Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and La Spezia

For one person, living costs are similar in Athens and in La Spezia: $1,775 and $1,710 a month, rent and utilities included.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
La Spezia
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,710
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in La Spezia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,710 in La Spezia.

  • Athens $1,775
  • La Spezia $1,710

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,606 in La Spezia.

  • Athens $2,721
  • La Spezia $2,606

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,501 in La Spezia.

  • Athens $3,666
  • La Spezia $3,501

Living in Athens is roughly 4% more expensive than in La Spezia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, La Spezia 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$16.57 €14.74
0.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$78.9 €70.2
-14.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$9.87 €8.78
12.87%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$1.78 €1.59
126.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.62 €2.33
5.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.19 €1.05
-53.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$5.70 €5.07
0.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$4.59 €4.08
18.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.42 €1.26
28.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.84 €1.64
-25.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.14 €1.90
30.84%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.29 €3.82
12.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$20.28 €18.04
-25.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$12.35 €10.99
-13.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$19.25 €17.12
-4.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.77 €3.35
-41.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.16 €1.92
-12.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.84 €2.52
-51.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$4.56 €4.06
-53.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.19 €1.94
-50.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.81 €1.61
-38.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.60 €1.42
-30.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.60 €0.53
46.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.58 €5.85
-16.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$6.77 €6.03
49.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.77 €1.57
20.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.76 €1.56
27.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.72 €1.53
-20.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$37.01 €32.92
-19.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$4.54 €4.04
-1.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.68 €1.49
-39.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$22.67 €20.17
-25.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.95 €1.73
15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$34.5K €30.7K
-18.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$39.0K €34.7K
-27.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$182 €162
12.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$6.34 €5.64
320.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$27.85 €24.77
9.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$37.14 €33.03
46.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$38.05 €33.85
-31.98%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$10.19 €9.06
2.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$491 €436
16.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$11.1K €9,837
13.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$76.9 €68.4
15.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$33.52 €29.82
20.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$110 €97.8
-4.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$99.3 €88.3
22.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$757 €674
-2.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$644 €573
1.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,242 €1,105
4.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$973 €866
17.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$2,814 €2,503
42.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,294 €2,041
50.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
La Spezia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,727 €1,536
-28.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.73
20.11%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for La Spezia: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
La Spezia
$644 1.6% $10
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
La Spezia
$354 14.2% $44
Eating Out
Athens
$268
La Spezia
$236 11.8% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
La Spezia
$217 17.2% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
La Spezia
$144 10.1% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
La Spezia
$58 23.6% $18
Getting Around
Athens
$45
La Spezia
$57 26.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $757 in La Spezia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Spezia pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $79.0 in La Spezia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $354 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇮🇹 La Spezia
🕒 Local time
14:52 2:52 PM
13:52 1:52 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
91,391
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens La Spezia 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • La Spezia

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 La Spezia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or La Spezia?
La Spezia wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making La Spezia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in La Spezia?
On paper, salaries run 39% lower in La Spezia. 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 La Spezia?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $757 in La Spezia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in La Spezia?
Dining out is cheaper in La Spezia – a meal for two runs $79.0 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 La Spezia?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,710 in La Spezia – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Athens or in La Spezia?
At $1,710 in La Spezia versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,500 budget is realistic in La Spezia but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes La Spezia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or La Spezia?
Both work as nomad bases, but La Spezia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,710 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes La Spezia hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to La Spezia?
Safety-wise, Athens and La Spezia 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 La Spezia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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