🇦🇱 Monzo in Albania [Discussion]

Just wanted to add to the knowledge. I have just returned from a trip to Albania and am happy to report that I’ve been able to use Monzo to withdraw from ATMs the local currency and pay for meals directly on the card. No friction at all.

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Hi @innabush Would you be able to let me know wich ATM you used in Albania. Just used Raifasen Bank ATM and they charge me there on ecxhange rate and £5 comision.
Flm.

Hello I used the one here almost daily:

Rruga Qemal Stafa 30-27, Tiranë, Albania

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Ok THANKS. I WILL GIVE IT ANOTHER GO. LOOKS LIKE IS THE CREDINS BANK!

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@innabush did it ask to choose exchange rate or do I need to select any options to avoid there exchange rate. Thank you again.

For 5000 lek it cost me £34.83 in May 2018. Hope that helps. I never had the impression I had a bad rate.

I never chose any options as I recall. Just chose 5000 lek.

ATM some banks charge approx £5

I know that bank kombetare & union bank does not.

This was as of June 2019.

Main discussion on using Monzo in Albania can be found here:

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Thanks @swok1080, I’ve moved the posts to that thread.

As a Albanian customer and investor of Monzo Bank I can confirm that you can use to pay and withdraw money in any Albanian ATM. Bear in mind only BKT and Union Bank have no fee for withdrawal.

Hey, I just wanted to ask if you know if it’s possible to transfer money into the account whilst in Albania. For example if I deposit euro into the account in Albania, would it automatically become pound when I’m back in the UK?

You can put whatever currency in Albanian accounts. If you top up ur Monzo you will get Pounds in ur current account. Money will come with best exchnage rate from Albanian account to Monzo. It will have a fee for the top up as Albania is not a SEPA country. Just be careful what card you use to top up. Not all the debit cards work online.

Do you know where I can find what the fee will be? As well as what debit cards will work?

We just got back from Albania (June '22). Some notes -
Where card is accepted, our Monzo worked just fine. However card is only really accepted at the bigger supermarkets (and often there was a minimum spend of 1000LEK for eg). Even in the larger tourist cities like Sarande, it was inconsistent what kind of establishment (restaurant or bar) would accept card.

In terms of ATM, we took cash out without any charge from Credins Bank (used an ATM near our hotel - short walk from Skanderberg Square). All others charged us a fee so we didn’t really use it.

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