Equipping the house with televisions, refrigerators, microwaves, washing machines, etc. for new apartments, or replacing them for existing ones, is a real headache for Albanian families.

The latter, although they are the poorest in Europe in terms of income, will have to pay much more than all European countries with the exception of Iceland, and they often face poor quality products.

According to Eurostat, in Albania, electrical household appliances cost 122% of the European average for 2022, which means that a device that costs 100 euros on average in Europe, in Albania it costs 122 euros.

Albania ranks fourth after Iceland, with 130.6 of the European average and Norway (124.%), - with both of these countries having a level of per capita income much higher than that of Albanians - and Malta (128.1%).

According to the Eurostat definition, Household appliances include: refrigerators and freezers; Washing machine; dishwasher; stoves; microwave oven; vacuum cleaner; coffee machines; drums; toasters, etc. (repairs of electrical appliances are excluded).

In the region, electronic devices are much cheaper than in Albania, for example in North Macedonia they are 95.3% of the EU average, in Montenegro 96.3%, in Bosnia 101.4%, while in Serbia they are 6.1% more than the European average (106.1%).

Italian families spend 4% less than the European average (96.1%), among the cheapest in Europe.

While the countries that have the cheapest electrical appliances are Romania (86.8%) and Poland (84.6%).

Even in the other group, that of electronic devices for consumers, Albania is the second most expensive in Europe.

These devices cost 21.7% more than the European average, surpassed only by Iceland, with 139.6%.

According to Eurostat's definition, consumer electronic products include: televisions; DVD player; recipient; audio systems; MP3 player; camera; desktop and laptop computers; monitor; printers; scanners; software; music CDs; DVD movies; Blank CDs and DVDs etc (excludes repair of such equipment).

In Italy, electronic equipment costs 92% of the European average, the second cheapest in Europe, after Turkey (78.9%). In the region, electronic devices cost on average 6-17% more than the European average.

Eurostat data reveals that alcoholic beverages (125.3%), electrical household products (122.2%), electronic equipment (121.7%), communication (116.2%), milk, cheese and eggs (111.7%), non-alcoholic beverages (108.8%) and oils and fats (106.7%) cost more than the European average, while the cheapest is tobacco and cigarettes (44%).

Meanwhile, Albania had in 2022 the lowest per capita income in Europe (excluding Kosovo) both in relation to the gross domestic product, 34% of the European average, and for individual consumption, as much as 40% of the European average.

(Source: Monitor)