The latest Eurostat data for 2024 show that Albania ranks among the countries with the highest poverty levels in Europe. Around 42 percent of the population—approximately one million citizens—face a severe form of social exclusion.

Following Albania in this ranking are Romania, Turkey, and Bulgaria, while countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and the Netherlands report the lowest poverty rates, with fewer than one-quarter of their populations experiencing economic hardship.

The report measures poverty using several key indicators, such as delays in paying rent or loans, the inability to cover an unexpected expense of around 30,000 lek (€270), the inability to afford annual holidays, to buy basic food like meat once a day, to heat the home during winter, or to replace worn-out furniture.

These indicators are significantly higher for Albania even compared to other Western Balkan countries, where in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, the percentage of citizens facing severe economic conditions remains below 30 percent.