Kosovo has the lowest income per capita in Europe in terms of purchasing power

IMF data shows that Albania and Kosovo continue to rank last in Europe in terms of income per capita measured by purchasing power parity, in international dollars, according to Gazeta Express.

In 2023, this indicator for Albania was 19.5 thousand international dollars (the indicator eliminates price differences between countries). Albania surpasses Kosovo, which has an indicator of 15.8 thousand dollars.

The highest income per capita in the region, based on purchasing power parity, is in Montenegro with 28 thousand international dollars, followed by Serbia with 26 thousand, and North Macedonia with 21.4 thousand.

As for population size and resilience to various shocks such as earthquakes, pandemics, or war, it turns out that Albania is one of the countries with the best economic performance in the region, however, this progress does not seem to have improved the living conditions of its citizens.

Paradoxically, as stated, Albania is among the countries with the best economic performance in the region, but poverty has increased.

According to the IMF report, the poverty rate reached 25.2 percent in 2022, compared to 22 percent in 2021, an increase of 3.2 percentage points in one year.

The IMF believes that prospects for EU membership could provide an incentive to address long-standing structural challenges, one of which is poverty.

"The poverty rate is evident compared to regional counterparts," the IMF states in the report.

According to the IMF report, unlike many countries, the poverty rate in Albania is lower among older individuals compared to the rest of the population.

However, the IMF warns that poverty among the elderly could rise as people now work on securing shorter-term periods.