Albania, second in Europe for the financial burden of a baby’s first year – 66% of the average annual wage

Welcoming a child in Albania represents a very heavy financial commitment, both in absolute terms and in proportion to family income. A study conducted by Remitly shows that essential products for the first 12 months of life amount to around 5,532 euros, a figure that matches nearly 66% of the average annual earnings in the country.

With this percentage, Albania ranks as the second most expensive economy on the continent when measuring the ratio of costs to the average wage. The only one that exceeds it is Moldova, where parents have to spend the equivalent of 88.8% of their annual income. For the 36 states included in the analysis, this average indicator stands at just 20.9%.

Even in nominal terms, Albania ranks high on the list of high-cost countries. Based on a bill of 5,532 euros for basic baby care items, it occupies ninth place among 38 European nations surveyed. Ahead of it are states like Spain, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Italy, and Lithuania.

The key to the difference lies in purchasing power. All the countries that precede Albania in the nominal ranking enjoy substantially higher wages and incomes. Consequently, the same amount spent on a newborn occupies a much more modest part of the family budget in those economies. For illustration, in Switzerland, basic items absorb only 8% of the average annual wage, in the Netherlands 9.4%, while in Albania this figure goes to 66%.

The study, which was processed using prices from July 2026, calculated the annual expenses for a range of necessary products during the first year of life. It includes 14 items divided into six groups: diaper changing (diapers, wet wipes, protective cream); feeding bottles with their caps; formula milk; sleep (crib, portable basket, mattress, fitted sheet, blanket); transport (car seat, stroller); and clothing (bodysuits, sets or pants, socks).

In 38 European countries, the estimated cost for these basic products in the first year fluctuates significantly. It starts from 2,813 euros in Great Britain and peaks at 6,294 euros in Spain, while the continent’s average stands at 4,727 euros. Other countries where the annual bill exceeds 6,000 euros are the Netherlands at 6,140 euros, Finland at 6,066 euros, Sweden at 6,025 euros, and Switzerland at 6,018 euros.

In the group of countries with costs between 5,000 and 6,000 euros are Luxembourg (5,665 euros), Italy (5,609 euros), Lithuania (5,563 euros), Albania (5,532 euros), Serbia (5,509 euros), Montenegro (5,500 euros), Portugal (5,337 euros), Slovakia (5,221 euros), Norway (5,079 euros), and Iceland (5,004 euros). Among the largest economies, Spain leads in cost, while Great Britain has the lowest bill. Germany (4,701 euros) and France (4,393 euros) stand near the European average.

On the other end of the spectrum, parents in the Czech Republic (3,211 euros), Romania (3,385 euros), Latvia (3,392 euros), Croatia (3,661 euros), Bulgaria (3,804 euros), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (3,844 euros) face some of the lowest nominal expenses. In these six countries, the total cost remains below the 4,000-euro threshold, while Turkey (4,023 euros), Belgium (4,084 euros), Malta (4,118 euros), and Greece (4,158 euros) just exceed this level.

The way expenses are distributed among the six categories shows great disparities across Europe. On average, clothing takes 30.3% of the total, formula milk 25.7%, and diapers 24.5%. These three items together account for 81% of all expenses for the first year. In monetary terms, this means 1,465 euros for clothing, 1,187 euros for formula milk, and 1,152 euros for diapers, bringing the combined amount to 3,804 euros.

The cost structure varies radically from one country to another. For example, clothing represents only 16% of the total in Denmark, but accounts for 52.5% in Sweden. Their weight is above 45% also in the Netherlands, Finland, and Ireland. Formula milk, on the other hand, amounts to 10.8% of expenses in Sweden and rises to 41.3% in Latvia, with equally high percentages in Turkey, Denmark, and Hungary. As for diapers, they make up 12.4% of the cost in Turkey, but more than 36% in Switzerland and Belgium.

To measure the real financial burden, Remitly’s analysis set the cost of products against the average wage in each state, using International Labour Organization data on monthly employee incomes, adjusted for inflation. Affordability also depends on factors such as the number of working parents, the tax system, and family benefits, elements that can create considerable differences between countries.

From this perspective, for the 36 countries compared, basic baby products swallow on average 20.9% of the annual wage. This ratio ranges from just 5.4% in Belgium to 88.8% in Moldova. After Albania, which scores 66%, come Turkey at 45.1%, Montenegro at 45%, Serbia at 41.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina at 36.1%, Portugal at 35.7%, and Hungary at 34.7%. In all these countries, basic baby items consume at least one third of the average annual income.

In complete contrast, there are states where these expenses are almost negligible in relation to the wage. They account for less than 10% in Luxembourg (6%), Denmark (6.7%), Great Britain (7.5%), Norway (7.6%), Ireland (8%), Switzerland (8%), Germany (8.1%), Austria (8.2%), France (8.5%), Malta (8.9%), and the Netherlands (9.4%).

It is worth noting that this study does not include fees for nurseries and other forms of childcare, which can add a significant financial weight on European parents. As a reference, in 2023, the gross childcare costs for two children in Switzerland reached 64,211 euros, while the Netherlands recorded the highest level within the European Union at 39,229 euros, according to OECD data. In Germany, this figure was only 552 euros. When talking about net expenses, a Swiss family with one income source pays 10,200 euros, while a couple with two earners pays 27,551 euros. However, state subsidies can drastically reduce these payments in some countries, bringing net expenses below the 5,000-euro level.