Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Cantù

For one person, living is cheaper in Cantù: $1,674 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Athens outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Cantù
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Cantù

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,674 in Cantù.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Cantù $1,674

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,639 in Cantù.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Cantù $2,639

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,605 in Cantù.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Cantù $3,605

Living in Athens is roughly 6% more expensive than in Cantù, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Cantù 24% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Cantù
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$22.36 €19.89
-25.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$89.6 €79.7
-24.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$10.96 €9.75
1.64%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$1.78 €1.58
126.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.90 €2.58
-4.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.63 €1.45
-66.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$5.74 €5.10
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$6.16 €5.48
-11.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Cantù
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.37 €1.22
32.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$2.28 €2.03
-39.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.40 €3.02
-17.65%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.18 €3.72
15.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$14.92 €13.27
0.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$12.81 €11.39
-17.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$17.69 €15.74
4.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.81 €2.50
-21.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.60 €1.42
18.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.08 €2.74
-55.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.26 €2.01
-7.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.85 €1.64
-41.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.76 €1.56
-36.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.70 €1.51
-34.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.61 €0.54
44.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.62 €5.89
-17.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.68 €5.05
78.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$0.93 €0.82
129.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.67 €1.49
34.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Cantù
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.61 €1.43
-15.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$39.33 €34.98
-24.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$5.45 €4.85
-18.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$2.22 €1.97
-54.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$38.55 €34.29
-56.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.04 €1.82
10.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$36.4K €32.3K
-22.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$34.3K €30.5K
-17.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Cantù
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$192 €171
6.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$12.91 €11.49
106.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$27.52 €24.48
10.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Cantù
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$53.5 €47.59
1.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$23.72 €21.10
9.11%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$11.24 €10.00
-7.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Cantù
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$721 €641
-21.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$7,148 €6,358
76.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Cantù
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$87.9 €78.2
0.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$44.32 €39.42
-8.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$108 €95.7
-2.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$128 €114
-5.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Cantù
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$771 €686
-3.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$527 €469
24.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,137 €1,012
14.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$884 €787
29.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$3,313 €2,947
21.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,168 €1,929
59.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Cantù
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$2,815 €2,504
-55.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.65
22.74%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cantù: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Cantù
$527 19.5% $128
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Cantù
$318 2.6% $8
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Cantù
$292 9% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Cantù
$232 11.2% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Cantù
$166 3.6% $5.8
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Cantù
$76 0.8% $0.6
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Cantù
$62 38.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $771 in Cantù. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cantù pays 127% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $90.0 in Cantù for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $318 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇮🇹 Cantù
🕒 Local time
16:59 4:59 PM
15:59 3:59 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
35,153
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Cantù 1,480 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Cantù

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 Cantù: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Cantù?
Cantù wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cantù the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Cantù?
On paper, salaries run 127% lower in Cantù. 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 Cantù?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $771 in Cantù. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Cantù?
Dining out is cheaper in Cantù – a meal for two runs $90.0 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 Cantù?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,674 in Cantù – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Athens or in Cantù?
At $1,674 in Cantù versus $1,775 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cantù but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Cantù the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Cantù?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cantù delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,674 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cantù hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Cantù?
Safety-wise, Athens and Cantù 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 Cantù gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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