Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Elblag

For one person, living is cheaper in Elblag: $1,455 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Elblag
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,455
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Elblag

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,455 in Elblag.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Elblag $1,455

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,027 in Elblag.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Elblag $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $2,599 in Elblag.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Elblag $2,599

Living in Athens is roughly 22% more expensive than in Elblag, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Elblag 8% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Elblag
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$12.17 zł 47.29
37.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$27.38 zł 106
147.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$7.34 zł 28.54
51.77%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$3.35 zł 13.03
20.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.10 zł 8.16
31.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.71 zł 6.63
-67.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.03 zł 11.78
89.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.73 zł 14.50
46.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Elblag
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.04 zł 4.04
75.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.66 zł 6.44
-16.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$0.95 zł 3.69
194.74%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.79 zł 14.72
27.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$8.96 zł 34.81
67.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$6.83 zł 26.53
55.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$11.50 zł 44.68
60.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.34 zł 5.22
64.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.67 zł 6.48
13.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.60 zł 6.20
-14.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$3.08 zł 11.98
-31.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.79 zł 3.09
36.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.32 zł 5.13
-15.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.10 zł 4.27
1.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.50 zł 1.93
76.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$4.13 zł 16.04
32.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$6.31 zł 24.52
60.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$0.49 zł 1.91
334.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.41 zł 5.47
59.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Elblag
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.03 zł 4.01
32.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$24.01 zł 93.3
24.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$2.14 zł 8.33
107.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$0.78 zł 3.04
30.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$9.86 zł 38.29
71.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.54 zł 5.98
46.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$30.7K zł 119.4K
-8.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$24.9K zł 96.6K
13.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Elblag
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$285 zł 1,108
-28.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$7.79 zł 30.27
242.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$13.79 zł 53.6
120.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Elblag
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$41.85 zł 163
30.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$22.09 zł 85.8
17.16%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$5.23 zł 20.30
99.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Elblag
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$323 zł 1,255
76.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$1,954 zł 7,593
543.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Elblag
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$80.9 zł 314
9.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$36.97 zł 144
9.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$88.1 zł 342
19.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$98.5 zł 383
23.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Elblag
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$602 zł 2,339
23.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$514 zł 1,995
27.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$857 zł 3,331
51.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$738 zł 2,868
55.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$2,191 zł 8,514
83.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,243 zł 8,714
54.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Elblag
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,299 zł 5,048
-4.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
6.89
-34.98%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Elblag: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Elblag
$514 21.5% $141
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Elblag
$213 31.3% $97
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Elblag
$197 26.3% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Elblag
$307 17.3% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Elblag
$137 14.3% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Elblag
$52 30.6% $23
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Elblag
$34 23.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $602 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elblag pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $27.00 in Elblag for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $213 per month, with Elblag cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇵🇱 Elblag
🕒 Local time
03:26 3:26 AM
02:26 2:26 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
122,899
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Elblag 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Elblag

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 Elblag: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Elblag?
Elblag wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Elblag the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Elblag?
On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Elblag. 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 Elblag?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $602 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Elblag?
Dining out is cheaper in Elblag – a meal for two runs $27.00 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 Elblag?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,455 in Elblag – a 22% 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 Elblag?
At $1,455 in Elblag versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elblag but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Elblag the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Elblag?
Both work as nomad bases, but Elblag delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,455 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Elblag hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Elblag?
Safety-wise, Athens and Elblag 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 Elblag gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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