Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Kriens

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $3,185 in Kriens, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Kriens
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Kriens

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $3,185 in Kriens.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Kriens $3,185

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $4,881 in Kriens.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Kriens $4,881

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $6,576 in Kriens.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Kriens $6,576

Living in Athens costs roughly 44% less than in Kriens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Kriens 136% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Kriens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$29.12 CHF 23.98
-42.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$105 CHF 86.3
-35.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$18.26 CHF 15.04
-38.99%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$5.94 CHF 4.89
-32.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$5.05 CHF 4.16
-45.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$4.91 CHF 4.05
-88.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$5.96 CHF 4.91
-3.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.84
$6.77 CHF 5.58
-19.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Kriens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$2.04 CHF 1.68
-10.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.63 CHF 2.99
-61.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.60 CHF 2.14
7.69%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$7.59 CHF 6.25
-36.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$27.12 CHF 22.34
-44.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$31.41 CHF 25.87
-66.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$40.84 CHF 33.64
-54.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.87 CHF 2.37
-23.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.80 CHF 1.48
5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.35 CHF 1.94
-41.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$5.50 CHF 4.53
-61.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.65 CHF 1.36
-34.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.02 CHF 1.66
-44.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.29 CHF 1.88
-51.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.37 CHF 1.13
-35.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$10.92 CHF 9.00
-49.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$10.38 CHF 8.55
-2.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.51 CHF 2.07
-15.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.81 CHF 2.31
-19.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Kriens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$4.63 CHF 3.81
-70.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$99.9 CHF 82.2
-70.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$6.91 CHF 5.69
-35.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$5.88 CHF 4.85
-82.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$36.61 CHF 30.15
-53.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.23 CHF 1.84
0.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$42.8K CHF 35.3K
-34.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$39.6K CHF 32.6K
-28.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Kriens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$119 CHF 98.1
71.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.70
$37.75 CHF 31.09
-29.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$55.4 CHF 45.65
-45.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Kriens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.46
$90.7 CHF 74.7
-39.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$44.27 CHF 36.46
-41.54%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$22.03 CHF 18.15
-52.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Kriens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$3,113 CHF 2,564
-81.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$35.7K CHF 29.4K
-64.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Kriens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$90.8 CHF 74.8
-2.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$68.0 CHF 56.0
-40.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$110 CHF 90.5
-4.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$169 CHF 139
-28.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Kriens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$1,709 CHF 1,408
-56.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$1,450 CHF 1,194
-54.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$2,788 CHF 2,296
-53.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$2,421 CHF 1,994
-52.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$16.0K CHF 13.2K
-74.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$11.9K CHF 9,776
-70.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Kriens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
1.9
135.79%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kriens: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Kriens
$1.4K 122% $795
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Kriens
$594 91.3% $284
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Kriens
$442 65% $174
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Kriens
$212 18.8% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Kriens
$197 23.1% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Kriens
$135 78.9% $59
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Kriens
$155 245% $110

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $1,709 in Kriens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $105 in Kriens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $594 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇨🇭 Kriens
🕒 Local time
18:39 6:39 PM
17:39 5:39 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
25,932
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Kriens 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Kriens

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 Kriens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Kriens?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Kriens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Kriens?
You'd need roughly $2,662 in Athens and $4,777 in Kriens to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Kriens?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $1,709 in Kriens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Kriens?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $105 in Kriens. 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 Kriens?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $3,185 in Kriens – a 79% 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 Kriens?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $3,185 in Kriens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Kriens. 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 Kriens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,775 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 Kriens?
Safety-wise, Athens and Kriens 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 Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Kriens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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