Is Kosovo expensive? No – it’s actually one of the cheapest countries I’ve been to in Europe. I stayed in a nice private room in a hostel for €24 a night, dinner and a glass of wine was around €11 and the Pristina to Peja train was just €3.
I stayed in Kosovo for two days and spent €156, which was €78 per day. In this post, there’s a breakdown of everything I spent across four categories: accommodation, transport, food and drink and attractions.
Quick facts box
- Currency: Euro
- Total spend over three days:€156
- My trip length: 2 days
- Average daily spend: €78
How Much I Actually Spent
Accommodation: €53.30
I stayed in Pristina Center Hostel for two nights. I had my own room with a shared bathroom – I just had to share it with one other room, but they were never using it when I needed to.
My bedroom was huge, with a king-sized bed, a sofa and a balcony looking over the Mother Teresa Square. It had fast WiFi, too – the only downside was it was up four flights of stairs with no lift (which is common in the Balkans!).
Click here to read more about it
I also booked a bed at Sky Hostel/ Guesthouse Sky (same place, two different names!) – not to stay there, but to use the hostel facilities for a day between my train and bus).
This is a lovely hostel with a friendly, helpful owner. There was strong AC, good WiFi and modern rooms. I offered to pay for a bed for the night, as I was using the facilites all day, but the owner only charged me €5.
Click here to read more about it
Transport: €48
This included the buses to and from Kosovo, plus the internal train from Pristina to Peja.
The bus from Podgorica to Pristina was €15; this was an eight hour journey that travelled through Albania before stopping in Prizren and then finally making it to Podgorica! I then spent €10 on a taxi from the bus station to the centre.
Then, I found an evening bus from Peja to Podgorica; this one travelled over the mountains and crossed the border straight into Montenegro. This one cost €20 – despite being a shorter journey (just under six hours), it was more expensive!
Food & drink: €63.87
I had some great food and drink in Kosovo, although I didn’t really have any local food. There are lots of pizza and pasta restaurants in Pristina, and I had a fantastic meal at Pizzeria Napoli for €15.70 – this included two glasses of wine and pizza – and the waiter even gave me an extra glass of wine on the house!
My second dinner was at Margo, which cost €11.40 for pasta and wine. At Matcha Lab Pristina, I had an almond cappuccino and peanut butter tart for €5.60. I also spent €3.60 on an iced oat cappuccino.
I grabbed breakfast at NONA coffee shop, which did delicious garlic mushrooms on toast and freshly pressed orange juice. And for dinner, I had pasta at Pasta Fasta for €3.90!
Finally, I spent €7.67 in supermarkets on snacks and fruit!
Attractions and activities: €10
The only activity I paid for was a tip for walking tour – I usually tip €10.
The Patriarche of Pec Monastery near Peja (walking distance along the river) was completely free to visit – if you do go you’ll need to show your passport at the entrance.
Grand total: €171.67 → approx. £147.05
How to Save Money in Kosovo
I generally found Kosovo to be cheaper than other countries, but I also travelled more on a budget here!
Take walking tours
I took this free walking tour of Pristina, which, while “free” is donation-based. Generally it’s recommended to tip what you can and what you think the tour is worth. I usually tip €10, depending on how many people are on the tour!
The same company runs a free walking tour in Prizren as well.
Choose a hostel private room instead of a hotel
Hotel rooms weren’t expensive, but I also found a hostel with a private room for even cheaper. It did have a shared bathroom, which I don’t usually opt for, but I was only sharing with one other room. It’s worth checking out Pristina Center Hostel if you’re on a budget!
Walk when possible
I walked most places in Kosovo, rather than taking taxis (I couldn’t quite work out the public transport systems!). I walked to the station when I left Pristina, to and from the monastery in Peja and to the bus station in Peja.
The cities are quite walkable – I was a bit worried about stray dogs initially, but I didn’t see many around Pristina, and while there were more in Peja, they didn’t cause too much trouble. A few barked at me when I walked with my suitcase, but when I spoke loudly to them they scattered.
Eat at Pasta Fasta
This is very specific, but there’s a Pasta Fasta restaurant in both Pristina and Peja; it’s pasta fast food, and is less than €4 for a dish.
Kosovo vs Croatia cost
I went to Split later on in my trip, and Kosovo is MUCH cheaper than Croatia. In Split, a hotel cost around €90 (it had an en-suite but no balcony – or windows for that matter), and one restaurant I went to charged more for a side of sweet potato fries (€12) than I paid for a pasta dish and wine in Kosovo.
Kosovo vs Montenegro cost
I’d say Kosovo is about the same as Montenegro; I paid €38.11 for a hotel room with an en-suite and breakfast. I paid €12 for lunch by the sea in Montnegro, so similar to what I was paying in Pristina!
However, this was in Bar, which isn’t a hugely touristy area – I imagine it will be more expensive in Kotor and Budva.
Kosovo vs Bosnia cost
It’s hard to compare the two, because I was in slightly fancier hotels in Bosnia and Herzegovina! I’d say generally Bosnia is slightly more expensive than Kosovo – I spent around €13 on lunch and wine, and my hotels were €40-€60.
Cost of travel in Kosovo FAQs
What currency does Kosovo use?
Kosovo uses the Euro (same as Montenegro). It actually used to use the Deutschemark, but changed when Germany switched currencies.
Is Kosovo more expensive than Albania?
I haven’t properly been to Albania for a few years (apart from when I drove thorough on the way to Kosovo!), but I’m pretty sure that Kosovo will be a little cheaper, especially in the tourist areas!
Do I need cash in Kosovo?
I’d recommend taking some Euros to Kosovo. I didn’t use much cash, apart from for taxis, the train and the walking tour tip, but they’re good to have – especially if you’re travelling to more remote areas.
So, is Kosovo expensive?
Relative to other European countries, I found Kosovo to be much cheaper. Prices were generally lower than other Balkan countries too!
