Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Bournemouth

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $2,509 in Bournemouth, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Bournemouth
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,509
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Bournemouth

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $2,509 in Bournemouth.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Bournemouth $2,509

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $3,689 in Bournemouth.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Bournemouth $3,689

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $4,870 in Bournemouth.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Bournemouth $4,870

Living in Athens costs roughly 29% less than in Bournemouth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Bournemouth 86% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$20.33 £15.25
-17.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$101 £75.6
-32.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$11.68 £8.76
-4.62%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$4.76 £3.57
-15.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$3.21 £2.41
-13.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$2.03 £1.53
-72.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$6.78 £5.09
-15.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$7.19 £5.39
-24.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.61 £1.21
13.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.54 £1.16
-10.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.80 £1.35
55.56%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.32 £3.24
11.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$6.23 £4.68
141.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$9.28 £6.96
14.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$12.68 £9.51
45.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.22 £1.67
-0.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.75 £1.32
8.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.94 £1.46
-29.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.11 £1.58
-0.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.03 £1.52
-46.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.26 £0.95
-11.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.89 £1.42
-40.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.69 £1.27
-47.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$23.60 £17.71
-76.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$9.36 £7.02
8.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.80 £2.10
-23.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.49 £1.87
-9.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$3.64 £2.73
-62.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$90.8 £68.1
-67.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$3.23 £2.42
37.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$2.29 £1.72
-55.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$32.25 £24.20
-47.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.99 £1.49
13.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$38.2K £28.6K
-26.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$40.0K £30.0K
-29.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$353 £265
-42.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$16.19 £12.14
64.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$42.90 £32.18
-29.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$37.33 £28.00
45.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$11.71 £8.78
121.01%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$17.19 £12.90
-39.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$2,218 £1,664
-74.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$33.8K £25.4K
-62.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$88.8 £66.6
-0.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$43.86 £32.90
-7.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$82.6 £62.0
27.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$143 £107
-15.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$1,258 £944
-41.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$1,146 £860
-42.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$2,670 £2,003
-51.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,898 £1,424
-39.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$6,662 £4,998
-39.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$5,474 £4,107
-36.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Bournemouth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$2,920 £2,191
-57.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.96
-9.68%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Bournemouth: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Bournemouth
$1.1K 75.1% $492
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Bournemouth
$273 12% $37
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Bournemouth
$324 20.9% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Bournemouth
$412 57.5% $150
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Bournemouth
$161 0.8% $1.3
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Bournemouth
$72 4.8% $3.6
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Bournemouth
$120 168% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $1,258 in Bournemouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bournemouth pays 135% 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 $101 in Bournemouth. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 vs $273, with Bournemouth cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇬🇧 Bournemouth
🕒 Local time
09:21 9:21 AM
07:21 7:21 AM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
183,491
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Bournemouth 2,460 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Bournemouth

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 Bournemouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Bournemouth?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Bournemouth. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Bournemouth?
On paper, salaries run 135% lower in Bournemouth. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Bournemouth?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $1,258 in Bournemouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Bournemouth?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $101 in Bournemouth. 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 Bournemouth?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $2,509 in Bournemouth – a 41% 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 Bournemouth?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $2,509 in Bournemouth, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Bournemouth. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Bournemouth?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,775 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Bournemouth?
Safety-wise, Athens and Bournemouth 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 Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bournemouth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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