Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Ellensburg, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Ellensburg, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,733 in Athens versus $1,851 in Ellensburg, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,632 in Athens versus $2,939 in Ellensburg, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,532 in Athens versus $4,028 in Ellensburg, WA.

Living in Athens costs roughly 6% less than in Ellensburg, WA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 30% above, Ellensburg, WA 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.31 €15.16

$15.29 $15.29

13.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 €56.1

$101 $101

-36.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.23

$12.02 $12.02

-12.31%

Cappuccino

$4.35 €3.81

$5.21 $5.21

-16.51%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.10

$1.47 $1.47

62.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 €0.55

$1.27 $1.27

-50.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €5.03

$4.88 $4.88

17.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €5.06

$7.92 $7.92

-27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.07 $1.07

79.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 €1.23

$2.70 $2.70

-48.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.45

$4.86 $4.86

-42.59%

Eggs

$5.11 €4.47

$4.30 $4.30

18.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 €12.86

$15.21 $15.21

-3.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.18 €9.80

$6.74 $6.74

65.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 €13.12

$13.94 $13.94

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$3.79 $3.79

-41.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 €1.86

$1.14 $1.14

85.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$4.35 $4.35

-65.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 €2.02

$4.10 $4.10

-43.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.49 $1.49

-8.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 €1.07

$2.25 $2.25

-45.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.97 $1.97

-36.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.88

$1.70 $1.70

-40.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 €5.03

$8.12 $8.12

-29.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.44 €9.15

$15.73 $15.73

-33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.75

$2.96 $2.96

-32.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.48 $2.48

19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 €1.18

$2.04 $2.04

-33.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.07 €29.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.14

$2.64 $2.64

78.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.94

$1.72 $1.72

-37.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.66 €15.47

$30.35 $30.35

-41.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.03 $1.03

97.09%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.0K €25.4K

$32.3K $32.3K

-10.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.4K €25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

12.65%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$217 €190

$127 $127

70.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.99 €23.65

$40.11 $40.11

-32.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 €30.61

$69.9 $69.9

-50.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 €48.38

$25.35 $25.35

117.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.52 €23.23

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 €9.20

$16.17 $16.17

-35.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$551 €483

$2,287 $2,287

-75.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,680

$29.4K $29.4K

-62.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 €81.3

$44.31 $44.31

109.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.71 €41.80

$35.46 $35.46

34.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €88.2

$93.1 $93.1

8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$118 $118

1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 €568

$963 $963

-32.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 €496

$797 $797

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 €1,044

$1,871 $1,871

-36.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 €901

$1,506 $1,506

-31.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,920 €3,434

$4,442 $4,442

-11.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,291 €2,883

$4,513 $4,513

-27.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,320 €1,156

$1,802 $1,802

-26.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

6.42

-22.27%

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

Last update for Athens: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $648 in Athens and $963 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ellensburg, WA pays 37% 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: $64.0 in Athens vs $101 in Ellensburg, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $348 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

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 Ellensburg, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Ellensburg, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Ellensburg, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $648 in Athens versus $963 in Ellensburg, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $551 in Athens versus $2,287 in Ellensburg, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $101 in Ellensburg, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,733 in Athens versus $1,851 in Ellensburg, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Ellensburg, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,733 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Athens and Ellensburg, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Ellensburg, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.