Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Dubrovnik

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $1,979 in Dubrovnik, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Dubrovnik outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Dubrovnik
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,979
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Dubrovnik

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,979 in Dubrovnik.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Dubrovnik $1,979

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,933 in Dubrovnik.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Dubrovnik $2,933

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,886 in Dubrovnik.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Dubrovnik $3,886

Living in Athens costs roughly 10% less than in Dubrovnik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Dubrovnik 47% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$19.49 €17.33
-14.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$77.3 €68.8
-12.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$12.71 €11.30
-12.35%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$4.21 €3.74
-4.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$4.50 €4.00
-38.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$4.49 €3.99
-87.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$5.45 €4.85
5.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.84
$7.98 €7.10
-31.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.08 €0.96
68.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.21 €1.07
14.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.30 €2.05
21.74%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.18 €3.72
15.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$9.90 €8.81
52.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$8.96 €7.97
18.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$9.60 €8.54
91.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.77 €1.58
24.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.36 €1.21
39.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.70 €1.51
-19.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.74 €2.44
-23.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.86 €0.77
25.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.91 €0.81
23.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.10 €0.98
1.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.25 €1.11
-29.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$5.36 €4.76
2.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$4.41 €3.92
129.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.32 €1.18
61.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.88 €2.56
-21.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.83 €2.51
-51.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$54.6 €48.53
-45.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$4.41 €3.92
0.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.22 €1.08
-16.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$7.40 €6.58
128.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.80 €1.60
25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$25.9K €23.0K
8.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$25.5K €22.7K
10.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$178 €158
15.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.70
$22.58 €20.08
18.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$42.34 €37.66
-28.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.46
$70.1 €62.4
-22.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$23.39 €20.80
10.65%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$8.00 €7.12
30.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$90.6 €80.6
528.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$6,922 €6,156
81.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$73.3 €65.2
21.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$27.46 €24.42
47.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$66.3 €58.9
58.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$78.4 €69.7
54.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$1,442 €1,283
-48.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$906 €805
-27.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,964 €1,747
-33.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,442 €1,283
-20.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$7,912 €7,037
-49.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$4,158 €3,698
-16.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Dubrovnik
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,437 €1,278
-13.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.79
18.21%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Dubrovnik: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Dubrovnik
$906 38.3% $251
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Dubrovnik
$235 24.4% $76
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Dubrovnik
$324 20.7% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Dubrovnik
$242 7.3% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Dubrovnik
$110 31% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Dubrovnik
$86 14.3% $11
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Dubrovnik
$76 70.2% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $1,442 in Dubrovnik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubrovnik pays 16% 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: $68.0 in Athens vs $77.0 in Dubrovnik. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 vs $235, with Dubrovnik cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇭🇷 Dubrovnik
🕒 Local time
21:06 9:06 PM
20:06 8:06 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
41,562
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Dubrovnik 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Dubrovnik

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 Dubrovnik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Dubrovnik?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Dubrovnik. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Dubrovnik?
On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Dubrovnik. 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 Dubrovnik?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $1,442 in Dubrovnik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Dubrovnik?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $77.0 in Dubrovnik. 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 Dubrovnik?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,979 in Dubrovnik – a 12% 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 Dubrovnik?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $1,979 in Dubrovnik, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Dubrovnik. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Dubrovnik?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,775 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Dubrovnik?
Safety-wise, Athens and Dubrovnik 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 Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Dubrovnik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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