For one person, living is cheaper in Kish: $552 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
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 Kish actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Athens versus $552 in Kish.
Athens $1,779
Kish $552
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $875 in Kish.
Athens $2,721
Kish $875
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Athens versus $1,199 in Kish.
Athens $3,663
Kish $1,199
🌍
Living in Athens is roughly 223% more expensive than in Kish, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 32% above, Kish is 59% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Kish
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83€14.99
$5.48$5.48
207.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.0€58.8
$15.71$15.71
320.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.21€9.99
$4.62$4.62
142.64%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.73$0.73
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.07$1.07
-
Cappuccino
$4.08€3.64
$1.12$1.12
264.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77€2.47
$0.51$0.51
443.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54€0.48
$0.99$0.99
-45.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.70€5.08
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26€5.58
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Kish
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.84€1.64
$0.65$0.65
183.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43€1.27
$0.48$0.48
197.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.67€2.38
$2.06$2.06
29.61%
Eggs
$4.95€4.41
$1.18$1.18
319.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.09€13.45
$4.41$4.41
242.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.99€9.79
$3.29$3.29
234.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.77€17.61
$10.32$10.32
91.57%
Apples(1kg)
$2.12€1.89
$1.02$1.02
107.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98€1.76
$1.56$1.56
26.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.33€1.19
$0.82$0.82
62.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16€1.92
$0.57$0.57
278.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.06€0.94
$0.57$0.57
85.96%
Onion(1kg)
$1.15€1.02
$0.47$0.47
144.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08€0.97
$0.57$0.57
89.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.75
$0.24$0.24
254.17%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$0.77$0.77
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.51$0.51
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.39$1.39
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46€4.86
$2.53$2.53
115.81%
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
Kish
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.35€1.20
$0.14$0.14
864.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.52€27.19
$9.34$9.34
226.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.81€3.39
$0.42$0.42
807.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03€0.92
$0.29$0.29
255.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.49€14.68
$2.65$2.65
522.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.34€2.09
$0.08$0.08
2825.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K€24.7K
$49.7K$49.7K
-44.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K€23.7K
$45.2K$45.2K
-41.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Kish
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$202€180
$12.87$12.87
1471.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81€23.88
$1.58$1.58
1596.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.49€27.16
$3.87$3.87
687.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Kish
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.1€48.17
$18.46$18.46
192.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.40€24.41
$13.21$13.21
107.42%
Cinema Ticket
$10.44€9.30
$2.05$2.05
409.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Kish
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€506
$108$108
426.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2K€13.5K
$2,376$2,376
539.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Kish
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7€80.8
$22.77$22.77
298.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32€35.03
$28.28$28.28
39.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105€93.7
$98.6$98.6
6.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129€115
$73.3$73.3
76.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Kish
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$742€661
$288$288
157.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$648€578
$208$208
211.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,271€1,132
$801$801
58.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,122€999
$360$360
211.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,999€3,562
$1,135$1,135
252.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,281€2,923
$534$534
514.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Kish
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,245€1,109
$412$412
201.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.44
24.3
-81.73%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026
Last update for Kish: November 2, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$648 36.4%
Kish
$208 37.8% ↓ 67.9%$440
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$316 17.8%
Kish
$113 20.5% ↓ 64.2%$203
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$272 15.3%
Kish
$77 14% ↓ 71.6%$194
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260 14.6%
Kish
$18 3.3% ↓ 92.9%$241
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$164 9.2%
Kish
$100 18.2% ↓ 38.8%$64
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75 4.2%
Kish
$23 4.1% ↓ 69.9%$52
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$45 2.5%
Kish
$12 2.1% ↓ 73.8%$33
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$1.1K 30.6%
Kish
$360 30% ↓ 67.9%$761
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$743 20.3%
Kish
$278 23.2% ↓ 62.6%$465
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$878 24%
Kish
$236 19.7% ↓ 73.1%$641
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$286 7.8%
Kish
$20 1.7% ↓ 93%$266
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$364 9.9%
Kish
$223 18.6% ↓ 38.8%$141
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$177 4.8%
Kish
$58 4.9% ↓ 67.1%$119
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$92 2.5%
Kish
$24 2% ↓ 74.2%$69
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Athens and $288 in Kish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays about 3 times 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: $66 in Athens vs $16 in Kish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $113 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.
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 Kish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Kish?
Kish wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kish the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Kish?
Average pay in Athens is about 3 times higher, 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 Kish?
Rent for a central apartment: $742 in Athens versus $288 in Kish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Kish?
Dining out is cheaper in Kish – a meal for two runs $16 versus $66 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 Kish?
All in, you’ll spend $1,779 per month in Athens versus $552 in Kish – Kish is about 69% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Athens or in Kish?
At $552 in Kish versus $1,779 in Athens, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Kish but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Kish the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Athens or Kish?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.