-amid-inflation-and-tourism-cost-pressures ### 2026-07-29: Albania sees sharp rise in basic food and fuel prices in June 2026 Albania’s INSTAT reports that in June 2026 basic food and fuel prices jumped, with lemons (+23.5%), coffee (+14.6%), liquid gas (+12.4%) and wine (+11.2%) rising faster than the 3.2% inflation average, while a‑ 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albania-sees-sharp-rise-in-basic-food-and-fuel-prices-in-june-2026 ### 2026-07-21: Albania's households spend record 20% of GDP on food, highest in Europe Albanian households spent a record 20.4% of GDP on food in 2025, the highest share in Europe, while a study finds food inflation outpacing the region despite a stronger lek, forcing families to allocate about 4 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albanias-households-spend-record-20-of-gdp-on-food-highest-in-europe ### 2026-06-30: Albania ranks third in Europe for high dairy prices Albania is now the EU’s third‑most expensive nation for dairy, with milk and egg prices at 135.6 % of the EU average in 2025, up sharply from 112.3 % in 2022, stressing households and a shrinking livestock base 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/albania-ranks-third-in-europe-for-high-dairy-prices --- Cite as: Albania food price inflation and cost of living. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/albania-food-price-inflation