Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Homagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Homagama: $487 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Homagama
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$487
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Homagama

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $487 in Homagama.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Homagama $487

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $744 in Homagama.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Homagama $744

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $1,000 in Homagama.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Homagama $1,000

Living in Athens is roughly 264% more expensive than in Homagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Homagama is 64% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Homagama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$4.36 LKR 1,444
282.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$24.11 LKR 7,985
181.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$7.76 LKR 2,572
43.56%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.42 LKR 801
66.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$0.71 LKR 236
290.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.25 LKR 82.1
120.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$2.27 LKR 752
152.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.09 LKR 1,023
76.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Homagama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$0.88 LKR 291
106.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.56 LKR 187
146.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$0.52 LKR 172
438.46%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$1.60 LKR 530
201.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$13.94 LKR 4,619
7.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$3.33 LKR 1,103
219.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$7.32 LKR 2,425
151.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$6.65 LKR 2,202
-66.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$0.78 LKR 259
143.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$4.44 LKR 1,470
-69.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.22 LKR 406
72.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.02 LKR 339
5.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.74 LKR 246
51.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.93 LKR 307
20.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.44 LKR 145
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$10.15 LKR 3,363
-46.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$12.30 LKR 4,074
-17.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.83 LKR 606
16.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.17 LKR 720
3.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Homagama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$0.47 LKR 154
189.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$0.35 LKR 115
1171.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$0.35 LKR 115
191.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$0.87 LKR 288
1844.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.13 LKR 375
99.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$13.8K LKR 4.6M
102.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$21.2K LKR 7.0M
33.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Homagama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$20.90 LKR 6,922
878.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$3.10 LKR 1,027
759.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$20.63 LKR 6,833
47.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Homagama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$7.48 LKR 2,477
628.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$4.46 LKR 1,478
133.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Homagama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$37.86 LKR 12.5K
1403.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$1,189 LKR 393.8K
958.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Homagama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$17.98 LKR 5,954
393.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$12.20 LKR 4,041
231.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$24.40 LKR 8,082
329.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$27.53 LKR 9,117
340.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Homagama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$136 LKR 45.1K
444.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$60.0 LKR 19.9K
991.84%
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
Homagama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$150 LKR 49.6K
728.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
12.69
-64.70%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Homagama: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Homagama
$60 90.8% $595
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Homagama
$217 30.2% $94
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Homagama
$109 59.5% $160
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Homagama
$45 82.9% $217
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Homagama
$37 76.9% $123
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Homagama
$16 78.2% $59
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Homagama
$4 * 91.2% $41

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 $136 in Homagama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 729% 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 $24.00 in Homagama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $217 per month, with Homagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇱🇰 Homagama
🕒 Local time
10:33 10:33 AM
13:03 1:03 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
25,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Homagama 6,610 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Homagama

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 Homagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Homagama?
Homagama wins on cost – living expenses run 264% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Homagama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Homagama?
Average pay runs 729% higher in Athens, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Homagama?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $136 in Homagama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Homagama?
Childcare runs $569 in Athens versus $37.86 in Homagama. 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 Homagama?
Dining out is cheaper in Homagama – a meal for two runs $24.00 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 Homagama?
At $487 in Homagama versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homagama but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Homagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Homagama?
Both work as nomad bases, but Homagama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $487 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Homagama hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Homagama?
Safety-wise, Athens and Homagama 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 Homagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 264% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Athens vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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