Flash News

Accident on the Lezhë-Milot highway, 3 injured

DP requests urgent interpellation with Rama regarding the protesters' 5 demands

Fight in Ali Demi area, one injured with a knife

Two children drowned while bathing in the sea on Tale beach

Mexico beats South Korea, advances to World Cup knockout stage

E-TJERA

Albania has the highest price for a basic mobile internet package in the Region

Politiko 2026-06-19 20:48:07

Albania has the highest price for a basic mobile internet package in the Region

Albania has the highest cost of mobile internet, relative to income, in the Western Balkans region.

According to data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), cited by the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP), the average cost of the monthly broadband internet basket for 2025 in Albania was 1.69% of monthly gross national income (GNI).

With such a level, Albania ranks significantly above other countries in the region and the world average. After Albania, North Macedonia ranks, with 1.31% of GNI, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 1.17%, Montenegro with 1.01% and Serbia, with 0.96%. ITU does not publish data for Kosovo.

Albania also has costs significantly higher than the world average, at 1.38% of GNI.

Albania is positioned near the highest levels in the region and above the world average also in the high-use communication basket (140 minutes, 20 SMS and 5GB), with 1.95% of GNI. With this level, Albania is the second country with the highest costs of the package in question in the Region, after North Macedonia, with 2.1% of GNI. Albania is followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 1.86%, Serbia, with 1.49% and Montenegro, with 1.01%.

The world average cost for this basket is 1.54%.

The assessment of the affordability of electronic communications services in Albania was carried out in accordance with the ITU methodology, which measures the cost of standard ICT baskets in relation to gross national income per capita. The threshold of 2% of GNI/inhabitant serves as a reference limit for determining the affordability of basic services.

According to AKEP's analyses, mobile services appear in a more favorable situation, where all baskets, both those with low consumption, only for internet, and those with high consumption, result below or very close to the threshold of 2% of GNI per capita.

On the other hand, the fixed broadband basket has shown a gradual improvement, decreasing from 2.31% in 2024 to around 2.08% in 2025, falling close to the affordability threshold to a more acceptable level.

After 2023, Albanian consumers are facing a gradual increase in communication prices, especially in the mobile segment. This period coincides with the concentration of the market structure into two single operators.

After a period of several years characterized by fierce competition, weak profits and in some cases predatory prices, the new duopoly structure seems to be allowing operators to correct prices and improve their financial parameters./ Monitor

Latest news