Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Banjul

For one person, living is cheaper in Banjul: $674 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Banjul
🇬🇲 Gambia
$674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Banjul

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $674 in Banjul.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Banjul $674

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $1,184 in Banjul.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Banjul $1,184

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $1,695 in Banjul.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Banjul $1,695

Living in Athens is roughly 168% more expensive than in Banjul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 35% above, Banjul is 50% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Banjul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.85
$7.29 GMD 532
128.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.0
$73.0 GMD 5,328
-9.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.86
$7.91 GMD 578
39.82%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$3.76 GMD 274
10.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$2.66 GMD 194
5.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$1.54 GMD 112
-62.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$5.45 GMD 398
3.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.86
$4.44 GMD 324
22.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Banjul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.74
$1.38 GMD 101
42.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.25
$0.64 GMD 46.87
120.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$1.29 GMD 94.5
119.38%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.49
$1.97 GMD 144
155.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.68
$6.16 GMD 450
149.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.22
$2.63 GMD 192
293.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.92
$5.45 GMD 398
248.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.06 GMD 150
5.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.22 GMD 88.7
56.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.76 GMD 128
-21.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.32 GMD 96.7
66.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.88 GMD 64.4
25.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$1.00 GMD 73.0
13.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.25 GMD 18.31
340.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.61 GMD 44.59
36.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$1.66 GMD 122
237.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.08
$6.29 GMD 459
62.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.53 GMD 111
42.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.18
$1.69 GMD 123
44.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Banjul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.19 GMD 13.59
626.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.52
$6.40 GMD 468
382.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$0.71 GMD 51.7
46.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.26
$4.12 GMD 301
315.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.06
$1.08 GMD 79.1
113.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$2,616 GMD 191.0K
969.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$3,205 GMD 233.9K
774.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Banjul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$30.89 GMD 2,255
579.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.80
$14.21 GMD 1,038
87.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.86
$45.37 GMD 3,312
-33.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Banjul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.68
$23.56 GMD 1,720
131.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.21
$13.61 GMD 994
91.26%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.61
$3.37 GMD 246
219.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Banjul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$6.59 GMD 481
8625.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$136 GMD 9,921
9556.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Banjul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$55.2 GMD 4,029
68.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.27
$43.48 GMD 3,174
-6.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.8
$99.0 GMD 7,228
5.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €114
$85.6 GMD 6,251
49.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Banjul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$101 GMD 7,347
650.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$81.2 GMD 5,924
703.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,153
$213 GMD 15.6K
506.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,037
$138 GMD 10.1K
744.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,574
$1,438 GMD 104.9K
178.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,078
$1,160 GMD 84.7K
197.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Banjul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,109
$60.6 GMD 4,426
1950.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
15
-70.13%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Banjul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Banjul
$81 87.6% $571
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Banjul
$149 52.6% $166
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Banjul
$180 33% $89
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Banjul
$90 66.1% $176
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Banjul
$127 22.6% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Banjul
$30 60.2% $46
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Banjul
$11 * 76.7% $35

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $101 in Banjul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 1950% 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: $66.0 in Athens vs $73.0 in Banjul. Groceries flip the comparison at $315 vs $149, with Banjul cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇬🇲 Banjul
🕒 Local time
12:05 12:05 PM
09:05 9:05 AM
3 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
31,356 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 73 GMD (100 GMD = 1.37 USD). 1 EUR = 81.88 GMD (100 GMD = 1.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Banjul 4,810 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Banjul

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 Banjul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Banjul?
Banjul wins on cost – living expenses run 168% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Banjul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Banjul?
Average pay runs 1950% higher in Athens, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Banjul?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $101 in Banjul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Banjul?
Dining out is cheaper in Banjul – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $66.0 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 Banjul?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $674 in Banjul – a 168% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Athens or in Banjul?
At $674 in Banjul versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Banjul but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Banjul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Banjul?
Both work as nomad bases, but Banjul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $674 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Banjul hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Banjul?
Safety-wise, Athens and Banjul 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 Banjul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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