Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Coimbra

For one person, living is cheaper in Coimbra: $1,540 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Coimbra
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,540
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Coimbra

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $1,540 in Coimbra.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Coimbra $1,540

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $2,306 in Coimbra.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Coimbra $2,306

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $3,073 in Coimbra.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Coimbra $3,073

Living in Athens is roughly 17% more expensive than in Coimbra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 35% above, Coimbra 15% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$13.49 €12.04
23.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$47.04 €41.98
40.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$9.91 €8.84
11.60%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$1.95 €1.74
112.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$1.97 €1.76
42.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$1.59 €1.42
-64.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$2.23 €1.99
152.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$3.44 €3.07
58.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.03 €0.92
90.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.57 €1.40
-10.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$1.71 €1.53
65.50%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$3.26 €2.91
54.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$11.90 €10.62
28.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$7.58 €6.77
36.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$14.25 €12.71
33.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.30 €2.05
-5.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.59 €1.42
20.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.99 €1.77
-30.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.04 €2.71
-27.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$1.63 €1.46
-32.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$2.06 €1.84
-45.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.62 €1.44
-32.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.72 €0.65
15.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$6.31 €5.63
-11.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$5.90 €5.26
72.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.27 €1.13
71.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$2.18 €1.94
12.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.93 €1.73
-28.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$33.99 €30.33
-9.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$4.44 €3.96
-1.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$1.40 €1.25
-25.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$14.25 €12.72
20.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.24 €2.00
3.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$33.5K €29.9K
-16.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$38.2K €34.1K
-26.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$137 €122
53.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$22.05 €19.68
21.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$32.09 €28.63
-6.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$43.96 €39.23
24.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$11.99 €10.70
117.10%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$8.60 €7.67
25.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$721 €643
-20.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$10.7K €9,570
22.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$95.3 €85.0
-2.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$37.26 €33.25
9.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$94.1 €84.0
10.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$116 €103
10.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$873 €779
-13.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$652 €582
0.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$1,511 €1,348
-14.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$1,040 €928
11.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$2,737 €2,442
46.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$1,222 €1,091
182.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Coimbra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$1,319 €1,177
-5.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.83
16.97%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Coimbra: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Coimbra
$652 0.1% $0.6
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Coimbra
$253 19.6% $62
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Coimbra
$193 28.1% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Coimbra
$191 28.4% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Coimbra
$154 6.5% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Coimbra
$61 19.7% $15
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Coimbra
$53 15.8% $7.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $873 in Coimbra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coimbra pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Athens vs $47.00 in Coimbra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $253 per month, with Coimbra cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇵🇹 Coimbra
🕒 Local time
09:04 9:04 AM
07:04 7:04 AM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
140,838
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Coimbra 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Coimbra

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 Coimbra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Coimbra?
Coimbra wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Coimbra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Coimbra?
On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Coimbra. 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 Coimbra?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $873 in Coimbra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Coimbra?
Dining out is cheaper in Coimbra – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $66.0 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 Coimbra?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $1,540 in Coimbra – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Athens or in Coimbra?
At $1,540 in Coimbra versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Coimbra but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Coimbra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Coimbra?
Both work as nomad bases, but Coimbra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,540 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Coimbra hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Coimbra?
Safety-wise, Athens and Coimbra 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 Coimbra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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