Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Foca

For one person, living is cheaper in Foca: $952 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Foca
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$952
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Foca

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $952 in Foca.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Foca $952

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,369 in Foca.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Foca $1,369

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $1,786 in Foca.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Foca $1,786

Living in Athens is roughly 86% more expensive than in Foca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Foca is 29% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Foca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$5.40 BAM 9.39
209.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$21.90 BAM 38.08
209.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$4.68 BAM 8.14
138.03%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$1.53 BAM 2.66
163.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$1.36 BAM 2.37
103.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.78 BAM 1.36
-29.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$1.75 BAM 3.04
228.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$2.26 BAM 3.92
141.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Foca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.16 BAM 2.03
56.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.11 BAM 1.94
24.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.62 BAM 2.82
72.84%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$2.11 BAM 3.67
128.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$6.89 BAM 11.99
118.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$6.45 BAM 11.22
64.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$10.11 BAM 17.59
82.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$0.88 BAM 1.54
150.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.74 BAM 3.02
9.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.24 BAM 3.90
-38.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.73 BAM 3.01
21.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.02 BAM 1.77
5.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.34 BAM 2.34
-16.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.17 BAM 2.03
-4.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.86 BAM 1.50
2.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$3.43 BAM 5.96
59.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$7.93 BAM 13.79
27.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$0.82 BAM 1.43
159.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.11 BAM 1.93
102.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Foca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.28 BAM 2.22
6.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$1.66 BAM 2.89
168.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$0.59 BAM 1.03
72.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$17.47 BAM 30.37
-3.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.48 BAM 2.57
52.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$30.3K BAM 52.6K
-7.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$21.2K BAM 36.8K
33.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Foca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$157 BAM 274
30.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$16.59 BAM 28.85
60.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$33.72 BAM 58.6
-9.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Foca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$29.19 BAM 50.8
86.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$5.76 BAM 10.02
80.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Foca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$289 BAM 503
96.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$3,628 BAM 6,308
246.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Foca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$84.9 BAM 148
4.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$36.14 BAM 62.9
11.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$68.8 BAM 120
52.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$142 BAM 246
-14.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Foca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$155 BAM 269
379.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$251 BAM 437
160.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$515 BAM 896
152.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$368 BAM 641
211.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$2,431 BAM 4,228
65.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$1,663 BAM 2,892
108.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Foca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.44
0.90%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Foca: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Foca
$251 61.6% $403
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Foca
$196 36.7% $114
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Foca
$97 63.7% $171
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Foca
$208 20.6% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Foca
$149 6.8% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Foca
$41 45.9% $35
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Foca
$9.7 * 78.3% $35

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $155 in Foca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $22.00 in Foca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $196 per month, with Foca cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇧🇦 Foca
🕒 Local time
06:17 6:17 AM
05:17 5:17 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
12,334
Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Foca 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Foca

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 Foca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Foca?
Foca wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Foca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Foca?
You'd need roughly $2,662 in Athens and $1,428 in Foca 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 Foca?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $155 in Foca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Foca?
Childcare runs $569 in Athens versus $289 in Foca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Foca?
Dining out is cheaper in Foca – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Athens or in Foca?
At $952 in Foca versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foca but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Foca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Foca?
Both work as nomad bases, but Foca delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $952 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Foca hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Foca?
Safety-wise, Athens and Foca 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 Foca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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