The average salary in Albania during the first quarter of 2022 was 59,242 ALL ( EUR 493.510 according to data from INSTAT, an increase of 5.8% when compared with Q1 2021, but less than inflation which has surpassed 6%.
With inflation at the highest level in 20 years, the wage increase is nominal as food inflation reaches almost 30% for certain items with fuel not far behind.
The statistics also do not differentiate between higher salaries in the capital of Tirana and much lower ones in rural areas. Furthermore, the size of Albania’s formal economy means many thousands are working for less, even less than the minimum wage.
In terms of sector, those working in financial and insurance services had salaries 93% higher than the national average, while those in agriculture were 35.1% lower.
Those working in IT witnessed the biggest salary increase by over a quarter, while the smallest increase was for those in arts and entertainment at just 2.7%.
Those working at a managerial level enjoy a salary two-thirds more than the average while entry-level workers are almost 40% less.
The largest year-on-year increase was in the assembly and use of machinery at almost 10%.
Meanwhile, those working in the civil service and politics earn three-quarters more than the average Albanian citizen.
