Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and El Paso

For one person, living is cheaper in El Paso: $1,635 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
El Paso
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,635
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in El Paso

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,635 in El Paso.

  • Athens $1,775
  • El Paso $1,635

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,406 in El Paso.

  • Athens $2,721
  • El Paso $2,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,176 in El Paso.

  • Athens $3,666
  • El Paso $3,176

Living in Athens is roughly 9% more expensive than in El Paso, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, El Paso 21% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
El Paso
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$16.77 €14.92
-0.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$55.7 €49.50
21.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$11.16 €9.93
-0.18%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.37 €2.11
70.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.59 €2.31
6.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.80 €1.60
-69.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.44 €3.06
66.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.64 €3.24
49.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
El Paso
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.22 €1.09
49.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.44 €1.28
-4.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.54 €1.37
81.82%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.21 €2.85
50.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$13.62 €12.12
10.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$8.22 €7.32
29.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$15.92 €14.16
15.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.50 €2.22
-12.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.06 €1.83
-7.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.89 €1.68
-27.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.61 €2.33
-19.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.81 €1.61
-40.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.06 €1.83
-45.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.39 €1.23
-19.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.73 €0.65
20.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.16 €5.48
-11.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.44 €4.84
86.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.21 €1.08
76.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.14 €1.91
5.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
El Paso
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.65 €1.47
-17.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$32.53 €28.94
-8.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$3.98 €3.54
11.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.39 €1.23
-26.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$23.08 €20.53
-26.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.79 €1.59
25.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$34.9K €31.0K
-19.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$28.8K €25.6K
-2.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
El Paso
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$146 €130
39.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$18.28 €16.26
45.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$30.34 €26.99
0.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
El Paso
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$45.48 €40.45
19.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$15.48 €13.77
67.18%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$8.90 €7.92
17.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
El Paso
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$485 €432
17.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$8,361 €7,437
50.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
El Paso
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$85.9 €76.4
3.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$35.49 €31.57
14.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$90.3 €80.4
16.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$110 €98.2
9.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
El Paso
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$892 €794
-16.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$678 €603
-3.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,363 €1,213
-4.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,001 €890
14.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$3,355 €2,985
19.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,189 €1,947
58.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
El Paso
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.3
35.76%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for El Paso: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
El Paso
$678 3.6% $23
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
El Paso
$266 14.3% $44
Eating Out
Athens
$268
El Paso
$238 11.2% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
El Paso
$195 25.5% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
El Paso
$145 9.4% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
El Paso
$63 16% $12
Getting Around
Athens
$45
El Paso
$50 11.5% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $892 in El Paso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $56.0 in El Paso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $266 per month, with El Paso cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇪🇸 El Paso
🕒 Local time
01:46 1:46 AM
23:46 11:46 PM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
700
💱 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 El Paso 3,970 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • El Paso

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 El Paso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or El Paso?
El Paso wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Paso the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in El Paso?
You'd need roughly $2,662 in Athens and $2,453 in El Paso 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 El Paso?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $892 in El Paso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in El Paso?
Dining out is cheaper in El Paso – a meal for two runs $56.0 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 El Paso?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,635 in El Paso – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Athens or in El Paso?
At $1,635 in El Paso versus $1,775 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in El Paso but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes El Paso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or El Paso?
Both work as nomad bases, but El Paso delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,635 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes El Paso hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to El Paso?
Safety-wise, Athens and El Paso 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 El Paso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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