What Is the Crime Rate in Albania? A Local Real Estate Expert Explains What It Actually Feels Like to Live Here

I get this question almost every week.
Sometimes directly, sometimes in a hesitating tone — “So… is Albania safe? I heard it’s beautiful but I’m not sure about the crime rate.”

And honestly, I understand why people ask. When you’ve never been here, the unknown can feel bigger than it really is. But when you live in Saranda year after year, walking the promenade at night, talking with neighbors who greet you with mirëmëngjes before you've even had your morning coffee, you get a completely different picture.

So let me tell you how safety really feels on the ground — not from a statistic, but from a local who spends every day showing homes, exploring neighborhoods, and talking with families who are choosing this coastline as their new Mediterranean escape.

A Quick Reality Check — Albania Feels Much Safer Than People Expect

I always start with this: the “crime rate” conversation often comes from old stereotypes. People imagine something far more dramatic than what everyday life actually looks like.

Living in Saranda — walking from Butrinti Road down to the marina at night, or stopping for a late byrek after a long day of property showings — feels safer than many European cities I’ve visited. And definitely calmer than the big U.S. cities some of my clients come from.

Last month, while walking with a couple from Colorado near Rruga Mitat Hoxha, they suddenly stopped and said, “We feel so relaxed here. Nobody’s rushing, nobody’s shouting… it feels peaceful.”
Moments like that remind me how different reality is from perception.

Everyday Life: How Safe Does Albania Feel?

Here’s the simplest way I can describe it:

You see families walking at 11 pm in summer.
You see elderly neighbors sitting outside their buildings chatting.
You see kids riding scooters on the promenade long after sunset.

That tells you more about safety than any chart can.

There’s also this unspoken Albanian habit — people look out for each other. If you leave your phone on a café table, someone will literally run after you to give it back. I once left my car keys on a small table near the old synagogue ruins (don’t ask how — long day), and a waiter kept them safe for almost an hour until I came back. He even apologized, thinking he had bothered me.

That’s Albania.

What About Crime in Tourist Zones Like Saranda and Ksamil?

Of course, no place is perfect. During July and August — peak tourist season — we occasionally see the same minor issues every tourist destination sees: a pickpocket here, a lost bag there. But nothing out of the ordinary.

In the quieter neighborhoods — the ones where most buyers look for Saranda apartments for sale — things are very calm. Even foreign retirees who move here alone often mention how “surprisingly safe” it feels.

A few clients ask specifically about Ksamil, since it’s booming and attracts attention. But Ksamil is more like a big village that suddenly got famous. People know each other. Most homeowners are local families. And the areas where we show beachfront property or seaview apartments tend to be especially quiet outside the summer rush.

Anecdote From a Property Showing (The Moment That Says Everything)

A few weeks ago, I was showing a couple from Sweden a new apartment in Ksamil — a beautiful 2025 residence with a private swimming pool for all residents. When they stepped onto the balcony, the neighborhood felt so calm that they just stood there silently. Then the husband said something that stuck with me:

“It’s strange… it feels safer than where we live back home.”

That apartment, by the way, is this one —
https://www.vivaview.al/en/properties/modern-1-bedroom-apartment-in-ksamil-62m2 — brand-new, quiet area, seven minutes from the beach. I mention it only because the tranquility of that area plays a big role in how safe foreigners feel, and I think it’s a good example.

Local Details Tourists Don’t Notice (But Tell You a Lot About Safety)

Let me give you a few little things only someone who lives here pays attention to:

– The shop owners on Rruga Skënderbeu leave their doors open during the day, even when they step outside for a coffee.
– The tiny bar above the fishermen’s port — where I sometimes take clients for a quick espresso after viewings — is full of older men playing dominoes with no rush, no tension, just laughter.
– In Borsh, that little roadside bakery near the olive groves… the owner remembers your face after the second visit and treats you like family.

Places feel safe when locals behave like this.

Is Albania Safe for Property Investors?

Most foreign buyers aren’t just thinking about personal safety — they want security for their investment.

Here’s the honest insider answer:
Albania is becoming one of the most stable real estate markets in the region.
It’s still affordable compared to Greece or Montenegro, especially for seaview apartments or beachfront property on the Albanian Riviera. And the demand for summer rentals is enormous.

The neighborhoods where we guide investors — newer developments, family-owned buildings, or quiet residential pockets — are some of the safest areas in the country.

One of my favorite examples is a fully furnished 1+1 apartment in Saranda, located on a peaceful residential road with a private pool and completely unobstructed sea views. It’s the type of place where you feel safe walking at any hour. You can see it here if you want:
https://www.vivaview.al/en/properties/seaview-1-bedroom-apartment-for-sale-in-saranda-skenderbeu-street-fully-furnished

Again — not advertising, just using real examples from my daily work.

Let’s Talk About Borsh — A Different Kind of Safety

If Saranda feels calm, Borsh feels like time stopped twenty years ago in the best possible way.

There’s a kind of safety that comes from space and nature. When I drive up the main road to check on construction progress for our White Residence Villas — four luxury villas that we’re building on a hillside, all surrounded by pure nature — everything becomes quiet. Bird sounds, olive trees, the occasional farmer passing by.

This is a different form of safety. Emotional safety.
The kind people look for when they want a second home where they can breathe.

The villas themselves are another example of places where investors feel secure:
– over 15 years of construction experience behind them
– 150+ skilled workers
– private pool, private parking, three floors
– seven minutes from Borsh beach
– full privacy, full nature, full sea

If you want to understand what “quiet luxury” feels like in the Albanian Riviera, just take a look:
https://www.vivaview.al/en/projects/white-residence-villas-borsh

It’s the kind of environment where crime is practically nonexistent because… well, you’re surrounded by mountains, sea, and nature. Nothing else.

But What About the Newer, Faster-Growing Areas Like Ksamil?

Growth often makes people assume chaos.
But Ksamil is an interesting case — it’s growing fast, but the residential areas being developed today are actually calmer and more organized than the older ones.

For example, these 2025 luxury duplexes we’re selling — with two pools (one private, one shared), underground parking, and a secure main-road location — are in a pocket of Ksamil that feels incredibly peaceful. They’re only 300 meters from the beach and still somehow feel tucked away.

You can see what I mean here:
https://www.vivaview.al/en/properties/luxury-duplex-for-sale-in-ksamil-new-building-pool-near-beach-139m2

Investors love these because they offer strong ROI (up to 16% per year), but honestly, what I love most is the sense of privacy and security you feel the moment you enter the residence.

A Small Tangent About Albanian Culture (But It’s Relevant, I Promise)

Albanians have this deeply rooted concept of mikpritja — hospitality. It’s not just a nice idea; people take it seriously.
If you’re a guest, a visitor, a client, even a stranger — people treat you with warmth and respect.

This cultural mindset naturally creates safer communities.

There’s also a funny habit we have: if someone new moves into a building, neighbors bring over fruit, sweets, or at least a greeting. In many places, that simple gesture creates bonds that last years — and bonded communities are safer communities.

(Okay, tangent over.)

So… What Is the Crime Rate in Albania Really?

If I had to summarize it in one sentence:

Albania feels far safer than people expect — especially in the southern coast where foreigners buy property.

Most crime here is non-violent and happens far from the areas where foreign residents live.
The Albanian Riviera — Saranda, Ksamil, Borsh — is known more for its hospitality, its calm neighborhoods, and its relaxed lifestyle than anything else.

And I say this as someone who walks these roads every day, meets clients at all hours, and knows the small corners of this coastline — from the quiet cafés behind the stadium to the little panoramic spots where you can see Corfu shining at night.

Final Thoughts — Safety Is One of Albania’s Biggest Hidden Strengths

People often come for the prices: affordable properties, seaview apartments, beachfront homes that would cost triple across the border in Greece.

But they end up staying — or buying — because they feel safe.

Because the lifestyle is slower.
Because neighbors look out for one another.
Because walking home at midnight along the Saranda promenade feels peaceful, not risky.

And honestly?
I truly believe Saranda offers the best value on the entire Mediterranean coast.
Not just because of the real estate opportunities, but because life here feels good. Safe. Warm. Human.

If you ever visit, you’ll understand what I mean within a day. Sometimes within an hour.

Related blogs: https://www.vivaview.al/en/news/is-albania-safe-for-americans-and-europeans-a-locals-honest-perspective