Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Ballerup

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $2,158 in Ballerup, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Ballerup
🇩🇰 Denmark
$2,158
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Ballerup

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $2,158 in Ballerup.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Ballerup $2,158

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $3,441 in Ballerup.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Ballerup $3,441

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $4,724 in Ballerup.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Ballerup $4,724

Living in Athens costs roughly 18% less than in Ballerup, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Ballerup 60% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$22.73 DKK 151
-26.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$118 DKK 788
-42.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$14.86 DKK 98.8
-25.03%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$7.21 DKK 47.95
-44.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$4.24 DKK 28.21
-34.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$3.48 DKK 23.15
-84.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$8.80 DKK 58.5
-34.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$7.56 DKK 50.3
-27.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.99 DKK 13.23
-8.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.76 DKK 24.99
-63.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.40 DKK 15.95
16.67%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.78 DKK 31.80
1.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$15.75 DKK 105
-4.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$11.53 DKK 76.7
-7.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$18.08 DKK 120
1.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.24 DKK 21.55
-32.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$3.11 DKK 20.67
-38.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.83 DKK 25.47
-64.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$5.06 DKK 33.63
-58.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.34 DKK 15.53
-53.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.01 DKK 13.34
-44.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.04 DKK 13.54
-45.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.34 DKK 8.92
-34.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$9.46 DKK 62.9
-42.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$10.18 DKK 67.7
-0.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.87 DKK 12.45
13.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.47 DKK 16.45
-8.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$3.79 DKK 25.22
-64.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$81.9 DKK 544
-63.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$5.87 DKK 39.02
-24.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.68 DKK 11.17
-39.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$62.4 DKK 415
-72.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.54 DKK 16.92
-11.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$50.9K DKK 338.2K
-44.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$52.9K DKK 351.9K
-46.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$184 DKK 1,223
11.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$11.49 DKK 76.4
131.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$37.96 DKK 252
-19.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$40.81 DKK 271
33.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$27.75 DKK 185
-6.74%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$19.75 DKK 131
-47.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$718 DKK 4,773
-20.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$5,842 DKK 38.9K
115.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$107 DKK 713
-17.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$46.73 DKK 311
-13.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$127 DKK 843
-17.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$193 DKK 1,283
-37.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$885 DKK 5,888
-16.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$726 DKK 4,828
-9.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,630 DKK 10.8K
-20.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,275 DKK 8,477
-9.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$4,825 DKK 32.1K
-16.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$3,451 DKK 22.9K
0.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Ballerup
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$5,893 DKK 39.2K
-78.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.67
22.07%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ballerup: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Ballerup
$726 10.9% $71
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Ballerup
$391 25.9% $80
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Ballerup
$403 50.3% $135
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Ballerup
$233 10.8% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Ballerup
$213 33.3% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Ballerup
$80 6.6% $5
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Ballerup
$111 148% $66

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $885 in Ballerup. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballerup pays 374% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $118 in Ballerup for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $391 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇩🇰 Ballerup
🕒 Local time
12:52 12:52 PM
11:52 11:52 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
39,087
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

DKK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Danish Krone exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 DKK (1 DKK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.48 DKK (1 DKK = 0.134 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Ballerup 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Ballerup

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 Ballerup: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Ballerup?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Ballerup. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Ballerup?
On paper, salaries run 374% lower in Ballerup. 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 Ballerup?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $885 in Ballerup. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Ballerup?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $118 in Ballerup. 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 Ballerup?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $2,158 in Ballerup – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Ballerup?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $2,158 in Ballerup, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Ballerup. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Ballerup?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,775 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Ballerup?
Safety-wise, Athens and Ballerup 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 Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Ballerup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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