Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Dundalk

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $2,559 in Dundalk, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Dundalk
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,559
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Dundalk

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $2,559 in Dundalk.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Dundalk $2,559

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $3,749 in Dundalk.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Dundalk $3,749

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $4,939 in Dundalk.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Dundalk $4,939

Living in Athens costs roughly 31% less than in Dundalk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Dundalk 90% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$18.47 €16.43
-9.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$88.9 €79.1
-23.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$12.14 €10.80
-8.24%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$3.81 €3.39
5.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.16 €1.92
28.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.28 €1.14
-57.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$6.63 €5.90
-13.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$5.52 €4.91
-1.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.44 €1.28
26.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.93 €0.82
48.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.32 €1.17
112.12%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.60 €4.09
5.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$13.92 €12.38
8.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$12.90 €11.47
-17.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$16.84 €14.98
9.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.27 €2.02
-3.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.29 €2.03
-17.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.30 €2.04
-40.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$4.70 €4.18
-55.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.14 €1.02
-5.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.82 €1.62
-38.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.38 €1.23
-18.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$2.19 €1.95
-59.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$19.47 €17.31
-71.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$13.13 €11.68
-22.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$4.20 €3.73
-49.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$3.46 €3.08
-34.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.17 €1.93
-37.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$112 €99.8
-73.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$5.09 €4.53
-12.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.42 €1.26
-28.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$18.60 €16.55
-9.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.01 €1.78
11.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$39.6K €35.2K
-29.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$32.3K €28.7K
-12.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$239 €212
-14.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$21.44 €19.07
24.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$54.5 €48.47
-44.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$48.51 €43.15
12.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$24.69 €21.96
4.82%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$13.24 €11.78
-21.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$1,076 €957
-47.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$5,138 €4,570
144.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$95.9 €85.3
-7.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$27.44 €24.41
47.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$67.0 €59.6
56.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$122 €108
-0.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$1,758 €1,563
-57.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$1,253 €1,115
-47.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$2,478 €2,204
-47.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$2,011 €1,789
-42.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$5,594 €4,976
-28.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$5,024 €4,469
-31.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Dundalk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$2,445 €2,175
-49.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.14
8.21%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Dundalk: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Dundalk
$1.3K 91.5% $599
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Dundalk
$355 14.3% $45
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Dundalk
$288 7.4% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Dundalk
$314 20.2% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Dundalk
$140 12.3% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Dundalk
$75 0.5% $0.3
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Dundalk
$133 197% $88

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $1,758 in Dundalk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dundalk pays 97% 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 $89.0 in Dundalk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $355 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇮🇪 Dundalk
🕒 Local time
22:24 10:24 PM
20:24 8:24 PM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
43,112
💱 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 Dundalk 2,900 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Dundalk

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 Dundalk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Dundalk?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Dundalk. 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 Dundalk?
On paper, salaries run 97% lower in Dundalk. 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 Dundalk?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $1,758 in Dundalk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Dundalk?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $89.0 in Dundalk. 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 Dundalk?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $2,559 in Dundalk – a 44% 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 Dundalk?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $2,559 in Dundalk, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Dundalk. 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 Dundalk?
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 Dundalk?
Safety-wise, Athens and Dundalk 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 44% less than in Dundalk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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