Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Kolasin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolasin: $1,180 a month against $1,771 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Kolasin
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,180
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Kolasin

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Athens versus $1,180 in Kolasin.

  • Athens $1,771
  • Kolasin $1,180

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,736 in Athens versus $1,836 in Kolasin.

  • Athens $2,736
  • Kolasin $1,836

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,701 in Athens versus $2,492 in Kolasin.

  • Athens $3,701
  • Kolasin $2,492

Living in Athens is roughly 50% more expensive than in Kolasin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Kolasin is 13% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.97
$5.41 €4.82
211.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$27.68 €24.62
146.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 €10.17
$8.68 €7.73
31.68%
Cappuccino
$4.06 €3.61
$1.41 €1.26
187.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$1.81 €1.61
51.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$1.14 €1.01
-53.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$2.80 €2.50
103.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.06
$2.72 €2.42
108.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.14 €1.02
62.28%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.02 €0.91
41.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$2.85 €2.53
-1.05%
Eggs
$4.86 €4.32
$2.98 €2.65
63.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.27 €13.58
$8.73 €7.77
74.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 €9.21
$7.18 €6.39
44.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 €16.99
$12.93 €11.50
47.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.27 €1.13
74.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.50 €1.33
28.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$1.57 €1.40
-10.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$2.93 €2.60
-30.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.88 €0.79
19.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.24 €1.10
-5.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.52 €1.35
-28.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$0.92 €0.82
-8.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 €4.89
$4.02 €3.57
36.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 €9.05
$4.34 €3.86
134.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.24 €1.11
71.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.79 €1.59
27.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.65 €1.46
-16.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 €26.43
$38.92 €34.62
-23.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.39 €3.90
$1.10 €0.98
299.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$1.10 €0.98
-9.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 €14.79
$16.57 €14.74
0.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$1.78 €1.58
33.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$32.2K €28.6K
-11.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$21.2K €18.8K
28.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$91.0 €80.9
123.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.79 €23.83
$13.21 €11.75
102.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.82
$28.26 €25.14
6.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 €47.74
$45.54 €40.51
17.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.40 €23.48
$14.51 €12.90
81.94%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$7.83 €6.97
35.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €504
$448 €398
26.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.4K
$7,008 €6,234
83.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 €79.3
$84.0 €74.7
6.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 €36.01
$32.99 €29.34
22.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.3
$72.7 €64.7
42.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$96.6 €85.9
28.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 €648
$644 €573
13.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 €576
$465 €414
39.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,181
$1,281 €1,140
3.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$929 €826
25.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,024 €3,579
$3,360 €2,988
19.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,483 €3,098
$2,349 €2,089
48.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Kolasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,240 €1,103
$853 €759
45.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
7
-36.00%

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

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Last update for Kolasin: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$647
Kolasin
$465 28.1% $182
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Kolasin
$223 28.7% $90
Eating Out
Athens
$271
Kolasin
$118 56.6% $153
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Kolasin
$132 49.1% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Kolasin
$129 19.9% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Kolasin
$61 18.2% $14
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Kolasin
$52 17% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Athens and $644 in Kolasin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 45% 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 $28.00 in Kolasin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $223 per month, with Kolasin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇲🇪 Kolasin
🕒 Local time
00:44 12:44 AM
23:44 11:44 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
2,900
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Kolasin 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Kolasin

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 Kolasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Kolasin?
Kolasin wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolasin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Kolasin?
Average pay runs 45% 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 Kolasin?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Athens versus $644 in Kolasin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Kolasin?
Dining out is cheaper in Kolasin – a meal for two runs $28.00 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 Kolasin?
All in, you'll spend $1,771 per month in Athens versus $1,180 in Kolasin – a 50% 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 Kolasin?
At $1,180 in Kolasin versus $1,771 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kolasin but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Kolasin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Kolasin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kolasin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,180 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolasin hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Kolasin?
Safety-wise, Athens and Kolasin 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 Kolasin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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