Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Chalcis Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Chalcis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,734 in Athens versus $1,530 in Chalcis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,653 in Athens versus $2,203 in Chalcis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,572 in Athens versus $2,876 in Chalcis.

Living in Athens is roughly 13% more expensive than Chalcis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 30% above, Chalcis 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 €14.69

$13.26 €11.35

29.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.1 €54.9

$49.44 €42.32

29.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 €8.77

$9.21 €7.88

11.29%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.73

$4.12 €3.53

5.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.11

$1.64 €1.40

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 €0.57

$0.60 €0.51

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 €4.86

$3.27 €2.80

73.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 €5.07

$4.15 €3.55

42.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.54 €1.31

25.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.63 €1.39

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.47

$2.06 €1.76

39.81%

Eggs

$4.98 €4.26

$4.18 €3.58

19.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 €12.68

$13.59 €11.63

9.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.27 €9.65

$10.03 €8.58

12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 €12.75

$13.08 €11.19

13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.90

$2.06 €1.76

7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 €1.79

$1.87 €1.60

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.07 €0.92

47.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 €2.05

$1.98 €1.70

21.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.13 €0.96

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 €1.00

$1.28 €1.09

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.04 €0.89

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.48 €0.41

110.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 €4.86

$4.87 €4.17

16.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 €9.52

$6.56 €5.62

69.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.58 €1.36

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.54

$2.42 €2.07

22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.43 €1.23

-3.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 €30.00

$46.66 €39.94

-24.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 €4.02

$4.76 €4.08

-1.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.05 €0.90

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.34 €14.84

$13.56 €11.61

27.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.17 €1.86

-6.45%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.6K €24.5K

$34.8K €29.8K

-17.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.9K €25.6K

-0.20%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$219 €187

$287 €246

-23.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.33 €23.40

$24.15 €20.67

13.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.85 €29.84

$30.82 €26.39

13.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 €48.02

$69.6 €59.6

-19.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.08 €22.32

Cinema Ticket

$10.40 €8.91

$9.81 €8.40

6.01%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$559 €478

$289 €248

92.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K €9,681

$5,455 €4,670

107.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.4 €79.1

$110 €94.2

-16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.70 €39.98

$38.80 €33.21

20.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.4

$101 €86.2

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$95.4 €81.7

28.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 €557

$521 €446

24.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 €485

$383 €328

47.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 €1,001

$790 €677

47.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 €878

$590 €505

73.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,135 €3,539

$2,623 €2,245

57.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,458 €2,960

$2,128 €1,822

62.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,330 €1,139

$1,090 €933

22.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.34

14.98%

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

Last update for Athens: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chalcis: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $650 in Athens and $521 in Chalcis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 22% 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: $64.0 in Athens vs $49.00 in Chalcis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $314 vs $264 per month, with Chalcis cheaper across the board.

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 Chalcis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chalcis wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chalcis the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Athens pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $650 in Athens versus $521 in Chalcis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chalcis – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $64.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,734 per month in Athens versus $1,530 in Chalcis – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,530 in Chalcis versus $1,734 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chalcis but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Chalcis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chalcis delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,530 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chalcis hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Athens and Chalcis are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chalcis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.