Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Ben Arous

For one person, living is cheaper in Ben Arous: $698 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Ben Arous
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Ben Arous

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $698 in Ben Arous.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Ben Arous $698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,098 in Ben Arous.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Ben Arous $1,098

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $1,497 in Ben Arous.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Ben Arous $1,497

Living in Athens is roughly 154% more expensive than in Ben Arous, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Ben Arous is 48% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$5.31 TND 15.90
214.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$19.81 TND 59.3
242.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$5.06 TND 15.14
120.16%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$1.16 TND 3.48
247.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$0.65 TND 1.95
326.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.27 TND 0.81
103.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$1.65 TND 4.95
247.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$2.04 TND 6.12
167.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$0.52 TND 1.54
250.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.10 TND 0.29
1280.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.70 TND 5.08
64.71%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$1.48 TND 4.43
226.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$10.27 TND 30.76
46.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$5.91 TND 17.70
79.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$17.19 TND 51.5
7.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.67 TND 5.01
31.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$4.47 TND 13.38
-57.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$0.95 TND 2.84
44.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$0.80 TND 2.41
162.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.90 TND 2.69
20.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.66 TND 1.97
69.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.52 TND 1.56
115.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.31 TND 0.93
183.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$3.49 TND 10.46
57.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$6.62 TND 19.82
53.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.00 TND 2.99
113.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.23 TND 3.68
82.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$0.38 TND 1.14
257.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$13.56 TND 40.61
120.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$0.31 TND 0.93
1335.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$0.31 TND 0.92
229.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$1.75 TND 5.23
866.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$0.86 TND 2.58
161.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$39.9K TND 119.6K
-29.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$23.0K TND 69.0K
22.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$53.9 TND 162
279.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$9.87 TND 29.56
170.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$20.83 TND 62.4
45.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$32.08 TND 96.1
69.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$16.52 TND 49.46
56.66%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$5.11 TND 15.29
103.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$61.0 TND 183
833.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$1,947 TND 5,830
546.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$43.31 TND 130
104.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$60.2 TND 180
-32.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$85.8 TND 257
22.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$46.95 TND 141
158.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$209 TND 626
254.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$156 TND 467
319.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$386 TND 1,155
237.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$267 TND 799
330.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$933 TND 2,795
330.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$415 TND 1,243
733.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Ben Arous
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$247 TND 739
403.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
10.5
-57.33%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Ben Arous
$156 76.2% $499
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Ben Arous
$204 34.2% $106
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Ben Arous
$88 67.3% $180
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Ben Arous
$85 67.7% $177
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Ben Arous
$106 33.5% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Ben Arous
$42 43.8% $33
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Ben Arous
$17 62.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $209 in Ben Arous. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 404% 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 $20.00 in Ben Arous for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $204 per month, with Ben Arous cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇹🇳 Ben Arous
🕒 Local time
01:26 1:26 AM
23:26 11:26 PM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
88,322
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Ben Arous 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Ben Arous

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 Ben Arous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Ben Arous?
Ben Arous wins on cost – living expenses run 154% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ben Arous the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Ben Arous?
Average pay runs 404% 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 Ben Arous?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $209 in Ben Arous. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Ben Arous?
Dining out is cheaper in Ben Arous – a meal for two runs $20.00 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 Ben Arous?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $698 in Ben Arous – a 154% 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 Ben Arous?
At $698 in Ben Arous versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ben Arous but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Ben Arous the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Ben Arous?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ben Arous delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ben Arous hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Ben Arous?
Safety-wise, Athens and Ben Arous 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 Ben Arous gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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