The capital, Tirana, continues to attract population from the country’s other regions, yet the number of births is falling rapidly, nearly twice the national average.
In the first nine months of 2026, births in the Tirana county fell by 8%, according to INSTAT data, while the number of births nationwide dropped by 4.7%.
The capital is becoming increasingly expensive for young families. The sharp rise in apartment and rent prices, the cost of living and higher expenses for families with children are making it harder to start and expand a family, despite the greater employment opportunities and incomes that Tirana offers.
According to INSTAT, in the nine months of 2026, 647 fewer births were registered in Tirana compared with the same period of 2025, making the capital the main driver of the decline in births in the country.
Across Albania, 16,016 babies were registered from January to September 2026, or 789 fewer births. Tirana alone accounted for about 82% of the net national decrease. In the other 11 counties combined, births fell by only 1.6%.
Tirana remains the main economic and employment hub of the country, where investment, businesses and a considerable share of young people moving from other regions are concentrated. But the benefits of greater economic opportunities are facing an ever-higher cost of living.
The biggest obstacle for young couples is housing. Apartment prices in Tirana have risen much faster than labour incomes, making it increasingly difficult to buy a home without a substantial loan or financial help from family. Rents also represent a heavy burden for couples who want to live independently.
According to an earlier calculation by “Monitor”, the ratio between housing prices and disposable income per capita in Albania rose by 76.3% during 2015–2025. This means that, relative to income, buying the same home has become significantly harder than it was ten years ago. Although this indicator is national, housing price pressure is especially acute for young families who want to live in Tirana.
Beyond housing, young families also face high expenses for childcare, nurseries and private kindergartens, transport and other everyday services. In Tirana, distances and travel times have increased, while organising family life is becoming more expensive and more difficult, especially when both parents work.
These economic pressures may delay the decision to have a first child or lead couples to limit the number of children. A couple that has to bear a large loan for the apartment, rent and daily expenses may find it harder to plan to expand the family.
Gjirokastra has the largest decline, Dibra and Kukës show increases
Nationally, the largest percentage drop in births during the first nine months of 2026 was recorded in Gjirokastra, at 11.6%. The number of births in this county fell to just 191, from 216 in the same period last year.
After Gjirokastra, Tirana ranks second with a 8% decline, followed by Durrës, where births fell by 7.6%, from 1,729 to 1,598. More moderate declines were recorded in Shkodra (-3.2%), Fier (-2.4%), Korça (-1.5%) and Vlora (-0.3%).
In contrast, five counties recorded increases in births. Dibra leads with a rise of 7.4%, from 499 to 536 births, followed by Kukës with 5.6%, from 376 to 397. Slight increases were also recorded in Elbasan (1.6%), Berat (1.2%) and Lezhë (1.1%).
In the other counties, especially those that have for years faced emigration and the departure of young people, the number of births remains far lower than a decade ago. The small increases this year are not enough to change the long-term trend.
But the more worrying development is that Tirana, which has benefited from the movement of population from other counties, is also recording a rapid decline in births. The city is attracting people to work and live, but high costs are making it increasingly difficult to build a family life.
If this trend continues, the concentration of population and economic activity in the capital will not be sufficient to offset the decline in births. For young families, employment opportunities and wage levels are only one side of the coin; the other side is how much remains of their income after paying for housing and basic living expenses./Monitor