Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Lugo

For one person, living is cheaper in Lugo: $1,535 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Lugo
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,535
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Lugo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,535 in Lugo.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Lugo $1,535

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,263 in Lugo.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Lugo $2,263

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $2,991 in Lugo.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Lugo $2,991

Living in Athens is roughly 16% more expensive than in Lugo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Lugo 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Lugo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$13.65 €12.14
22.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$55.3 €49.16
22.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$10.13 €9.01
9.97%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.10 €1.87
91.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.93 €2.61
-5.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.46 €1.30
-62.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.34 €2.97
71.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$2.29 €2.04
137.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Lugo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.19 €1.06
52.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.12 €1.00
23.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.38 €1.23
102.90%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$2.75 €2.45
75.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$13.62 €12.12
10.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$6.00 €5.34
77.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$16.45 €14.63
12.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.80 €2.49
-21.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.01 €1.79
-5.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.28 €2.03
-39.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$3.58 €3.19
-41.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.15 €1.02
-6.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.18 €1.94
-48.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.42 €1.26
-21.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.78 €0.70
12.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.05 €5.38
-9.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$4.52 €4.02
124.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.51 €1.35
41.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.84 €2.53
-20.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Lugo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$0.69 €0.62
97.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$33.79 €30.06
-11.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$5.38 €4.78
-17.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.33 €1.18
-23.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$18.53 €16.48
-8.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.78 €1.58
26.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$29.8K €26.5K
-5.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$30.7K €27.3K
-7.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Lugo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$145 €129
41.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$19.39 €17.25
37.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$33.29 €29.61
-8.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Lugo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$44.55 €39.63
22.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$14.36 €12.77
80.22%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$9.13 €8.12
14.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Lugo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$347 €308
64.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$8,223 €7,314
53.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Lugo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$107 €95.5
-17.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$72.2 €64.3
-43.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$122 €109
-14.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$142 €126
-14.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Lugo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$916 €815
-19.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$565 €502
15.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,315 €1,170
-1.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$791 €704
45.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$3,282 €2,920
22.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,203 €1,960
57.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Lugo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,727 €1,536
-28.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
2.96
51.35%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Lugo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Lugo
$565 13.7% $90
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Lugo
$258 16.8% $52
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Lugo
$204 24% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Lugo
$197 24.6% $64
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Lugo
$200 24.9% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Lugo
$63 16.6% $13
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Lugo
$49 8.2% $3.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $916 in Lugo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lugo 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 $55.0 in Lugo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $258 per month, with Lugo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇪🇸 Lugo
🕒 Local time
01:42 1:42 AM
00:42 12:42 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
98,214
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Lugo 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Lugo

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 Lugo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Lugo?
Lugo wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lugo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Lugo?
On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Lugo. 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 Lugo?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $916 in Lugo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Lugo?
Dining out is cheaper in Lugo – a meal for two runs $55.0 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 Lugo?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,535 in Lugo – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Athens or in Lugo?
At $1,535 in Lugo versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lugo but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Lugo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Lugo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lugo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,535 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lugo hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Lugo?
Safety-wise, Athens and Lugo 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 Lugo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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