Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Hamm

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamm: $1,481 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Athens outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Hamm
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,481
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Hamm

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,481 in Hamm.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Hamm $1,481

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,219 in Hamm.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Hamm $2,219

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $2,957 in Hamm.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Hamm $2,957

Living in Athens is roughly 20% more expensive than in Hamm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Hamm 10% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Hamm
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$13.40 €11.92
24.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$66.0 €58.7
2.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$18.02 €16.03
-38.18%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$4.49 €4.00
-10.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.83 €2.51
-2.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$2.38 €2.11
-76.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$2.77 €2.46
107.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.84 €3.41
41.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Hamm
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.24 €1.10
46.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$2.10 €1.87
-34.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.92 €3.48
-28.57%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.41 €3.03
41.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$14.30 €12.72
5.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$10.69 €9.50
-0.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$25.33 €22.53
-27.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.43 €3.05
-35.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.24 €1.99
-15.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.38 €2.12
-42.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$4.26 €3.79
-50.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.48 €1.32
-27.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.16 €1.03
-3.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.73 €1.54
-35.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.00 €0.89
-12.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$9.17 €8.16
-40.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$6.82 €6.07
48.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.11 €0.98
91.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.33 €1.18
69.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Hamm
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$3.05 €2.72
-55.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$60.8 €54.1
-50.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$5.11 €4.55
-12.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$2.29 €2.04
-55.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$33.12 €29.46
-48.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.08 €1.85
8.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$32.4K €28.8K
-13.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$38.5K €34.3K
-26.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Hamm
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$468 €416
-56.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$25.27 €22.48
5.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$40.90 €36.38
-25.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Hamm
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$27.40 €24.38
98.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$13.51 €12.02
-22.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Hamm
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$164 €146
246.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$25.3K €22.5K
-50.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Hamm
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$95.2 €84.7
-6.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$49.25 €43.81
-17.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$110 €97.4
-4.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$195 €174
-37.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Hamm
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Hamm
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$2,045 €1,819
-39.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.96
13.13%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Hamm: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Hamm
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Hamm
$344 10.8% $33
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Hamm
$258 3.9% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Hamm
$534 104% $272
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Hamm
$202 26.4% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Hamm
$54 27.7% $21
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Hamm
$90 99.6% $45

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

Cost Breakdown

Hamm pays 65% 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 $66.0 in Hamm. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 vs $344, with Athens cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇩🇪 Hamm
🕒 Local time
14:25 2:25 PM
13:25 1:25 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
180,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Hamm 1,970 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Hamm

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 Hamm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Hamm?
Hamm wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hamm the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Hamm?
On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Hamm. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Hamm?
Dining out is cheaper in Hamm – a meal for two runs $66.0 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 Hamm?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,481 in Hamm – 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 Hamm?
At $1,481 in Hamm versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamm but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Hamm the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Hamm?
Both work as nomad bases, but Hamm delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hamm hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Hamm?
Safety-wise, Athens and Hamm 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 Hamm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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