Short-term rentals in Albania: where they earn most in 2026 (Vlorë, Durrës, Golem, Shkodër, Tirana)

Where do short-term rentals earn most in Albania? According to AirDNA data for the first half of 2026, published by Monitor on 15 August, an average flat earned about €830 a month in Vlorë, €800 in Durrës, €765 in Tirana and €745 in Golem, while Shkodër, Shëngjin and Korçë trailed behind. In June, at the start of the season, Vlorë and Durrës reached about €1,400 a month. The gaps between cities are smaller than many assume, and for an investor they depend more on the purchase price and costs than on the city itself. Here we compare the cities and show how to work out your own return.

Cover photo: Ahmet Çötür / Pexels

Units listed for short-term rental, H1 2026

27,700

Share of units in the Vlorë–Sarandë segment (10,200)

37%

Tirana's revenue, the highest in the country, January–June

€16.3m

Monthly income per flat in Vlorë, before costs

~€830

Comparing cities: nightly rate, occupancy and income

The table summarises AirDNA's data by city. "Monthly income" is the average per flat adjusted for occupancy, so it includes empty nights, but it is before energy, cleaning, commissions and tax.

Tirana earns more in total than any other city because it works all year: about €16.3 million in six months, against €15.5 million in Vlorë and €7.7 million in Durrës (Monitor, 15 August 2026).

An important caveat: the averages cover January to June, so without July and August. In June, a night cost on average €76 in Durrës, €75 in Vlorë and €72 in Golem, against about €47 in Tirana (Monitor). According to Top Channel (29 July 2026), in early July average nightly rates were about €80 in Tirana, €90 in Durrës, €100 in Vlorë and €120 in Sarandë, with occupancy of 64% in Tirana, 54% in Durrës, 60% in Vlorë and 41% in Sarandë. These come from a different measurement and are not directly comparable with the table, but they show how seasonal the coast is.

City by city: what to know

Vlorë and Sarandë. The Vlorë–Sarandë segment holds more than a third of all units in the country, and Vlorë leads for monthly income. It is also the most dependent on the season and on big projects. Vlorë airport did not open and the government moved to terminate the contract (see our article on Vlorë airport), and the south has seen demolitions of buildings without permits (how not to buy property without a permit). According to the 2023 census, cited by Monitor (31 July 2026), about 52% of homes in Vlorë were unoccupied, a sign of how many are holiday homes.

Durrës. Second for monthly income, with 4,500 units and a nightly rate above Tirana's. It benefits from being close to Tirana and Rinas airport. According to the same census, about 44% of homes in Durrës were unoccupied. The Tirana–Durrës–Rinas railway may change access to some neighbourhoods (see our article on the railway).

Golem. The highest nightly rate (€51.3), but lower occupancy than Durrës and Tirana. It is almost entirely a summer market.

Tirana. The lowest nightly rate among the main cities (€42.4), but the highest occupancy (63.6% in June, about 69% in April) and year-round demand. Monitor describes income here as "lower, but more stable". Tirana also has a strong alternative: long-term rent for a one-bedroom flat averaged €590 a month (Monitor, 8 August 2026).

Photo: Sabina Kallari / Pexels

Shkodër. About 1,400 units at €47.2 a night. Occupancy (52.5% in June) is lower, but Shkodër is growing as the gateway to the Alps and Theth. For mountain areas, see also the Mountain Package.

Shëngjin and Korçë. The smallest markets on the list, at about €510 and €410 a month per flat.

Photo: Klajdi Cena / Pexels

How to work out your own return

AirDNA's data show what an average flat earns, not what you will earn. Gross yield is simple: annual income ÷ purchase price. An illustrative example, with rounded numbers rather than market prices: a flat bought for €100,000 that earns €800 a month brings in €9,600 a year, or about 9.6% gross. From that you must subtract cleaning, energy, water, platform commissions, maintenance, furnishing and the 15% tax on rental income (Monitor, 15 August 2026). Monitor stresses that after these costs net income "can fall significantly" below the average.

Do not forget the costs at the moment of purchase, which lower your first-year return:

Risks that the table does not show

Competition is growing. The number of units in Albania rose 15.34% year on year to June 2026, according to AirDNA (Report TV, 3 August 2026). More supply means pressure on prices and occupancy.

Tax checks. In August 2026 the tax authorities began checking Booking and Airbnb hosts, and a July draft law requires platforms to report income. Details are in our article on the 15% tax and inspections.

Property tax. The June 2026 draft classifies short-term rental flats as commercial buildings, with a higher rate from 2029 (market-value property tax).

Looking for coastal property? Browse apartments for sale in Durrës, Vlorë and Sarandë, or find a local agent. Buying from abroad? Read our guide for buyers abroad.

Sources

• Monitor: The cities where short-term letting earns most (in Albanian), 15 August 2026
• Monitor: Short-term rental income reaches €50 million in January–June 2026 (in Albanian), 15 August 2026
• Monitor: Long-term letting gains ground while short-term letting loses its edge (in Albanian), 15 August 2026
• Top Channel: Short-term rents rise, up to €200 a night (in Albanian), 29 July 2026
• Report TV: Why short-term rents rose by a quarter in June (in Albanian), 3 August 2026
• Monitor: Is the Albanian property market at risk of a bubble? (in Albanian), 31 July 2026
• Monitor: At least €600 a month, rented homes out of reach for Albanians (in Albanian), 8 August 2026