Albania is currently ranked as the seventh most expensive country in the world for oil prices. With fuel prices exceeding $2 per liter, it stands out as the costliest in the Western Balkans by a significant margin. Serbia follows in second place within the region, but still lags far behind. When compared to countries like Kosovo, North Macedonia, or Montenegro, the price gap is substantial. In particular, diesel prices in Albania are nearly double those found at gas stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, or Kosovo.
On a European scale, Albania ranks fifth for the highest oil prices, placing ahead of traditionally expensive countries such as Norway, Finland, and Ireland. Only Iceland, Liechtenstein, Denmark, and one other country report higher fuel prices. The price of diesel at Albanian gas stations includes not only the cost of fuel on international markets but also various domestic taxes and fees imposed by the government.
Despite a global depreciation of the U.S. dollar—which would typically result in lower fuel prices—Albania’s fuel costs have remained high. Meanwhile, fuel imports have reached record levels. According to data from the Ministry of Finance and Economy, between January and May 2025, Albania imported nearly 280,000 tons of fuel. This marks an increase of more than 31,000 tons, or 12.8 percent, compared to the same period in the previous year.
