Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Krakow

For one person, living costs are similar in Athens and in Krakow: $1,806 and $1,811 a month, rent and utilities included.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Krakow
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,811
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Krakow

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $1,811 in Krakow.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Krakow $1,811

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $2,597 in Krakow.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Krakow $2,597

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $3,383 in Krakow.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Krakow $3,383

Monthly costs are close between Athens and Krakow; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 35% above, Krakow 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Krakow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$11.89 zł 46.46
40.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$50.2 zł 196
31.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$9.96 zł 38.92
11.04%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$4.12 zł 16.09
0.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$2.57 zł 10.05
8.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$2.44 zł 9.52
-76.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$4.57 zł 17.88
23.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$4.56 zł 17.84
19.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Krakow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.06 zł 4.13
84.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.47 zł 5.74
-4.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$1.69 zł 6.62
67.46%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$3.95 zł 15.42
27.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$9.31 zł 36.37
64.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$7.75 zł 30.29
33.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$13.20 zł 51.6
43.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.34 zł 5.23
61.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.69 zł 6.62
13.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.76 zł 6.86
-21.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.06 zł 11.95
-28.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.92 zł 3.61
19.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$0.98 zł 3.83
15.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.23 zł 4.81
-10.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.80 zł 3.13
3.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$6.22 zł 24.33
-9.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$6.30 zł 24.61
61.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.18 zł 4.63
84.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$1.77 zł 6.90
38.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Krakow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.50 zł 5.86
-8.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$33.54 zł 131
-7.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$2.28 zł 8.91
91.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$0.99 zł 3.88
5.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$12.22 zł 47.78
40.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.69 zł 6.62
36.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$30.4K zł 119.0K
-8.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$28.9K zł 112.9K
-3.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Krakow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$333 zł 1,301
-37.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$8.71 zł 34.03
206.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$17.32 zł 67.7
73.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Krakow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$45.70 zł 179
19.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$25.11 zł 98.2
3.66%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$8.69 zł 33.95
24.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Krakow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$463 zł 1,808
24.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$9,594 zł 37.5K
36.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Krakow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$99.1 zł 387
-5.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$40.31 zł 158
0.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$90.3 zł 353
15.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$119 zł 464
8.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Krakow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$946 zł 3,698
-20.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$717 zł 2,804
-9.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$1,440 zł 5,629
-10.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$1,136 zł 4,439
2.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$5,602 zł 21.9K
-28.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$3,540 zł 13.8K
-2.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Krakow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$1,855 zł 7,250
-32.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
6.62
-32.33%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Krakow: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Krakow
$717 10% $65
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Krakow
$235 25.5% $80
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Krakow
$226 15.8% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Krakow
$359 34.7% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Krakow
$157 4.8% $8
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Krakow
$63 17.2% $13
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Krakow
$47 1.8% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $946 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 49% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $66.0 in Athens vs $50.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $235 per month, with Krakow cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇵🇱 Krakow
🕒 Local time
14:18 2:18 PM
13:18 1:18 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
806,201
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.91 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Krakow 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Krakow

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 Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Krakow?
On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Krakow. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Krakow?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $946 in Krakow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Krakow?
Childcare runs $575 in Athens versus $463 in Krakow. 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 Krakow?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $50.0 in Krakow. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Krakow?
At $1,806 in Athens versus $1,811 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Krakow?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,806 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Krakow?
Safety-wise, Athens and Krakow are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Should I move to Athens or to Krakow?
It comes down to priorities – Athens wins on affordability, Krakow on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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