Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Livingstone

For one person, living is cheaper in Livingstone: $202 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Livingstone
🇿🇲 Zambia
$202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Livingstone

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $202 in Livingstone.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Livingstone $202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $374 in Livingstone.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Livingstone $374

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $546 in Livingstone.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Livingstone $546

Living in Athens is roughly 795% more expensive than in Livingstone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 35% above, Livingstone is 85% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$7.40 ZMW 147
125.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$30.21 ZMW 599
119.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$9.09 ZMW 180
21.67%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$5.00 ZMW 99.2
-17.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$0.34 ZMW 6.68
67.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
-
-
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$20.26 ZMW 402
-49.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$2.51 ZMW 49.86
-58.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Livingstone
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
0
-

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Livingstone: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Livingstone
–
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Livingstone
–
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Livingstone
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Livingstone
–
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Livingstone
–
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Livingstone
–
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Livingstone
–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $66.0 in Athens vs $30.00 in Livingstone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $41.00 per month, with Livingstone cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇿🇲 Livingstone
🕒 Local time
09:27 9:27 AM
08:27 8:27 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
136,897
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 19.83 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.04 USD). 1 EUR = 22.24 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Livingstone 6,210 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Livingstone

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 Livingstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Livingstone?
Livingstone wins on cost – living expenses run 795% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Livingstone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Livingstone?
You'd need roughly $2,709 in Athens and $303 in Livingstone 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 it cost to live in Athens compared to Livingstone?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $202 in Livingstone – a 795% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Are groceries more expensive in Athens or in Livingstone?
Supermarket bills run roughly 676% higher in Athens. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Livingstone?
At $202 in Livingstone versus $1,806 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Livingstone but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Livingstone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Livingstone?
Both work as nomad bases, but Livingstone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $202 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Livingstone hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Livingstone?
Safety-wise, Athens and Livingstone 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 Livingstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 795% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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