Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Chartres

For one person, living costs are similar in Athens and in Chartres: $1,771 and $1,707 a month, rent and utilities included.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Chartres
🇫🇷 France
$1,707
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Chartres

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Athens versus $1,707 in Chartres.

  • Athens $1,771
  • Chartres $1,707

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,736 in Athens versus $2,598 in Chartres.

  • Athens $2,736
  • Chartres $2,598

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,701 in Athens versus $3,490 in Chartres.

  • Athens $3,701
  • Chartres $3,490

Living in Athens is roughly 4% more expensive than in Chartres, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Chartres 26% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Chartres
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.97
$14.24 €12.67
18.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$50.2 €44.65
35.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 €10.17
$10.65 €9.47
7.32%
Cappuccino
$4.06 €3.61
$2.63 €2.34
54.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$3.08 €2.74
-11.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$1.47 €1.30
-63.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$8.21 €7.30
-30.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.06
$5.55 €4.94
2.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Chartres
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.32 €1.18
40.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.75 €1.55
-17.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$2.59 €2.30
8.88%
Eggs
$4.86 €4.32
$3.83 €3.41
26.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.27 €13.58
$9.96 €8.86
53.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 €9.21
$12.00 €10.67
-13.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 €16.99
$16.16 €14.38
18.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$3.13 €2.79
-29.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$2.99 €2.66
-35.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$1.45 €1.29
-2.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$4.11 €3.66
-50.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.77 €1.58
-40.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.01 €1.79
-41.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.58 €1.41
-31.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$0.13 €0.12
546.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 €4.89
$12.73 €11.32
-56.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 €9.05
$5.64 €5.02
80.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.46 €1.30
45.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.60 €1.43
42.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Chartres
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.92 €1.71
-28.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 €26.43
$48.17 €42.85
-38.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.39 €3.90
$2.32 €2.06
89.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$1.14 €1.02
-12.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 €14.79
$32.69 €29.08
-49.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$2.10 €1.87
13.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$16.8K €15.0K
68.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$24.5K €21.8K
11.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Chartres
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$206 €183
-1.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.79 €23.83
$20.99 €18.67
27.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.82
$32.24 €28.68
-6.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Chartres
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 €47.74
$36.25 €32.25
48.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.40 €23.48
$13.22 €11.76
99.70%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$15.47 €13.76
-31.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Chartres
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €504
$894 €795
-36.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.4K
$9,960 €8,859
29.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Chartres
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 €79.3
$124 €111
-28.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 €36.01
$46.64 €41.49
-13.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.3
$101 €90.2
2.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$96.3 €85.7
29.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Chartres
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 €648
$756 €672
-3.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 €576
$609 €542
6.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,181
$1,359 €1,209
-2.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$1,119 €995
4.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,024 €3,579
$3,929 €3,495
2.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,483 €3,098
$2,050 €1,824
69.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Chartres
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,240 €1,103
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.9
14.87%

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

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chartres: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$647
Chartres
$610 5.8% $38
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Chartres
$294 6% $19
Eating Out
Athens
$271
Chartres
$248 8.5% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Chartres
$259 0.4% $1.1
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Chartres
$166 3.1% $5
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Chartres
$67 10.2% $7.7
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Chartres
$64 43.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Athens and $756 in Chartres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $50.0 in Chartres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $294 per month, with Chartres cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇫🇷 Chartres
🕒 Local time
02:25 2:25 AM
01:25 1:25 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
38,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Chartres 2,130 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Chartres

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 Chartres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Chartres?
Chartres wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chartres the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Chartres?
You'd need roughly $2,657 in Athens and $2,561 in Chartres to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Chartres?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Athens versus $756 in Chartres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Chartres?
Dining out is cheaper in Chartres – a meal for two runs $50.0 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 Chartres?
All in, you'll spend $1,771 per month in Athens versus $1,707 in Chartres – a 4% 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 Chartres?
At $1,707 in Chartres versus $1,771 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chartres but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Chartres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Chartres?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chartres delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,707 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chartres hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Chartres?
Safety-wise, Athens and Chartres 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 Chartres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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