Jonathan thought he was going to have to return to the U.S. for a work event during our RTW trip, which meant Megan got to pick somewhere to solo travel for a week! She had been intrigued by Albania when we visited the Balkans over the summer, but it didn’t work into our schedule at that point, and it seemed close enough to Egypt to make sense to pop back over. Jonathan’s work event ended up being cancelled, so he came with Megan to Tirana, which we followed up with two stops in North Macedonia (Lake Ohrid and Skopje).
As with most of the Balkan countries we visited, we found these countries to be quite inexpensive. We spent a very chill 10 days in this area; after the semi-hectic pace of our time in Jordan and Egypt, we took advantage of this time to relax before our group tour in India, which we knew would also be quite fast-paced for a RTW trip. All this to say, we had minimal entertainment and activity costs in Albania and North Macedonia because we spent most of our time lounging around, so keep that in mind if you are budgeting for your own trip. We also spent only one night in Skopje before our flight to Delhi, which we quickly regretted. It is an eclectic city and we would love to go back someday and explore it more thoroughly.
Albania (Tirana): $444.29
Transportation: $0
We were able to walk everywhere in Tirana. Part of this was likely because we didn’t venture out too far (remember the relaxing I mentioned?), but we also enjoy walking and often choose it when possible. Average: $0/day.
Lodging: $129.59
We stayed in two private apartments in Tirana, one near Skanderbeg Square and the other at the edge of the trendy Blloku neighborhood. The Skanderbeg Square location was convenient because it was close to our free walking tour meeting spot, a large produce market and many traditional restaurants. The Blloku area was a bit better for modern cafes and bars, so either can be a great option depending on what you want. Average: $25.98/night.
Eating out: $79.21
This number is unbelievable. We ate very well in Tirana for less than $8 per person per day. Average: $15.84/day.
Treats: $47.69
We like treats, so this category includes any coffee, dessert or alcohol that was not purchased as part of a meal (or a grocery run). In Tirana, this mostly meant coffee and cocktails, though we also found some excellent gelato. It’s funny to see that we spent almost as much on drinks in Tirana as we did on food. Average: $11.92/day.
Groceries & personal items: $60.35
We made daily trips to the nearby market for fresh produce and other local items including honey, and Jonathan purchased some protein powder to keep in his luggage. Average: $12.97/day.
Entertainment (tours, etc.): $18.02
Our only entertainment cost was tipping our free walking tour guide. Our tour in Tirana was one of the most interesting free walking tours we took all year; our guide was great, but Albania also just has a very interesting history. I remember our guide telling us he had never seen a pair of jeans until the 1990s because Albania was so isolated from the rest of the world after WWII. When we visited in 2019, he also said young people considered KFC a “nice” date because it was the first American restaurant chain in Tirana. Although we didn’t do much in the way of tourist activities in Tirana, there are lots of options! If we had been feeling more energetic, we thought riding the cable car at Mount Dajti looked pretty neat. Average: $3.60/day.
Gifts & souvenirs: $8.56
We bought a few postcards, and to be honest, I can’t remember what we bought with the other $8. That’s what I get for waiting so long to write these recaps…. Average: $1.71/day.
Travel insurance: $29.70
We have travel insurance through World Nomads for $5.94/day. Travel insurance costs will vary depending on chosen plan, length of travel, location, etc.
Other: $71.17
We had a decent amount of miscellaneous costs in Tirana. Megan felt a bit under the weather in Tirana (another reason our week was so low-key), so $26 of this was sinus medication from a nearby pharmacy. Jonathan frequented a local gym for about $4.50/day, and Megan bought a dress at a local H&M-type store for our upcoming trip to India (the tour information recommended women cover their knees and elbows in India, so she wanted a dress that covered her elbows). Average: $14.23/day.
Albania total: $88.86/day = $44.43/person per day
North Macedonia: $250.51
Transportation: $17.98
We walked everywhere in Ohrid and Skopje, and our bus between the two cities cost about $9/person. Average: $5.99/day.
Lodging: $86.17
Lodging was also very affordable in North Macedonia. We rented a private apartment in Ohrid (only about a 5-minute walk from the lakeshore) and another in Skopje near the bus station, as we were only spending one night there and wanted to make transport to the airport easy. We loved our apartment in Skopje, and apparently the property has now expanded to a hostel if you want to save even more money (private apartments still available). Average: $28.72/night.
Eating out: $74.67
This included a traditional Macedonian meal in Ohrid’s Old Town (and we know Old Town prices are typically inflated) plus a pretty nice seafood dinner on the lake. We also balanced out these pricier meals with some prepared food from the local grocery store’s deli counter. Average: $24.89/day.
Treats: $12.19
We like treats, so this category includes any coffee, dessert or alcohol that was not purchased as part of a meal (or a grocery run). Mostly coffee and a visit to a local brewery in Skopje. Average: $4.06/day.
Groceries/household items: $19.88
Mostly snacks. Average: $6.63/day.
Entertainment (tours, etc.): $20.18
We paid roughly $1 USD each to visit Samuel’s Fortress, where we walked around the old castle walls and had some nice views of Ohrid. We also tipped our free walking tour guide in Skopje. Average: $6.73/day.
Gifts & souvenirs: $1.62
You guessed it … more postcards. Average: $0.54/day.
Travel insurance: $17.82
We have travel insurance for $5.94/day.
North Macedonia total: $83.50/day = $41.75/person per day
The above totals only represent days spent entirely in one country in order to clearly delineate the costs of each country. We also spent $116.97 on our travel day between Albania and North Macedonia (including a minibus transfer between Tirana and Ohrid for ~$17/person, travel insurance, food and our first night of lodging in Ohrid).
Total: $811.77 = $90.20/day = $45.10/person* per day
*Did you know we have a page on the blog completely dedicated to Money & Budgeting? We also list our country-specific costs on this page, but those numbers might differ a bit from the numbers shown here. The numbers in our detailed budgeting posts (like this one) are a true reflection of what we personally spent on our trip. The numbers on the Money & Budgeting page are meant to reflect what a typical tourist traveling at our comfort level can expect to spend.
Of course, you can always spend far less (or far more) than the numbers listed here or on our Money & Budgeting page. These figures are provided as a loose guide to help you plan travels within your budget range.
Feature image: Exploring Samuel’s Fortress in Ohrid, North Macedonia (November 2019)
