Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Almaty: $1,363 a month against $1,771 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,363
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Almaty

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 Almaty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Athens vs $1,363 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Athens $1,771
  • Almaty $1,363

A couple spends around $2,736 per month in Athens vs $2,131 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Athens $2,736
  • Almaty $2,131

A family of three spends $3,701 per month in Athens vs $2,900 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Athens $3,701
  • Almaty $2,900

Athens costs about 30% more than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Athens and Almaty sit above the global median – Athens by 31%, Almaty by 1%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Almaty
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.97
$13.05 ₸5,899
28.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$43.44 ₸19.6K
57.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 €10.17
$8.76 ₸3,962
30.48%
Cappuccino
$4.06 €3.61
$3.32 ₸1,501
22.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$1.34 ₸607
104.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$0.83 ₸374
-36.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$3.36 ₸1,518
69.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.06
$4.02 ₸1,818
41.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Almaty
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.65 ₸747
12.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.93 ₸421
54.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$2.05 ₸927
37.56%
Eggs
$4.86 €4.32
$2.46 ₸1,113
97.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.27 €13.58
$12.49 ₸5,646
22.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 €9.21
$6.71 ₸3,035
54.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 €16.99
$10.85 ₸4,905
76.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.78 ₸807
24.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$2.25 ₸1,018
-14.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$2.87 ₸1,299
-50.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$2.71 ₸1,227
-24.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.80 ₸362
31.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.55 ₸249
112.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.62 ₸732
-33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$1.00 ₸453
-16.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 €4.89
$2.58 ₸1,167
112.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 €9.05
$11.15 ₸5,039
-8.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.26 ₸572
69.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.48 ₸1,120
-8.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Almaty
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$0.28 ₸128
389.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 €26.43
$22.05 ₸9,970
34.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.39 €3.90
$1.34 ₸607
227.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$0.64 ₸288
56.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 €14.79
$11.04 ₸4,993
50.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$0.72 ₸326
230.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$28.1K ₸12.7M
0.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$31.8K ₸14.4M
-14.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Almaty
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$90.5 ₸40.9K
124.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.79 €23.83
$10.63 ₸4,805
152.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.82
$18.12 ₸8,190
66.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Almaty
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 €47.74
$69.0 ₸31.2K
-22.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.40 €23.48
$26.98 ₸12.2K
-2.15%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$6.77 ₸3,062
56.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Almaty
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €504
$444 ₸200.6K
27.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.4K
$12.0K ₸5.4M
7.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Almaty
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 €79.3
$91.9 ₸41.5K
-3.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 €36.01
$47.80 ₸21.6K
-15.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.3
$139 ₸63.0K
-25.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$131 ₸59.4K
-5.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Almaty
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 €648
$777 ₸351.2K
-6.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 €576
$494 ₸223.4K
31.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,181
$1,439 ₸650.4K
-7.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$905 ₸409.2K
29.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,024 €3,579
$2,470 ₸1.1M
62.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,483 €3,098
$1,517 ₸685.7K
129.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Almaty
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,240 €1,103
$857 ₸387.2K
44.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
20.65
-78.31%

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

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$647
Almaty
$494 23.7% $153
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Almaty
$251 19.8% $62
Eating Out
Athens
$271
Almaty
$204 24.6% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Almaty
$119 54.2% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Almaty
$185 14.8% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Almaty
$83 10.3% $7.7
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Almaty
$28 37.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Athens versus $777 in Almaty. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Athens, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Athens versus $43.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $251 – making Almaty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇰🇿 Almaty
🕒 Local time
03:14 3:14 AM
07:14 7:14 AM
4 h ahead of Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
1,475,400
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Almaty 4,450 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Almaty

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 Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Almaty cheaper than Athens?
Yes – Athens is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,657 per month in Athens and $2,044 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Almaty, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Athens or in Almaty?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Athens and $43.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Athens and in Almaty?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,771 in Athens and $1,363 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 30%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Athens or in Almaty?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,363, than in Athens at $1,771. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Athens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Athens or Almaty more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Almaty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Athens or Almaty?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Almaty. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Athens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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