Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Lund

For one person, living costs are similar in Athens and in Lund: $1,806 and $1,777 a month, rent and utilities included.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Lund
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,777
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Lund

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $1,777 in Lund.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Lund $1,777

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $2,922 in Lund.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Lund $2,922

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $4,067 in Lund.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Lund $4,067

Living in Athens is roughly 2% more expensive than in Lund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 35% above, Lund 33% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Lund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$12.72 SEK 127
30.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$91.0 SEK 909
-27.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$11.72 SEK 117
-5.63%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$4.60 SEK 46.01
-10.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$2.79 SEK 27.88
0.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$2.07 SEK 20.65
-72.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$8.18 SEK 81.7
-31.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$6.79 SEK 67.9
-19.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Lund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.63 SEK 16.28
20.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$2.55 SEK 25.47
-44.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$3.38 SEK 33.74
-16.27%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$4.57 SEK 45.63
10.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$12.53 SEK 125
22.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$11.84 SEK 118
-12.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$15.33 SEK 153
23.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$3.06 SEK 30.63
-29.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$2.58 SEK 25.82
-25.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$2.83 SEK 28.26
-51.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$4.68 SEK 46.78
-52.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$1.70 SEK 16.98
-35.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$1.43 SEK 14.25
-20.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$2.55 SEK 25.50
-56.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$1.52 SEK 15.20
-45.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$8.10 SEK 81.0
-30.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$11.15 SEK 111
-8.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.85 SEK 18.50
17.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$2.73 SEK 27.27
-10.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Lund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.28 SEK 32.79
-57.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$63.3 SEK 632
-51.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$5.08 SEK 50.7
-13.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$1.10 SEK 11.02
-5.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$41.40 SEK 414
-58.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.80 SEK 17.97
28.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$33.1K SEK 331.0K
-15.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$32.8K SEK 328.1K
-14.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Lund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$76.4 SEK 764
174.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$28.05 SEK 280
-4.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$41.33 SEK 413
-27.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Lund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$38.07 SEK 381
43.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$27.39 SEK 274
-4.97%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$15.11 SEK 151
-28.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Lund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$157 SEK 1,571
265.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Lund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$78.5 SEK 785
18.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$56.6 SEK 566
-28.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$97.7 SEK 976
6.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$121 SEK 1,213
5.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Lund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$826 SEK 8,255
-8.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$672 SEK 6,716
-2.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$1,697 SEK 17.0K
-23.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$1,365 SEK 13.6K
-14.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$6,116 SEK 61.1K
-34.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$3,597 SEK 35.9K
-4.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Lund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$2,871 SEK 28.7K
-56.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.03
47.85%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Lund: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Lund
$672 3% $20
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Lund
$355 12.9% $41
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Lund
$266 1% $2.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Lund
$146 45.3% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Lund
$159 3.3% $5.4
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Lund
$68 10.3% $7.9
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Lund
$87 89.3% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $826 in Lund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 131% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Athens vs $91.0 in Lund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $355 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇸🇪 Lund
🕒 Local time
14:59 2:59 PM
13:59 1:59 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
82,800
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.2 SEK (100 SEK = 8.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Lund 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Lund

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 Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Lund?
Lund wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lund the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Lund?
On paper, salaries run 131% lower in Lund. 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 Lund?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $826 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Lund?
Dining out is cheaper in Lund – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $66.0 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 Lund?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $1,777 in Lund – a 2% 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 Lund?
At $1,777 in Lund versus $1,806 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lund but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Lund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Lund?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lund delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,777 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lund hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Lund?
Safety-wise, Athens and Lund 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 Lund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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