Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Arlon

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,759 a month against $2,033 in Arlon, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Arlon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Athens, Greece
Arlon, Belgium
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,759
/mo nomad
Arlon
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,033
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Arlon

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

A single person spends $1,759 per month in Athens vs $2,033 in Arlon, rent included.

  • Athens $1,759
  • Arlon $2,033

A couple spends around $2,696 per month in Athens vs $3,132 in Arlon, rent included.

  • Athens $2,696
  • Arlon $3,132

A family of three spends $3,632 per month in Athens vs $4,232 in Arlon, rent included.

  • Athens $3,632
  • Arlon $4,232

Athens is about 13% cheaper than Arlon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Athens and Arlon sit above the global median – Athens by 29%, Arlon by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Arlon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.05 €15.31
$17.02 €15.29
0.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 €59.1
$91.1 €81.8
-27.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.96 €9.84
$11.21 €10.07
-2.23%
Cappuccino
$4.10 €3.69
$2.86 €2.57
43.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.54
$2.68 €2.41
5.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 €0.53
$2.58 €2.32
-77.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.62 €5.05
$3.41 €3.06
64.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.67 €5.09
$4.39 €3.94
29.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Arlon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 €1.70
$1.19 €1.07
59.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 €1.31
$1.54 €1.39
-5.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 €2.43
$2.36 €2.12
14.83%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.53
$3.77 €3.39
33.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.08 €13.54
$14.58 €13.09
3.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.28 €9.23
$11.54 €10.36
-10.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.40 €17.42
$15.33 €13.77
26.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 €1.91
$3.05 €2.74
-30.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.09 €0.98
75.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.26
$2.18 €1.96
-35.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 €1.91
$3.05 €2.74
-30.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 €0.94
$1.67 €1.50
-37.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.02
$2.08 €1.87
-45.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.71 €1.54
-33.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 €0.73
$1.11 €1.00
-27.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.52 €4.96
$8.99 €8.08
-38.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.99 €8.97
$7.92 €7.11
26.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 €1.83
$2.01 €1.81
1.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.05
$1.10 €0.99
107.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Arlon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.31 €1.18
$2.24 €2.01
-41.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.67 €27.55
$41.07 €36.89
-25.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.93
$3.95 €3.55
10.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 €0.92
$2.61 €2.35
-60.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.05 €15.32
$16.95 €15.23
0.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 €2.10
$1.99 €1.78
17.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K €25.4K
$35.5K €31.9K
-20.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K €24.0K
$36.6K €32.9K
-26.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Arlon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 €180
$263 €236
-23.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.17 €22.61
$24.91 €22.37
1.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 €26.64
$52.8 €47.43
-43.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Arlon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.4 €45.31
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.94 €23.30
$24.29 €21.82
6.79%
Cinema Ticket
$10.52 €9.45
$9.08 €8.15
15.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Arlon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €518
$851 €765
-32.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Arlon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.7 €80.6
$85.4 €76.7
4.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.57 €35.55
$50.5 €45.38
-21.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €94.7
$49.54 €44.50
112.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$111 €99.4
11.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Arlon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$740 €665
$897 €806
-17.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$643 €577
$921 €827
-30.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,305 €1,172
$1,681 €1,510
-22.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,121 €1,007
$1,701 €1,528
-34.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,011 €3,603
$4,215 €3,786
-4.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,284 €2,950
$3,897 €3,501
-15.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Arlon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,224 €1,099
$2,868 €2,576
-57.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.65
22.74%

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

Last update for Athens: October 25, 2026

Last update for Arlon: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$643
Arlon
$921 43.2% $278
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Arlon
$302 3.1% $9.6
Eating Out
Athens
$272
Arlon
$251 7.6% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$255
Arlon
$341 33.7% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Arlon
$133 17.4% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$71
Arlon
$18 * 74.6% $53
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Arlon
$67 47.6% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $740 in Athens versus $897 in Arlon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Arlon are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Athens versus $91 in Arlon. Groceries tell a different story – $312 in Athens vs $302 in Arlon – so Arlon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇧🇪 Arlon
🕒 Local time
00:59 12:59 AM
23:59 11:59 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
28,759
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Arlon 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Arlon

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 Arlon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Arlon?
Arlon costs about 16% more than Athens, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Arlon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,639 per month in Athens and $3,050 in Arlon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Athens or Arlon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Athens, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $740 there versus $897 in Arlon.
How much does it cost to live in Athens compared to Arlon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,759 in Athens and $2,033 in Arlon. That makes Athens about 13% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Athens compared to Arlon?
Public transport costs about 25% less in Athens. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Arlon?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Athens, where all-in costs run around $1,759, than in Arlon at $2,033. In Athens it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arlon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
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.
How safe is Athens compared to Arlon?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Athens or to Arlon?
If budget matters most, go with Athens. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arlon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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