Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Grimstad

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $2,129 in Grimstad, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. The total is higher in Grimstad despite lower rent and utilities.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Grimstad
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,129
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Grimstad

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $2,129 in Grimstad.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Grimstad $2,129

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $3,634 in Grimstad.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Grimstad $3,634

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $5,140 in Grimstad.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Grimstad $5,140

Living in Athens costs roughly 17% less than in Grimstad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Grimstad 58% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$21.22 NOK 200
-21.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$77.1 NOK 726
-12.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$15.35 NOK 145
-27.43%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$4.81 NOK 45.27
-16.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$4.08 NOK 38.42
-32.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$3.37 NOK 31.72
-83.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$11.48 NOK 108
-50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$10.48 NOK 98.7
-48.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.54 NOK 23.91
-28.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.63 NOK 34.17
-61.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.11 NOK 29.32
-9.97%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.54 NOK 33.34
36.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$12.95 NOK 122
16.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$14.02 NOK 132
-24.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$24.27 NOK 228
-24.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.03 NOK 19.15
8.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.36 NOK 22.26
-19.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.44 NOK 32.37
-60.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$4.28 NOK 40.26
-50.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.77 NOK 26.06
-61.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.81 NOK 26.49
-60.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$3.08 NOK 28.97
-63.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.87 NOK 17.63
-52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$18.68 NOK 176
-70.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$15.63 NOK 147
-35.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$3.42 NOK 32.24
-37.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$4.17 NOK 39.21
-46.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$5.31 NOK 49.98
-74.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$90.9 NOK 855
-67.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$11.86 NOK 112
-62.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.85 NOK 17.40
-44.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$69.8 NOK 657
-75.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.33 NOK 21.89
-3.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$48.5K NOK 456.8K
-42.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$43.9K NOK 413.5K
-35.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$301 NOK 2,837
-32.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$33.76 NOK 318
-21.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$54.1 NOK 509
-43.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$41.35 NOK 389
31.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$15.75 NOK 148
-33.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$233 NOK 2,191
144.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$15.7K NOK 147.6K
-19.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$95.6 NOK 900
-7.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$52.3 NOK 492
-22.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$106 NOK 996
-0.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$157 NOK 1,478
-22.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$876 NOK 8,245
-15.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$532 NOK 5,006
23.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,926 NOK 18.1K
-32.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,749 NOK 16.5K
-34.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$4,591 NOK 43.2K
-12.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$3,358 NOK 31.6K
3.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Grimstad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$4,349 NOK 40.9K
-71.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.9
-8.57%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Grimstad
$532 18.8% $123
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Grimstad
$435 40.1% $125
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Grimstad
$382 42.4% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Grimstad
$389 48.8% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Grimstad
$185 15.5% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Grimstad
$73 3.3% $2.5
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Grimstad
$133 197% $88

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $876 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 250% 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 $77.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $435 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇳🇴 Grimstad
🕒 Local time
18:33 6:33 PM
17:33 5:33 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
25,093
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Grimstad 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Grimstad

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 Grimstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Grimstad?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad?
On paper, salaries run 250% lower in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $876 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Grimstad?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $77.0 in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $2,129 in Grimstad – a 20% 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 Grimstad?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $2,129 in Grimstad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad?
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 Grimstad?
Safety-wise, Athens and Grimstad 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 20% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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