Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Mahdia

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahdia: $557 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Mahdia
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$557
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Mahdia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $557 in Mahdia.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Mahdia $557

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

  • Athens $2,721
  • Mahdia $881

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $1,206 in Mahdia.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Mahdia $1,206

Living in Athens is roughly 219% more expensive than in Mahdia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Mahdia is 59% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$2.48 TND 7.44
572.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$20.01 TND 59.9
238.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$4.84 TND 14.49
130.17%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$0.96 TND 2.89
319.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$0.57 TND 1.72
385.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.19 TND 0.56
189.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$1.03 TND 3.07
457.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$1.51 TND 4.52
260.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$0.43 TND 1.30
323.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.26 TND 0.78
430.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.38 TND 4.13
102.90%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$1.53 TND 4.58
215.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$11.75 TND 35.19
28.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$4.96 TND 14.87
114.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$14.46 TND 43.29
27.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.86 TND 8.56
-23.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.86 TND 8.55
-33.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.44 TND 4.32
-4.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$0.72 TND 2.15
191.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.65 TND 1.94
66.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.34 TND 1.03
229.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.43 TND 1.29
160.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.31 TND 0.94
183.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$3.53 TND 10.56
55.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$3.35 TND 10.04
202.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.63 TND 4.88
30.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.25 TND 3.75
80.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$0.32 TND 0.95
325.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$13.33 TND 39.92
124.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$0.31 TND 0.93
1335.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$0.26 TND 0.77
292.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$0.88 TND 2.64
155.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$40.9K TND 122.5K
-31.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$40.1K TND 120.0K
-29.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$56.3 TND 169
263.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$7.15 TND 21.41
272.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$20.10 TND 60.2
51.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$20.52 TND 61.5
165.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$7.69 TND 23.03
236.54%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$6.80 TND 20.36
53.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$109 TND 326
422.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$985 TND 2,951
1177.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$37.98 TND 114
133.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$32.80 TND 98.2
23.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$76.9 TND 230
36.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$23.51 TND 70.4
415.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$130 TND 390
468.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$100 TND 301
552.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$292 TND 875
344.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$175 TND 523
557.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$675 TND 2,022
494.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$201 TND 602
1622.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Mahdia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$232 TND 695
435.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
10.33
-56.63%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Mahdia
$100 84.7% $554
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Mahdia
$188 39.3% $122
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Mahdia
$57 78.7% $211
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Mahdia
$84 68.1% $178
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Mahdia
$77 51.8% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Mahdia
$34 54.7% $41
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Mahdia
$16 63.9% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $130 in Mahdia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 436% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $20.00 in Mahdia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $188 per month, with Mahdia cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇹🇳 Mahdia
🕒 Local time
21:35 9:35 PM
19:35 7:35 PM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
79,545
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Mahdia 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Mahdia

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 Mahdia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Mahdia?
Mahdia wins on cost – living expenses run 219% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mahdia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Mahdia?
Average pay runs 436% higher in Athens, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Mahdia?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $130 in Mahdia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Mahdia?
Dining out is cheaper in Mahdia – a meal for two runs $20.00 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 Mahdia?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $557 in Mahdia – a 219% 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 Mahdia?
At $557 in Mahdia versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahdia but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Mahdia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Mahdia?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mahdia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $557 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mahdia hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Mahdia?
Safety-wise, Athens and Mahdia 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 Mahdia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 219% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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