Properties in Durrës Trends 2025: Prices Surge (With Some Exceptions)

Durrës, once known primarily for its port and beaches, is now drawing the attention of property investors and our data proves it. While Tirana steals the spotlight with its soaring prices, just a short drive away, the coastal city of Durrës presents a compelling, and often more affordable, alternative for both buyers and renters. It’s a tale of two markets, where Durrës offers significant value, particularly for those eyeing investment returns or a laid-back seaside lifestyle.

This article is part of our 2025 Albania property series. Last time, we covered Tirana’s 50% price jump, this time, we’re turning to Durrës. Our data team, led by Eliseo Kolicaj, has painstakingly analysed thousands of property sales data points from both 2024 and 2025 to compare market trends. real data collected from agencies and private sellers.

In this article, we’re breaking down where the biggest increases happened, what this means for buyers and renters, and how the rental yields compare in Durrës. Our latest data reveals a more complex property market, with certain areas seeing unexpected dips, while others, especially just outside the city centre, show remarkable gains. Two-bedroom flats outside Durrës city centre soared nearly 57% in the last year, outpacing growth in Tirana. But like any market, there are winners and losers: 3-bedroom city-centre properties plunged almost 30% over the same period.

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Properties in Durrës Suburbs Now 52% More Expensive Than City Centre

Our latest data shows a sharp rise in demand for homes outside the city centre, especially among families and value-conscious buyers seeking space, privacy, or proximity to the coast.

• 2-bedroom apartments outside the centre surged from €1,101/m² in 2024 to €1,728/m² in 2025 – a 56.9% increase in just one year.
• This reflects strong interest in newer neighbourhoods, seaside zones, and larger living spaces.

For example:

• In Ishëm, the maximum recorded price for a property reached €850,000, with a median of €249,000 and m² prices well above 2,000.
• In Rrashbull, which saw steady activity with 139 properties listed, max prices hit €504,000, with median prices higher than in central Durrës.
• Sukth and Shijak also show growing interest, with upper-end prices between €140,000–€145,000, even with fewer listings.

Meanwhile, central Durrës is showing signs of price fatigue:

• 3-bedroom city centre flats dropped from €1,572/m² to €1,219/m², a 28.9% decrease, likely due to reduced interest in large, older units in the urban core or previous overpricing.

What’s most unusual is the broad pattern that’s emerged: across all property types – 1-bed, 2-bed, and 3-bed – the median price is now lower in the city centre than outside. That’s rare in any European market, and signals a shift in how buyers value space and setting.

Here’s what the 2025 median asking prices look like:

This price gap points to a clear preference for larger, more private homes — often with gardens, terraces, or sea views — that are more readily available outside the city centre.

City Centre Still Draws In Luxury Buyers

Despite the broader trend, not all central flats are in decline. In fact, 1- and 2-bedroom units in the city centre still show clusters of high-priced outliers, indicating a thriving niche segment.

These listings likely cater to:

• Buyers seeking premium finishes
• Short-let or Airbnb operators
• Those wanting a central pied-à-terre

In short, the central market hasn’t collapsed — it’s segmented. While larger flats may struggle to attract buyers, compact, well-located properties with rental potential remain in demand.

Durrës today offers a unique blend of affordability, lifestyle appeal, and pricing surprises:

• For families or retirees seeking space, the suburbs have become much more expensive.
• For investors, the centre still holds opportunity – particularly in well-finished, compact units with high rental appeal. When compared with Tirana properties are up to half the price of those in Durres, suggesting there is still value to be had.

However, it’s not universally “cheap.” As new developments spring up, some areas just outside Durrës’s core are seeing price surges. For instance, a 2-bedroom apartment outside the center now fetches around €1,728/m². This indicates a growing demand in specific pockets, actually surpassing the average price for similar properties in Tirana’s outer zones.

Renting in Durrës: Coastal Living on a Budget

Durrës 1-Bed Rents Match Tirana – Is the Gap Closing?

Forget the assumption that more space means more rent. The Durrës rental market tells a more nuanced story — and it’s not all about size.

• Yes, 3-bedroom flats outside the centre top the chart, with median rents over €600 and high-end listings exceeding €1,000/month. Families and long-term expats likely drive this demand especially in coastal or newer developments.
• But here’s the twist: 2-bedroom apartments in the city centre now fetch higher rents than those outside. This bucks the trend seen in the sales market and suggests a thriving short-let or professional renter market keen on walkability, access, and convenience.
• Even 1-bedroom city centre flats are keeping pace with Tirana, with rents nudging €400/month and some outliers exceeding €1,000 likely targeting tourists or digital nomads. The fact that these compact units hold value across both central and outer areas speaks to their liquidity and versatility.
• Meanwhile, 3-bed city centre flats don’t outperform their suburban equivalents, despite being larger and centrally located. The tighter spread suggests a ceiling in what renters will pay for bigger, older flats downtown — especially if newer, more private homes are available outside the city.

Rental Returns: Durrës Beats the Capital in Yield and Value

If you’re looking purely at rental returns, Durrës edges out Tirana across the board – and it’s not the luxury properties doing the heavy lifting.

• 1-bedroom city centre flats deliver yields of ~6%, buoyed by strong demand and relatively low purchase prices.
• 2-bed city centre units yield ~5.3%, outperforming their suburban counterparts in rental price — a notable inversion of the sales market, where city-centre prices are lower.
• Even 3-bed flats in the city centre return ~5%, despite their recent dip in sale prices.

This combination of solid yields, falling purchase costs (especially for 2- and 3-bedroom units), and a growing tenant base means Durrës may now offer better rental return on investment than the capital.

Key Takeaways: What Makes Properties in Durrës Stand Out

• Yield performance in Durrës now beats Tirana, especially for smaller, centrally located flats with consistent rental demand.
• 2-bedroom city-centre flats are the breakout story — rental prices are strong, while sale prices have dropped significantly, creating a favourable entry point for investors.
• Larger homes outside the centre command the top rents, especially 3-bed properties, thanks to space, privacy, and coastal appeal.
• Rental prices remain broadly affordable, but high-end outliers exist in every category, pointing to short-let or premium demand.

Also read: What Expats Think About Life in Durrës