Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Algeciras

For one person, living is cheaper in Algeciras: $1,125 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Algeciras
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,125
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Algeciras

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Athens and in Algeciras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,125 in Algeciras.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Algeciras $1,125

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,800 in Algeciras.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Algeciras $1,800

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $2,476 in Algeciras.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Algeciras $2,476

Living in Athens is roughly 58% more expensive than in Algeciras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Algeciras is 17% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$8.88 €7.90
87.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$36.75 €32.69
84.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$6.50 €5.78
71.38%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$1.70 €1.51
137.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$1.32 €1.18
109.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.15 €1.02
-52.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$2.55 €2.27
125.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$4.01 €3.57
35.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.21 €1.08
50.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.18 €1.05
16.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.68 €1.49
66.67%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.35 €2.98
44.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$11.07 €9.84
35.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$7.49 €6.66
41.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$14.35 €12.76
28.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.15 €1.92
2.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.96 €1.74
-3.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.76 €1.56
-22.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.07 €1.84
1.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.52 €1.36
-28.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.34 €1.19
-16.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.06 €0.95
5.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.65 €0.58
35.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.45 €5.73
-15.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$4.79 €4.26
111.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.10 €0.98
93.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.68 €1.49
33.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.53 €1.36
-11.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$3.82 €3.39
16.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.43 €1.27
-28.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$28.17 €25.06
-39.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.62 €1.44
38.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$30.4K €27.1K
-7.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$28.5K €25.4K
-0.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$86.3 €76.7
137.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$11.05 €9.83
141.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$29.37 €26.13
3.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$35.21 €31.31
54.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$9.87 €8.78
5.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$338 €301
68.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$7,905 €7,031
59.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$65.2 €58.0
35.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$32.83 €29.20
23.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$124 €110
-15.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$135 €120
-9.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$472 €420
56.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$389 €346
68.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$948 €843
37.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$805 €716
42.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$2,135 €1,899
88.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$1,741 €1,548
98.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Algeciras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,876 €1,669
-33.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.32
34.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Algeciras: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Algeciras
$389 40.6% $266
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Algeciras
$235 24.2% $75
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Algeciras
$142 47.2% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Algeciras
$127 51.6% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Algeciras
$160 0.3% $0.5
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Algeciras
$55 27.1% $20
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Algeciras
$17 * 61.9% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $472 in Algeciras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Algeciras pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $37.00 in Algeciras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $235 per month, with Algeciras cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇪🇸 Algeciras
🕒 Local time
19:02 7:02 PM
18:02 6:02 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
123,639
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Algeciras 2,590 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Algeciras

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Athens vs Algeciras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Athens and in Algeciras?
Athens and Algeciras differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,775 vs $1,125 including rent). Algeciras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Algeciras. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Athens and in Algeciras?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $472 in Algeciras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Athens and Algeciras?
Childcare runs $569 in Athens versus $338 in Algeciras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Algeciras – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,125 in Algeciras versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Algeciras but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Algeciras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Athens and Algeciras?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Athens or Algeciras safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Athens and Algeciras are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Athens or Algeciras?
Expats usually find Algeciras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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