Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Ioannina Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Ioannina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,695 in Athens versus $1,322 in Ioannina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,646 in Athens versus $1,982 in Ioannina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,597 in Athens versus $2,641 in Ioannina.

Living in Athens is roughly 28% more expensive than Ioannina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 26% above, Ioannina is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.13 €14.76

$17.15 €14.78

-0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.9

$34.05 €29.33

83.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 €8.90

$9.57 €8.25

7.94%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.73

$3.80 €3.28

13.68%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.28 €1.96

10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 €0.54

$0.60 €0.51

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 €5.08

$4.49 €3.87

31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$5.84 €5.03

-2.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.49 €1.28

26.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.19 €1.03

18.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.38 €2.05

18.07%

Eggs

$4.91 €4.23

$3.28 €2.83

49.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 €13.01

$10.60 €9.13

42.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 €9.45

$8.01 €6.90

36.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 €12.80

$10.84 €9.34

37.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.01 €1.73

13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.95 €1.68

5.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.20 €1.03

24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.42 €2.09

-1.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.19 €1.03

15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.07 €0.92

14.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.02 €0.88

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 €0.86

$0.86 €0.74

16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 €4.82

$5.20 €4.48

7.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 €8.82

$6.89 €5.93

48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.80 €2.41

6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.58 €1.36

-13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 €30.24

$35.29 €30.41

-0.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 €3.89

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 €15.04

$7.01 €6.04

148.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.10 €1.81

-2.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.3K €25.2K

$24.9K €21.5K

17.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.5K €26.3K

$26.6K €22.9K

14.74%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$213 €184

$219 €189

-2.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.57 €23.75

$20.73 €17.86

33.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.09 €30.23

$31.09 €26.79

12.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 €48.83

$46.65 €40.19

21.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 €22.58

$46.10 €39.72

-43.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.30 €8.87

$9.53 €8.21

8.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$557 €480

$342 €295

62.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K €9,888

$8,298 €7,150

38.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 €79.0

$69.5 €59.9

31.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.49 €40.05

$37.94 €32.69

22.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

$77.6 €66.9

31.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €104

$116 €100

3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 €558

$408 €352

58.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 €493

$313 €269

82.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 €1,036

$688 €593

74.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 €864

$560 €483

79.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 €3,469

$3,068 €2,644

31.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,372 €2,905

$2,551 €2,198

32.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,316 €1,134

$1,125 €969

16.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.68

6.62%

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

Last update for Athens: June 6, 2026

Last update for Ioannina: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Athens and $408 in Ioannina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 17% 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: $63.0 in Athens vs $34.00 in Ioannina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $242 per month, with Ioannina cheaper across the board.

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 Ioannina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ioannina wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ioannina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Athens pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Athens versus $408 in Ioannina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ioannina – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $63.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,695 per month in Athens versus $1,322 in Ioannina – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,322 in Ioannina versus $1,695 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ioannina but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Ioannina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ioannina delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,322 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ioannina hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Athens and Ioannina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ioannina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.