During the Tito era in Yugoslavia, many Roma/Ashkali were able to regain some prosperity working in old and new occupations, even though Kosovo was generally regarded as being very poor. Tens of thousands went to work as foreign labourers in Western Europe, mostly to Germany. Since the 1960's, they, who of course did not appear as "Gypsies" but as foreign workers from Yugoslavia, had transferred sums amounting to millions back to their families and invested the money in buildings and businesses in Kosovo.

As opposed to other Roma groups in Yugoslavia, the ones in Kosovo had been settled for centuries. Construction of buildings flourished. One Kosovo Rom, who worked near Cologne, for instance, built four homes in Prizren, one for each of his sons, who were all born in Germany. Of course, simple living quarters continued to exist as well, but many homes were large and prestigious. And the interiors showed the pride of their owners.