Living standards in Kukes were 19% of the EU average in 2021, comparing GDP per capita according to purchasing power equality.

In the same year, the economic opportunities of the country's poorest citizens were not even half of those of the capital city.

On the other hand, the capital, which has the highest economic level in the country, had a standard of living equal to 42.6% of the EU. The GDP per capita of citizens living in the capital in 2021 was 42 percent of the average consumed by a citizen of the European Union.

In other counties, the difference is deeper. PSH Korça, although with a growing economy, had a GDP per capita according to purchasing power parity of only 23.2% of the EU, being ranked the same as Dibra for this indicator.

Also, Lezha, Shkodra had a standard of living equal to 22% of the EU.

GDP per capita in Albania in 2021 was 31.7% of the EU average. In the same year, 9 counties (Kukësi, Lezha, Shkodra, Elbasani, Dibra, Korça, Berati, Durrësi) had GDP per capita below the national average comparable to the EU.

On the other hand, only Tirana, Fieri and Gjirokastra had GDP per capita compared to the EU higher than the national average (see the chart below).

Albania continued to be the last in Europe for per capita income in 2021 and with the lowest purchasing power. Although there is a slight improvement of 1 percentage point compared to 2020, other countries in the region have moved faster in the so-called convergence process which means growing at faster rates than the EU, with the aim of catching up with the European average in a certain period.

For example, for North Macedonia the indicator improved from 38% of the EU average to 42% for the same period. For Serbia, the indicator is 44%, for Montenegro 48% (from 45% in 2020). Even Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks ahead of Albania with 33% of the EU average. Data for Kosovo are not available.

Year after year, the economic disparity is deepening between Tirana and other regions, because the economy of the capital is growing at a higher rate than the economy of the poorest region in the country, Kukes.

As a result, the rates of convergence instead of narrowing are deepening further, according to official data from INSTAT for the GDP of the Regions in 2021 that was published these days.

The highest level of GDP per capita according to statistical regions at the district level, in 2021, was in Tirana, with 886 thousand Lek and marked an increase in nominal terms of 13.83%, compared to 2020.

The GDP per capita of this district was 134% above the national average.

On the other hand, in the poorest district of the country, Kukësi had a GDP per capita of 395 thousand Lek, marking an increase in nominal terms by 8.74%, compared to 2020. The GDP per capita of this district was 59 percent of the national average.

(Source: Monitor)