Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Bangor, ME Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Bangor, ME

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,743 in Athens versus $2,069 in Bangor, ME.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,655 in Athens versus $3,336 in Bangor, ME.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,568 in Athens versus $4,604 in Bangor, ME.

Living in Athens costs roughly 16% less than in Bangor, ME, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Bangor, ME 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.85

$15.06 $15.06

13.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$67.6 $67.6

-5.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 €9.06

$12.16 $12.16

-13.98%

Cappuccino

$4.28 €3.70

$5.79 $5.79

-26.08%

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

$2.40 €2.08

$2.63 $2.63

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 €0.57

$2.28 $2.28

-71.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 €5.16

$5.34 $5.34

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 €4.92

$8.09 $8.09

-29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.63

$1.02 $1.02

84.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 €1.23

$3.66 $3.66

-61.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 €2.38

$1.96 $1.96

40.31%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.39

$3.19 $3.19

58.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 €13.13

$10.25 $10.25

47.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 €9.46

$7.65 $7.65

42.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 €13.14

$15.49 $15.49

-2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €1.99

$5.15 $5.15

-55.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$1.19 $1.19

73.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$4.40 $4.40

-64.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.06

$4.39 $4.39

-46.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.18 $1.18

15.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$3.58 $3.58

-67.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.47 $1.47

-17.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.90

$1.03 $1.03

0.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 €4.87

$9.57 $9.57

-41.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.34 €8.96

$15.22 $15.22

-32.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.76

$1.69 $1.69

20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.46

$3.14 $3.14

-9.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.52 $1.52

-9.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.70 €30.05

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 €3.91

$2.05 $2.05

120.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$2.29 $2.29

-51.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.53 €15.18

$29.21 $29.21

-39.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.78

$0.84 $0.84

144.05%

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

$28.7K €24.9K

$23.0K $23.0K

24.96%

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

$30.3K €26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

16.16%

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

$217 €188

$214 $214

1.19%

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

$27.79 €24.07

$54.5 $54.5

-48.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.81 €30.15

$79.5 $79.5

-56.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 €48.56

$37.94 $37.94

47.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.88 €22.41

$23.68 $23.68

9.29%

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 €8.87

$10.07 $10.07

1.69%

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

$555 €481

$1,274 $1,274

-56.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,568

$23.4K $23.4K

-52.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 €80.5

$42.39 $42.39

119.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 €41.60

$41.53 $41.53

15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 €85.9

$76.9 $76.9

29.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$67.2 $67.2

81.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 €554

$1,198 $1,198

-46.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 €492

$978 $978

-41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 €1,044

$2,192 $2,192

-45.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 €880

$2,174 $2,174

-53.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,901 €3,378

$2,270 $2,270

71.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,334 €2,887

$1,962 $1,962

69.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,343 €1,163

$4,838 $4,838

-72.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

6.71

-25.63%

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

Last update for Athens: July 28, 2026

Last update for Bangor, ME: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $640 in Athens and $1,198 in Bangor, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangor, ME pays 260% 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: $64.0 in Athens vs $68.0 in Bangor, ME for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $330 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

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 Bangor, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Bangor, ME. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 260% lower in Bangor, ME. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $640 in Athens versus $1,198 in Bangor, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $555 in Athens versus $1,274 in Bangor, ME. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $68.0 in Bangor, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,743 in Athens versus $2,069 in Bangor, ME, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Bangor, ME. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,743 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Athens and Bangor, ME are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bangor, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.