Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Manzini

For one person, living is cheaper in Manzini: $354 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Manzini
🇸🇿 Eswatini
$354
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Manzini

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $354 in Manzini.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Manzini $354

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $515 in Manzini.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Manzini $515

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $677 in Manzini.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Manzini $677

Living in Athens is roughly 411% more expensive than in Manzini, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 35% above, Manzini is 74% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Manzini
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Manzini
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.29 SZL 21.19
51.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$0.96 SZL 15.84
46.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$1.79 SZL 29.52
58.10%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$1.18 SZL 19.51
327.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$7.49 SZL 124
104.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$2.96 SZL 48.83
249.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$1.85 SZL 30.51
925.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.33 SZL 21.91
63.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$0.59 SZL 9.73
223.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.83 SZL 13.65
66.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$0.51 SZL 8.48
331.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.58 SZL 9.60
89.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$0.47 SZL 7.73
140.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$0.45 SZL 7.36
144.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.70 SZL 11.47
18.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$3.13 SZL 51.7
78.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$3.20 SZL 52.8
218.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$0.63 SZL 10.39
246.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$0.78 SZL 12.80
214.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Manzini
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.60 SZL 9.89
130.00%
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
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.32 SZL 21.79
75.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$17.1K SZL 282.0K
63.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$15.7K SZL 259.3K
78.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Manzini
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$72.4 SZL 1,193
189.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$12.23 SZL 202
118.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$29.97 SZL 494
0.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Manzini
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$3.68 SZL 60.6
192.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Manzini
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
Manzini
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
Manzini
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$170 SZL 2,801
344.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$105 SZL 1,734
519.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$367 SZL 6,054
252.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$274 SZL 4,517
324.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Manzini
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$404 SZL 6,657
207.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
10
-55.20%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Manzini: October 6, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $170 in Manzini. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 208% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇸🇿 Manzini
🕒 Local time
10:03 10:03 AM
09:03 9:03 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
110,508
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

SZL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Eswatini Lilangeni exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 SZL (100 SZL = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.49 SZL (100 SZL = 5.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Manzini 7,210 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Manzini

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 Manzini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Manzini?
Manzini wins on cost – living expenses run 411% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manzini the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Manzini?
Average pay runs 208% 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 Manzini?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $170 in Manzini. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Athens or in Manzini?
Supermarket bills run roughly 168% higher in Athens. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Athens compared to Manzini?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $354 in Manzini – a 411% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Athens or in Manzini?
At $354 in Manzini versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manzini but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Manzini the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Manzini?
Both work as nomad bases, but Manzini delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $354 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manzini hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Manzini?
Safety-wise, Athens and Manzini 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 Manzini gentler on the wallet – expenses run 411% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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