From turkey to wine, how expensive is the New Year's table?

2025-12-31 07:32:02, Ekonomi CNA

For most Albanian families, New Year's Eve dinner remains a ritual strongly linked to tradition and a large table. The classic menu includes various salads, meat, turkey or chicken with sauce, traditional desserts and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. However, preparing this dinner at home requires an increasingly significant financial commitment, due to the increase in food prices throughout the year and especially at the end of the year.

According to an average market estimate, a family of four spends around 19,000–20,000 lekë just on the main ingredients of a festive dinner. A significant portion of this budget goes to traditional salads, which include basic products such as fresh vegetables, mayonnaise, oil, eggs and canned goods, with a cost that can reach around 2,000 lekë. Although they seem like small expenses at first glance, the increase in the prices of vegetables and cooking oil has made salads more expensive compared to previous years.

Another important item is meat and dairy products. The inclusion of beef or pork, sausages, ham and cheeses for the festive table translates into an average expenditure of 3,300 lek, a level that reflects the continuous increase in the prices of meat and processed products. Families that choose local products manage to reduce costs somewhat, while those that prefer imported products face significantly higher prices.

The most expensive item of the traditional dinner remains the sea turkey and the pershesh, which is considered the symbolic dish of the New Year. The price of turkey, especially in the last days of December, increases due to high demand, causing that together with the pershesh ingredients, the cost reaches around 7,500 lek. For families that choose domestic turkey or imported meat alternatives, this figure may change, but it still remains the main weight in the dinner budget.

Desserts also occupy an important place on the festive table. Baklava, prepared at home or purchased at a pastry shop, along with other traditional desserts, requires an expense of about 3,000 lek. The increase in the prices of nuts, sugar and butter has directly affected the cost of this part of the menu, making it more expensive compared to previous years.

Finally, beverages constitute another significant expense item. Wine, brandy, soft drinks and juices for children average around 3,500 lekë, depending on the brand and origin. Families who choose imported drinks or larger quantities, especially for entertaining guests, face a further increase in total costs.

Overall, the amount of 19,000–20,000 lek represents an average and minimum estimate for a traditional dinner at home. If the table is enriched with more expensive foods, such as sea fish, seafood or imported premium drinks, the cost can increase significantly, making New Year's dinner a real burden on the budget of many Albanian families. In this context, celebrating at home remains the most economical choice compared to restaurants, but still requires careful financial planning.

Antipasti salad – around 2,000 lek

Various meats (beef, sausage, cheese) – about 3,300 lekë

Chicken and pork – about 7,500 lek

Baklava and sweets – around 3,000 lek

Drinks (wine, brandy, juices) – about 3,500 lek

For a significant portion of Albanians, celebrating New Year's Eve at a restaurant has become an increasingly preferred alternative, especially in large cities. This choice is related not only to the desire to avoid the commitment and stress of preparing at home, but also to the wide range of entertainment that restaurants offer during the festive night. However, this convenience comes at a significantly higher cost, making celebrating outside the home a significant burden on the family budget.

On weekdays, a standard mid-range restaurant in Albania offers a dinner for two, with an antipasti, main course and dessert, at a cost ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 lekë, depending on the menu and the location of the restaurant. These prices represent the market average and are relatively affordable for a casual outing. However, during New Year's Eve, these rates vary significantly, as restaurants apply special festive prices due to high demand and additional services offered.

During this period, most restaurants operate with closed party packages, where the price per person includes a pre-determined menu, drinks, live music or DJ, as well as festive decorations. The prices of these packages usually start at around 50 euros per person in mid-range restaurants and can reach up to 90–120 euros per person in more luxurious settings, hotels or well-known restaurants in urban centers and tourist areas. In many cases, premium drinks, champagne or other extra services are charged separately, further increasing the final bill.

For a family of four, choosing to celebrate New Year's Eve at a restaurant translates into a total expense of 30,000 to over 60,000 lek, not including additional expenses such as transportation or consumption after midnight.

Price differences are also evident by geographic area. In Tirana, Durrës, or tourist cities, the prices of festive packages are generally higher, while in smaller cities restaurants offer somewhat more economical alternatives, although even there a significant increase in tariffs is observed during New Year's Eve.

The high cost of festive packages reflects not only the expenses of restaurants, but also the economic reality of a market where seasonal demand significantly increases prices, making New Year's Eve one of the most expensive evenings of the year for consumers. /Monitor