Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Gulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $110 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $20,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens, Greece
Gulu, Uganda
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Gulu
🇺🇬 Uganda
$110
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Gulu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Athens versus $110 in Gulu.

  • Athens $1,779
  • Gulu $110

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $160 in Gulu.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Gulu $160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Athens versus $211 in Gulu.

  • Athens $3,663
  • Gulu $211

Living in Athens is roughly 1524% more expensive than in Gulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 32% above, Gulu is 92% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Gulu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.99
$1.15 UGX 4,864
1363.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.0 €58.8
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.21 €9.99
$10.45 UGX 44.1K
7.27%
Cappuccino
$4.08 €3.64
$2.29 UGX 9,676
78.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.47
$0.24 UGX 1,018
1054.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.48
$0.14 UGX 576
285.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.70 €5.08
$0.68 UGX 2,889
738.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26 €5.58
$2.30 UGX 9,701
172.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Gulu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.64
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.27
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
-
-
Eggs
$4.95 €4.41
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.09 €13.45
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.99 €9.79
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.77 €17.61
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 €1.89
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.33 €1.19
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 €0.94
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 €1.02
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.97
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.75
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46 €4.86
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.03 €8.93
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 €1.82
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.12
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Gulu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.20
$0.92 UGX 3,885
46.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.52 €27.19
$28.25 UGX 119.2K
8.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 €3.39
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 €0.92
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.49 €14.68
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 €2.09
$1.20 UGX 5,055
95.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K €24.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Gulu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 €180
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81 €23.88
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.49 €27.16
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Gulu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 €48.17
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.40 €24.41
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.44 €9.30
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Gulu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €506
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K €13.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Gulu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7 €80.8
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32 €35.03
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.7
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €115
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Gulu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$742 €661
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$648 €578
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 €1,132
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 €999
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,999 €3,562
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,281 €2,923
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Gulu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 €1,109
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.44
0
-

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

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Last update for Gulu: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$648
Gulu
–
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$316
Gulu
–
Eating Out
Athens
$272
Gulu
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Gulu
–
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$164
Gulu
–
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Gulu
–
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Gulu
–
Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇺🇬 Gulu
🕒 Local time
03:13 3:13 AM
04:13 4:13 AM
1 h ahead of Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
152,276
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 4,217 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.37 USD). 1 EUR = 4,734 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Gulu 4,010 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Gulu

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 Gulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Gulu?
Gulu wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Gulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Gulu?
You’d need roughly $2,669 in Athens and $164 in Gulu 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 expensive is transport in Athens compared to Gulu?
A monthly transit pass in Gulu runs roughly 7% less than in Athens. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How much does it cost to live in Athens compared to Gulu?
All in, you’ll spend $1,779 per month in Athens versus $110 in Gulu – Gulu is about 94% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Athens or in Gulu?
At $110 in Gulu versus $1,779 in Athens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gulu but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Gulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Athens or Gulu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Athens vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?