Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Bečej

For one person, living is cheaper in Bečej: $844 a month against $1,771 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Bečej
🇷🇸 Serbia
$844
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Bečej

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Athens versus $844 in Bečej.

  • Athens $1,771
  • Bečej $844

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,736 in Athens versus $1,261 in Bečej.

  • Athens $2,736
  • Bečej $1,261

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,701 in Athens versus $1,679 in Bečej.

  • Athens $3,701
  • Bečej $1,679

Living in Athens is roughly 110% more expensive than in Bečej, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Bečej is 38% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Bečej
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.97
$6.50 RSD 677
158.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$33.61 RSD 3,504
103.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 €10.17
$9.59 RSD 1,000
19.19%
Cappuccino
$4.06 €3.61
$1.18 RSD 123
244.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$1.40 RSD 146
95.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$0.74 RSD 77.4
-28.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$1.46 RSD 153
289.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.06
$1.90 RSD 198
198.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Bečej
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.64
$0.98 RSD 102
88.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.17 RSD 122
23.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$1.45 RSD 151
94.48%
Eggs
$4.86 €4.32
$2.11 RSD 220
130.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.27 €13.58
$8.84 RSD 921
72.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 €9.21
$6.67 RSD 696
55.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 €16.99
$7.32 RSD 763
160.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$0.98 RSD 102
126.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.85 RSD 193
3.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$1.55 RSD 162
-9.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$1.86 RSD 194
9.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.70 RSD 72.9
50.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.32 RSD 33.01
265.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.64 RSD 66.7
68.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$0.54 RSD 56.7
55.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 €4.89
$3.92 RSD 409
40.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 €9.05
$3.78 RSD 394
169.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$0.66 RSD 68.4
222.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.93 RSD 97.2
145.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Bečej
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$0.90 RSD 93.9
52.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 €26.43
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.39 €3.90
$1.87 RSD 195
134.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$0.80 RSD 83.0
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 €14.79
$9.43 RSD 983
76.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$1.92 RSD 201
23.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$30.9K RSD 3.2M
-7.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$23.7K RSD 2.5M
14.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Bečej
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$62.0 RSD 6,458
228.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.79 €23.83
$9.59 RSD 999
179.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.82
$23.07 RSD 2,405
30.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Bečej
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 €47.74
$29.23 RSD 3,047
83.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.40 €23.48
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$8.36 RSD 872
26.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Bečej
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €504
$433 RSD 45.2K
30.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.4K
$11.2K RSD 1.2M
15.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Bečej
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 €79.3
$110 RSD 11.4K
-18.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 €36.01
$47.52 RSD 4,953
-14.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.3
$63.3 RSD 6,601
63.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$113 RSD 11.7K
10.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Bečej
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 €648
$316 RSD 33.0K
130.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 €576
$256 RSD 26.7K
153.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,181
$434 RSD 45.2K
206.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$327 RSD 34.1K
257.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,024 €3,579
$2,136 RSD 222.7K
88.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,483 €3,098
$1,750 RSD 182.4K
99.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Bečej
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,240 €1,103
$526 RSD 54.8K
135.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.61
-2.82%

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

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Last update for Bečej: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$647
Bečej
$256 60.5% $392
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Bečej
$174 44.4% $139
Eating Out
Athens
$271
Bečej
$115 57.7% $156
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Bečej
$95 63.7% $166
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Bečej
$150 6.9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Bečej
$46 38.6% $29
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Bečej
$9.5 * 78.8% $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 $729 in Athens and $316 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 136% 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 $34.00 in Bečej for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $174 per month, with Bečej cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇷🇸 Bečej
🕒 Local time
16:08 4:08 PM
15:08 3:08 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
19,492
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Bečej 900 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Bečej

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 Bečej: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Bečej?
Bečej wins on cost – living expenses run 110% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bečej the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Bečej?
Average pay runs 136% 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 Bečej?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Athens versus $316 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Bečej?
Childcare runs $566 in Athens versus $433 in Bečej. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Bečej?
Dining out is cheaper in Bečej – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Athens or in Bečej?
At $844 in Bečej versus $1,771 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bečej but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Bečej the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Bečej?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bečej delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bečej hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Bečej?
Safety-wise, Athens and Bečej 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 Bečej gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Athens vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?