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Opening a bank account in Albania
It’s a little bit interesting
So now that we’re solidly planted here in Vlorë for two years, it made sense to open a local bank account. Partly because paying our rent by wire transfer costs $15 a month from our US account where it would be free from an Albanian account and partly because I would prefer to get smaller amounts of cash from an ATM more frequently instead of getting a big stack every 6 weeks or so.
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Where to bank?
Having asked around and done some research on the banking options here, Union Bank and Credins Bank seemed to be the favorites for US citizens making the move here. I spent a few hours wandering around the websites of various banks and reading fee documents. I asked everyone I met who had relocated here which bank they used and how they felt about it.
Since we can use our Revolut card to get Euros whenever we travel outside of Albania, my only guidelines for choosing an account involved ATM fees (and availability) in Albania and the ability to easily pay rent. (*)
Raiffeisen Bank looked as though it could be good but two different people had told us that they tried to open accounts and weren’t able to for reasons not clearly…
