Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Arta Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Arta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,696 per month in Athens vs $1,351 in Arta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,642 per month in Athens vs $2,012 in Arta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,588 per month in Athens vs $2,673 in Arta, rent included.

Athens costs about 25% more than Arta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Athens and Arta sit above the global median – Athens by 27%, Arta by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.49 €15.05

$11.74 €10.10

48.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €54.7

$46.15 €39.70

37.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 €9.14

$10.36 €8.91

2.51%

Cappuccino

$4.34 €3.73

$4.45 €3.83

-2.47%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.44 €2.10

2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.58

$0.60 €0.51

11.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 €5.07

$5.55 €4.78

6.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$5.77 €4.96

1.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.30 €1.12

46.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.18 €1.02

19.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 €2.49

$0.89 €0.76

225.84%

Eggs

$5.08 €4.37

$3.51 €3.02

44.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 €12.61

$13.55 €11.65

8.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 €9.73

$11.04 €9.50

2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 €12.97

$11.47 €9.87

31.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.02 €0.88

126.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.31 €1.12

65.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.24 €1.07

21.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 €1.97

$1.03 €0.88

123.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.25 €1.07

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.15 €0.99

2.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$0.79 €0.68

59.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.90

$0.17 €0.14

511.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 €4.81

$5.14 €4.42

8.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 €10.11

$4.52 €3.89

160.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$0.94 €0.81

117.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.49

$2.25 €1.93

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.57 €1.35

-10.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.49 €29.67

$46.60 €40.09

-25.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 €3.97

$4.71 €4.05

-1.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.08 €0.93

1.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.33 €14.91

$13.41 €11.53

29.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.05 €1.76

4.39%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.4K €24.5K

$31.8K €27.3K

-10.51%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.4K €26.1K

$30.9K €26.6K

-1.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$219 €188

$213 €183

2.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.82 €23.07

$25.58 €22.01

4.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.71 €29.86

$25.72 €22.13

34.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 €49.09

$47.86 €41.17

19.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.57 €22.85

$26.09 €22.44

1.84%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 €8.89

$10.08 €8.67

2.48%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$552 €475

$433 €372

27.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K €9,686

$8,274 €7,117

36.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €79.7

$83.6 €71.9

10.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.61 €40.95

$28.83 €24.80

65.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.1

$82.5 €71.0

21.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €104

$93.4 €80.3

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 €568

$489 €421

34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 €501

$382 €328

52.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 €1,016

$766 €659

54.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 €885

$610 €525

68.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,114 €3,539

$2,729 €2,348

50.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,388 €2,914

$2,181 €1,876

55.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,342 €1,154

$925 €796

45.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.68

6.62%

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

Last update for Athens: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $660 in Athens versus $489 in Arta. 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 $64.0 in Athens versus $46.00 in Arta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $225 – making Arta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Athens is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,544 per month in Athens and $2,027 in Arta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $552 per month in Athens and $433 in Arta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Athens, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Arta, where all-in costs run around $1,351, than in Athens at $1,696. In Arta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Athens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Arta. 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.