Permet, Albania

Capital City

Living in Permet means trading urban convenience for raw Balkan mountain living. The Vjosë river carves through town, flanked by rugged peaks that isolate this place—you’ll feel the remoteness when the nearest decent hospital is an hour’s drive to Gjirokastër. Locals are used to self-reliance here, and you’ll need to be too: expect patchy internet, limited grocery selection, and bureaucratic hurdles like getting a residence permit processed in Tirana.

Expats in Permet are either hardcore nature types chasing the Vjosë’s whitewater or ultra-budget FIRE folks who’ve maxed out even Albania’s cheaper towns. The 6,000 residents won’t bat an eye at foreigners, but don’t expect English speakers. This is for people who want to disappear into the mountains with their savings, not those needing cafes or coworking spaces.