Albania’s actual individual consumption per capita in purchasing power standard, an artificial currency unit that eliminates price level differences between countries, was at 36 percent of the EU 28 in 2013.
TIRANA, June 18 – Albania’s GDP per capita, a measure of economic activity, and the actual individual consumption, an indicator of the material welfare of households, ranks among the poorest in Europe, at almost a third of the EU 28, according to a report published this week by Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU.
Albania’s GDP per capita expressed in PPS was at 30 percent of the EU 28 in 2013, leaving behind only peer EU potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina with 29 percent of the EU 28 in the list.
Meanwhile, Albania’s actual individual consumption per capita in purchasing power standard, an artificial currency unit that eliminates price level differences between countries, was at 36 percent of the EU 28 in 2013, ranking Albania on the bottom of a 37-country list which includes 28 EU member states, three EFTA members, four EU candidate countries and two potential candidate countries.
In 2013, GDP per capita expressed in PPS ranged between 29 percent of the EU average in Bosnia and Herzegovina to 264 percent in Luxembourg.
Actual Individual Consumption per capita ranged from 38 percent of the EU 28 average in Bosnia and Herzegovina to 138 percent in Luxembourg.
Albania’s GDP per capita expressed in purchasing power standards, an artificial currency unit that eliminates price level differences between countries, remained unchanged at 30 percent of the EU-28 in 2012, ranking on the bottom of 39 country-list, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat estimates Albania’s GDP per capita rose to 3,344 euros in 2012, up from 3,329 euros in 2011, ranking the lowest among EU candidate and potential candidate countries and at only 13 percent of the 24,600 euros of the EU- 27 average.
Consumer price levels among the lowest
Price levels of food, beverages and tobacco in Albania are among the lowest in the whole Europe and at around two-thirds of the EU 27, according to an earlier Eurostat report.
At 68 percent of the EU 27 in 2012, food and non-alcoholic beverage prices in Albania are on par with EU member Bulgaria and higher compared to Macedonia, Poland, and Romania at 58 percent, 61 percent and 67 percent respectively.
‘Bread and cereals,’ ‘meat,’ ‘milk’, ‘cheese and eggs’ prices in Albania stand at 66, 52 and 84 percent of the EU 27. At 72 percent of the EU 27 average Albania has the second lowest alcoholic beverages after neighboriung Macedonia. Tobacco prices in Albania stand at 27 percent of the EU, also the second lowers among 37 surveyed countries. At around 40 percent, Albania has one of the world’s highest smoking rates.
While Albania’s purchasing power stands at less than one-third of the EU 27 average, price levels for consumer goods and services are estimated at 51 percent, showing that the cost of living in Albania is relatively high compared to the small income.
