Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Badalona

For one person, living is cheaper in Badalona: $1,645 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Badalona
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,645
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Badalona

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,645 in Badalona.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Badalona $1,645

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $3,148 in Badalona.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Badalona $3,148

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $4,652 in Badalona.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Badalona $4,652

Living in Athens is roughly 8% more expensive than in Badalona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Badalona 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Badalona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$17.14 €15.24
-2.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$55.6 €49.43
21.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$11.12 €9.89
0.18%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.41 €2.14
67.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.58 €2.30
7.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.93 €1.72
-71.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.36 €2.99
70.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.84
$4.42 €3.93
23.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Badalona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.11 €0.98
63.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$2.09 €1.85
-33.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.77 €1.57
58.19%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.88 €3.45
24.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$14.46 €12.86
4.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$8.93 €7.94
19.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$15.02 €13.36
22.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.49 €2.22
-11.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.02 €1.80
-5.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.58 €1.41
-13.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.50 €2.22
-16.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.83 €1.63
-40.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.94 €1.73
-42.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.56 €1.39
-28.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.58 €0.51
51.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.95 €6.18
-21.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.51 €4.90
83.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.06 €0.95
100.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.48 €2.20
-9.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Badalona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.60 €1.42
-15.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$44.42 €39.51
-32.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$3.02 €2.69
47.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.52 €1.35
-32.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$14.79 €13.15
14.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.78 €1.58
26.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$35.1K €31.3K
-20.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$30.0K €26.7K
-5.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Badalona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$116 €103
77.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.70
$13.67 €12.16
94.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$24.78 €22.04
22.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Badalona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.46
$69.7 €62.0
-21.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$15.64 €13.91
65.47%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$8.20 €7.29
27.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Badalona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$561 €499
1.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$10.0K €8,904
25.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Badalona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$62.9 €55.9
41.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$21.54 €19.16
87.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$105 €93.6
-0.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$119 €106
1.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Badalona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$1,386 €1,232
-46.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$686 €611
-4.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,333 €1,185
-2.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$2,435 €2,166
-52.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$3,357 €2,986
19.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,202 €1,959
57.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Badalona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,875 €1,668
-33.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.3
35.76%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Badalona: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Badalona
$686 4.9% $32
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Badalona
$275 11.5% $36
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Badalona
$243 9.3% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Badalona
$154 41.1% $108
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Badalona
$139 13% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Badalona
$86 14.3% $11
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Badalona
$61 36.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $1,386 in Badalona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Badalona 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 $56.0 in Badalona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $275 per month, with Badalona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇪🇸 Badalona
🕒 Local time
21:10 9:10 PM
20:10 8:10 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
225,957
💱 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 Badalona 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Badalona

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 Badalona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Badalona?
Badalona wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Badalona the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Badalona?
On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Badalona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Badalona?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $1,386 in Badalona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Badalona?
Dining out is cheaper in Badalona – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Athens compared to Badalona?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,645 in Badalona – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Athens or in Badalona?
At $1,645 in Badalona versus $1,775 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Badalona but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Badalona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Badalona?
Both work as nomad bases, but Badalona delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,645 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Badalona hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Badalona?
Safety-wise, Athens and Badalona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Badalona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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