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Money doesn't buy happiness/ Why Kosovo, poorer, is much happier than Albania

2026-03-20 08:07:00, Ekonomi CNA

Money doesn't buy happiness/ Why Kosovo, poorer, is much happier than

Does money buy happiness?! This is a big debate around the world. The latest Happiness Index shows that, although richer countries tend to rank higher, the relationship between income and well-being is not linear. Factors such as trust in institutions, social support and quality of life play just as important a role as income, proving that well-being is not measured by wealth alone.

If we return the debate to Albanian territory, it seems that money does not buy happiness. Kosovo is ranked 16th in the latest happiness index of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network for 147 countries, being the first in Southeast Europe and a significant improvement from the 29th place it was last year. Kosovo is the poorest country in Europe, with a per capita income that in 2025 was 8033 USD per capita, according to data from the International Monetary Fund.

In the happiness index, Kosovo is followed by Serbia, which ranks 30th, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 47th place, Montenegro in 60th place, and North Macedonia in 82nd place.

In contrast, Albania was ranked in the 2026 report, last in the region, 86th in the world and second to last in Europe, leaving behind only Turkey. Income growth has not made us happier. Albania has made progress in recent years in increasing per capita income, moving away from the last place. In 2025, per capita income according to the IMF was around 11 thousand dollars, surpassing North Macedonia (10,377 USD) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (9467), when a few years ago it was ranked behind them.

But how are these differences explained in the index that measures people's satisfaction with their lives, including how happy, safe and satisfied they feel in relation to the conditions they live in? Although they are the poorest in the region and Europe, measured by per capita domestic product, Kosovo citizens are the happiest in the region and among the happiest in Europe, as their quality of life is influenced by freedom to make decisions, generosity and a perception of corruption that is lower than in other countries in the region.

Albania is penalized by corruption

Albania was ranked among the 30 most corrupt countries in the world (27th), while Bosnia and North Macedonia also have this indicator very high, entering the top five of the most corrupt in the world. Kosovo is the 43rd most corrupt in the world. Serbia is 58th in the world for the perception of corruption. While the lowest perception of corruption is in Montenegro, which is ranked 87th most corrupt in the world.

The perception of corruption is measured through two main questions of the Gallup World Poll:

– Is corruption widespread in your country's government?

– Is corruption widespread in businesses in your country?

Kosovo, the most generous in the region, Albania at the bottom

The indicator where Kosovo historically scores the highest is generosity, ranking 17th in the world. The question asked of respondents is: “Have you donated money to charity in the past month?”

Montenegrins are the least generous in the region (83), followed by Albanians (59). They are followed by North Macedonia (42), Serbia (38), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (32).

Albanians do not have each other's support

The second indicator that negatively affects Albanians' life satisfaction is the perceived lack of support from friends. In the social support index, Albania ranks 108th in the world and last not only in the region, but also in Europe.

The social support indicator is measured through the question: “If something bad were to happen to you, do you have someone you could rely on?” The percentage of respondents who answer positively is used as an indicator of social support in that country.

Even in Kosovo, support from friends is lower than in other countries in the region, ranking 72nd. Serbia holds the lead (23), followed by Montenegro (36), North Macedonia (46), Bosnia and Herzegovina (50),

Kosovo citizens have the greatest freedom to choose in the region

In North Macedonia, citizens feel they lack the freedom to make life decisions, ranking 121st in the world. They also do not feel free in Bosnia and Herzegovina (84), as do Serbia (73) and Montenegro (62).

The question asked of respondents is: “Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with your freedom to choose what you do with your life?”

Citizens of Kosovo and Albania perceive that they have the greatest freedom to choose in the region. Kosovo holds the lead, ranking 24th in the world, while Albania is in 37th place.

Serbian youth, the happiest in the world, Albanians the most pessimistic

The region's youth are much more optimistic than a decade ago. Serbia's youth, under 25, rank first in the world for high levels of happiness and had the largest positive change in comparison in 2023-2025, compared to 2006-2010.

Kosovo's youth rank eighth in the world, Bosnia and Herzegovina's 20th, Montenegro's 28th, Albania's 49th. The most pessimistic youth in the region are in North Macedonia (61)./ Monitor Magazine