- Local Currency
- Albanian Lek (ALL)
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: vivaview.al, adventurealbania.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Saranda and Albania as a whole is a cash-focused country. Be sure to withdraw some cash at an ATM and take it with you to any restaurant you dine at as most of them don't accept card payments
- The ATMs in Saranda are known to charge a hefty fee, with Union Bank in the town center charging around 400 lek to withdraw cash
- Since ATMs of now all major Albanian banks are charging hefty fees for cash withdrawal, I recommend withdrawing a larger amount of money at the beginning of your trip. If you are travelling from a country whose currency is Euro, you can also just take some Euros in cash with you for the trip. That might seem unusual but will save you on the fees and whatever you don't need you can just take back home with you
- Carry small bills (200–500 lek) as shops and taxis often struggle to make change for large notes
- Keep emergency cash separate from your main wallet in case of loss or theft
- When paying with card where accepted, verify if your bank charges foreign transaction fees (typically 1-4%)
- Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory—locals value the gesture more than the amount
ATM Access
- Availability
- Along the coast, cities such as Saranda, Vlora, and Durrës are well covered with ATMs, particularly near promenades, hotels, and tourist zones
Networks
- BKT
- Credins Bank
- Alpha Bank (merged to OTP)
- Union Bank
- ABI Bank
- Raiffeisen Bank
Withdrawal Best Practices
- Withdraw larger amounts once rather than multiple small withdrawals to minimize per-transaction fees
- Always select 'Decline' or 'Charge in ALL' when ATM offers currency conversion—never accept Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), which adds 3-10% markup
- Use ATMs at bank branches rather than standalone street machines
- Withdraw during business hours when possible
ATM Fees For Foreign Cards
- Typical Range
- ALL 500
- Note
- All ATMs in Albania charge fees for foreign card withdrawals
Bank Specific
Union Bank (Visa) or ABI Bank
- Visa fee
- ALL 500
- Note
- Generally lowest flat fees
Union Bank (Mastercard)
- Visa fee
- ALL 250
Credins Bank
- Visa fee
- ALL 600
Raiffeisen Bank
- Visa fee
- ALL 800
Banking
- ATM Notes
- Plenty of ATMs throughout town. All ATMs in Saranda charge a fee for withdrawals with foreign bank cards.
- Setup Context
- Multiple banks present in town center, primarily around Nënë Teresa Square on Rruga Skënderbeu and Rruga Flamurit. Formal account opening procedures should be directed to individual bank branches during business hours.
Banks Present
Raiffeisen Bank
- Phone
- +355 4 2381 381
- Location
- Rruga Skënderbeu
- ATM Hours
- 24 hours
- Hours Sunday
- Closed
- Hours Weekday
- 08:30-15:30
- Hours Saturday
- 09:00-12:30
Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania
- Phone
- +355 4 227 6000, +355 4 227 6222
- Location
- Rruga Tolo Jovani
- Hours Sunday
- Closed
- Hours Weekday
- 08:30-15:30
- Hours Saturday
- Closed
Société Générale Albania
- Phone
- +355 85 226 424
- Location
- City centre
- ATM Hours
- 24 hours
Alfa Bank
- Phone
- +355 8522 6940
- Location
- Str Mustafa Matohiti
- ATM Hours
- 24 hours
ABI Bank
- Phone
- +355 852 26 651, +355 858 20 441
- Location
- Rruga Skënderbej
- ATM Hours
- 24 hours
OTP Bank Albania
- ATM Hours
- 24 hours
- ATM Available
- Yes
Tirana Bank
- Phone
- 0800 68 68
- Location
- Rruga Skënderbeu
- ATM Hours
- 24 hours
Credins Bank
- ATM Hours
- 24 hours
- ATM Available
- Yes
Tipping Norms
- Taxis
- Tipping taxi drivers in Albania is not a common practice. However, rounding up the fare to the nearest hundred lek and leaving the change is a wonderful gesture
- Hotels
- Tipping in hotels in Albania is not that common, but you can choose to express your appreciation to the hardworking staff with a symbolic value of around €10, or 1,000 Albanian Lek. You can tip the housekeepers for their service, the receptionist, or the porters for holding your bags
- Tour Guides
- The general guideline is 5–10% of the tour cost, depending on the level of service and your satisfaction. Private tours or multi-day excursions often merit higher tips, while group tours allow for smaller contributions
- Payment Method
- Most places don't accept tips by credit card, so it's good to have some extra cash with you. You should tip with the local currency, Albanian Lek, and not in Euros or any other currency. Tipping in cash simply ensures that your tip goes straight to the staff, unlike with a credit card
- General Culture
- Tipping is not obligatory in Albania but appreciated. Restaurants 5-10%, round up taxi fares, EUR 5-10 for tour guides
- Cultural Note
- Tipping at restaurants and for guided tours is increasingly normal, especially in tourist centers like Saranda, Berat, Tirana, and along the Albanian Riviera
Restaurants
- Percentage Guide
- In most dining establishments, a tip of 10 percent is considered the standard for good service. If you are visiting a casual kantina or a local grill, simply rounding up the bill to the nearest 100 or 200 Albanian lek is perfectly acceptable
- Upscale Dining
- For upscale or fine dining restaurants, a 10% tip demonstrates appreciation for attentive service
- Casual Eateries
- In cafés and smaller eateries, locals often round up the bill to the nearest 100 Lek
Cash Necessity
- Critical
- Cash is absolutely still king in Albania. Cards are more and more accepted in hotels, some restaurants, and larger supermarkets, but definitely not in smaller places and in most shops. So it's advisable to always carry some cash in case there is no alternative
- Daily Needs
- Albanians still love cash. In small shops, village tavernas, and taxis—you'll struggle if you only have a card
Local Currency
Albanian Lek (ALL)
Card Acceptance
- Summary
- Cards accepted selectively in tourist areas and establishments, but cash remains essential
- Card Types
- Visa and Mastercard widely accepted; Girocards (EC cards) less reliable
Where Cash Only
- Small family-run tavernas and local restaurants
- Street vendors and markets
- Smaller shops and cafes
- Many casual eateries, especially outside peak tourist areas
Where Cards Accepted
- Hotels and upscale restaurants in city center
- Large supermarkets and malls
- Some modern restaurants with card terminals
- Major established venues
Euro Acceptance
- General
- Euros are accepted in certain tourist areas—Saranda, Ksamil, parts of Tirana, and in some hotels. But here's the catch: the exchange rate is rarely in your favor
- Recommendation
- Avoid relying on euros; use Albanian Lek for better rates
- Specific To Saranda
- Euros are sometimes accepted in tourist-heavy areas like Sarandë, Ksamil, or Tirana city center, but prices are usually better in lek. If you pay in euros, expect to receive change in lek, often at a poor exchange rate
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this money & payments research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.vivaview.al
- 2.adventurealbania.com
- 3.explorertom.com
- 4.atmfeesaver.com
- 5.beetaxi.al
- 6.lovealbania.al
- 7.visitsaranda.net
- 8.themobileretiree.com
- 9.patoko.com
- 10.albaniaturism.com
- 11.dmc.kalemi.com
- 12.roughguides.com
- 13.magictowns.al
- 14.tripmasters.com
- 15.sofiaadventures.com
- 16.albania-spirit.com
- 17.thelistnest.com
- 18.horizonjumpers.com
- 19.theroad-islife.com
- 20.wanderlog.com
- 21.northernalbania.com
- 22.onmetravel.com
- 23.anitahendrieka.com
- 24.albania-spirit.com
- 25.albania-streets.openalfa.com
- 26.findalbania.com
- 27.otpbank.al
- 28.sarandaweb.com
- 29.opensaranda.com
- 30.visitsaranda.net
- 31.wise.com
More About Sarande
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.