Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Altstätten

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $3,362 in Altstätten, rent and utilities included – about $19,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Altstätten
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,362
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Altstätten

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

A single person spends $1,775 per month in Athens vs $3,362 in Altstätten, rent included.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Altstätten $3,362

A couple spends around $2,721 per month in Athens vs $5,134 in Altstätten, rent included.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Altstätten $5,134

A family of three spends $3,666 per month in Athens vs $6,905 in Altstätten, rent included.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Altstätten $6,905

Athens is about 47% cheaper than Altstätten, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Athens and Altstätten sit above the global median – Athens by 31%, Altstätten by 149%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$29.51 CHF 24.30
-43.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$118 CHF 97.2
-42.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$17.80 CHF 14.66
-37.42%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$5.94 CHF 4.89
-32.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$5.13 CHF 4.22
-46.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$4.86 CHF 4.01
-88.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$9.25 CHF 7.62
-37.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$7.32 CHF 6.03
-25.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.19 CHF 1.80
-16.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.56 CHF 2.93
-61.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.68 CHF 3.03
-23.91%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$7.71 CHF 6.35
-37.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$25.63 CHF 21.11
-41.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$28.49 CHF 23.47
-62.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$40.80 CHF 33.60
-54.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.60 CHF 2.96
-38.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.03 CHF 1.67
-6.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.68 CHF 2.21
-48.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$4.75 CHF 3.91
-55.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.84 CHF 1.52
-41.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.10 CHF 1.73
-46.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.22 CHF 1.83
-49.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.29 CHF 1.07
-31.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$10.72 CHF 8.83
-48.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$12.90 CHF 10.63
-21.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.82 CHF 2.32
-24.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$3.11 CHF 2.56
-27.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$4.63 CHF 3.81
-70.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$100 CHF 82.7
-70.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$7.47 CHF 6.15
-40.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$4.66 CHF 3.84
-78.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$74.3 CHF 61.2
-77.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.24 CHF 1.84
0.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$40.5K CHF 33.4K
-30.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$39.6K CHF 32.6K
-28.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$277 CHF 228
-26.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$32.44 CHF 26.72
-17.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$55.8 CHF 45.95
-45.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$91.5 CHF 75.4
-40.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$44.93 CHF 37.01
-42.40%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$22.65 CHF 18.66
-54.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$2,646 CHF 2,179
-78.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$34.1K CHF 28.1K
-63.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$143 CHF 118
-38.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$57.4 CHF 47.30
-29.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$149 CHF 123
-29.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$185 CHF 152
-34.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$1,668 CHF 1,374
-55.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$1,419 CHF 1,168
-53.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$2,868 CHF 2,362
-54.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$2,429 CHF 2,000
-52.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$15.7K CHF 12.9K
-74.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$12.2K CHF 10.0K
-71.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Altstätten
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
2.07
116.43%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Altstätten
$1.4K 117% $764
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Altstätten
$590 89.9% $279
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Altstätten
$462 72.2% $193
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Altstätten
$365 39.6% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Altstätten
$241 50.5% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Altstätten
$137 81.7% $62
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Altstätten
$150 233% $105

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Athens versus $1,668 in Altstätten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Athens versus $118 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $590 – making Athens the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇨🇭 Altstätten
🕒 Local time
09:21 9:21 AM
08:21 8:21 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
11,145
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Altstätten 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Altstätten

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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Altstätten cheaper than Athens?
Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,662 per month in Athens and $5,043 in Altstätten. 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 Athens, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Athens and in Altstätten?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,775 in Athens and $3,362 in Altstätten. That's a gap of about 89%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 236% less in Athens. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Athens or in Altstätten?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Athens, where all-in costs run around $1,775, than in Altstätten at $3,362. In Athens it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Athens or Altstätten more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Athens – 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 Altstätten?
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 Athens. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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