Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Chilanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Chilanga: $592 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Chilanga
🇿🇲 Zambia
$592
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Chilanga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $592 in Chilanga.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Chilanga $592

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $941 in Chilanga.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Chilanga $941

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $1,290 in Chilanga.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Chilanga $1,290

Living in Athens is roughly 200% more expensive than in Chilanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Chilanga is 56% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$5.68 ZMW 113
193.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$30.64 ZMW 610
121.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$5.00 ZMW 99.5
122.80%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.86 ZMW 56.9
40.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$0.80 ZMW 15.85
246.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.46 ZMW 9.21
19.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$1.24 ZMW 24.63
362.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$2.22 ZMW 44.19
145.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.72 ZMW 34.30
5.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.23 ZMW 24.46
12.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.14 ZMW 42.58
30.84%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$2.01 ZMW 39.92
140.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$10.58 ZMW 211
42.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$6.27 ZMW 125
69.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$6.61 ZMW 132
178.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.43 ZMW 68.3
-35.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.38 ZMW 47.42
-20.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.72 ZMW 74.0
-63.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.54 ZMW 30.59
36.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.64 ZMW 52.5
-59.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.80 ZMW 35.83
-37.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.11 ZMW 22.01
0.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.76 ZMW 15.11
15.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$3.09 ZMW 61.4
77.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$10.33 ZMW 205
-1.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.43 ZMW 28.40
48.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.37 ZMW 47.15
-5.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$2.60 ZMW 51.8
71.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.53 ZMW 30.51
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$5.22 ZMW 104
224.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.50 ZMW 29.91
50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$7,599 ZMW 151.1K
268.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$27.6K ZMW 549.7K
2.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$82.5 ZMW 1,640
148.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$10.31 ZMW 205
158.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$54.4 ZMW 1,082
-44.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$6.23 ZMW 124
67.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$140 ZMW 2,786
306.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$16.6K ZMW 330.0K
-24.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$23.42 ZMW 466
278.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$15.73 ZMW 313
157.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$44.76 ZMW 890
134.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$72.9 ZMW 1,450
66.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Chilanga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
29
-84.55%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Chilanga
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Chilanga
$241 22.5% $70
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Chilanga
$110 58.8% $158
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Chilanga
$147 43.7% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Chilanga
$71 55.9% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Chilanga
$12 * 83.5% $63
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Chilanga
$10 * 77.1% $35

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $31.00 in Chilanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $241 per month, with Chilanga cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇿🇲 Chilanga
🕒 Local time
08:58 8:58 AM
07:58 7:58 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
107,051
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Chilanga 5,970 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Chilanga

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 Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Chilanga?
Chilanga wins on cost – living expenses run 200% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chilanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Chilanga?
You'd need roughly $2,662 in Athens and $887 in Chilanga 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 do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Chilanga?
Childcare runs $569 in Athens versus $140 in Chilanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Chilanga?
Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Chilanga?
At $592 in Chilanga versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Chilanga?
Both work as nomad bases, but Chilanga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $592 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chilanga hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Chilanga?
Safety-wise, Athens and Chilanga 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 Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 200% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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