Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Berat

For one person, living is cheaper in Berat: $1,147 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Berat
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,147
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Berat

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $1,147 in Berat.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Berat $1,147

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $1,701 in Berat.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Berat $1,701

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $2,256 in Berat.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Berat $2,256

Living in Athens is roughly 57% more expensive than in Berat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 35% above, Berat is 14% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Berat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$9.69 ALL 788
71.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$34.12 ALL 2,776
94.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$8.37 ALL 681
32.14%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$1.85 ALL 151
123.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$1.79 ALL 145
56.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$0.98 ALL 80.0
-41.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$2.71 ALL 221
108.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$3.60 ALL 293
51.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Berat
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$2.03 ALL 165
-3.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.16 ALL 94.2
21.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$2.31 ALL 188
22.51%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$3.03 ALL 246
66.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$11.01 ALL 896
39.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$8.31 ALL 676
24.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$16.67 ALL 1,356
13.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.92 ALL 156
13.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$2.48 ALL 202
-22.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.62 ALL 132
-14.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.43 ALL 116
53.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.98 ALL 79.9
12.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$1.25 ALL 101
-9.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$0.82 ALL 66.8
34.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.70 ALL 56.8
18.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$4.66 ALL 379
20.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$10.19 ALL 829
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.25 ALL 102
74.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$1.49 ALL 121
64.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Berat
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.36 ALL 29.07
283.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$19.80 ALL 1,611
55.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$3.70 ALL 301
18.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$3.74 ALL 304
-72.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$18.46 ALL 1,502
-7.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.15 ALL 175
7.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$33.6K ALL 2.7M
-16.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$35.1K ALL 2.9M
-20.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Berat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$84.7 ALL 6,889
147.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$18.04 ALL 1,467
48.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$19.88 ALL 1,617
51.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Berat
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$54.8 ALL 4,457
-0.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$18.37 ALL 1,494
41.70%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$9.65 ALL 785
11.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Berat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$185 ALL 15.1K
210.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$1,810 ALL 147.3K
625.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Berat
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$48.80 ALL 3,971
90.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$47.56 ALL 3,870
-14.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$120 ALL 9,769
-13.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$116 ALL 9,398
11.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Berat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$468 ALL 38.1K
61.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$332 ALL 27.0K
96.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$690 ALL 56.1K
87.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$465 ALL 37.8K
150.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$1,837 ALL 149.5K
118.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$1,225 ALL 99.6K
181.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Berat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$794 ALL 64.6K
56.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.75
-5.68%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Berat: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Berat
$332 49.1% $320
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Berat
$263 16.5% $52
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Berat
$157 41.7% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Berat
$123 54% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Berat
$149 9.4% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Berat
$74 2.7% $2.1
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Berat
$44 5.1% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $468 in Berat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 57% 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 $34.00 in Berat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $263 per month, with Berat cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇦🇱 Berat
🕒 Local time
10:01 10:01 AM
09:01 9:01 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
32,606
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 81.36 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 91.25 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Berat 440 km
From you
  • Athens
  • Berat

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 Berat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Berat?
Berat wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Berat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Berat?
Average pay runs 57% 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 Berat?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $468 in Berat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Berat?
Dining out is cheaper in Berat – a meal for two runs $34.00 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 Berat?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $1,147 in Berat – a 57% 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 Berat?
At $1,147 in Berat versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Berat but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Berat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Berat?
Both work as nomad bases, but Berat delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,147 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Berat hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Berat?
Safety-wise, Athens and Berat 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 Berat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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