Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Massa

For one person, living is cheaper in Massa: $1,579 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Athens outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Massa
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,579
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Massa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,579 in Massa.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Massa $1,579

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,524 in Massa.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Massa $2,524

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,470 in Massa.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Massa $3,470

Living in Athens is roughly 12% more expensive than in Massa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Massa 17% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Massa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$17.00 €15.12
-1.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$73.4 €65.3
-7.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$13.60 €12.10
-18.09%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.26 €2.01
78.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.31 €2.05
19.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.15 €1.02
-52.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$4.54 €4.04
26.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$6.03 €5.36
-9.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Massa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.40 €1.25
30.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$2.76 €2.46
-50.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.59 €2.30
8.11%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.25 €3.78
13.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$18.31 €16.29
-17.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$13.06 €11.62
-18.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$17.36 €15.44
6.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.26 €2.01
-2.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.71 €1.52
11.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.96 €1.74
-30.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.47 €2.20
-14.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.30 €1.16
-16.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.36 €1.21
-17.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.66 €1.47
-32.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.60 €0.53
46.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.53 €5.81
-16.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$7.93 €7.05
27.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.60 €1.42
33.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.85 €1.64
21.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Massa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.70 €1.51
-20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$41.07 €36.53
-27.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$5.42 €4.82
-17.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.47 €1.31
-30.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$27.70 €24.64
-38.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.97 €1.75
14.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$36.6K €32.6K
-23.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$35.4K €31.5K
-20.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Massa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$237 €211
-13.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$11.74 €10.45
127.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$27.78 €24.71
9.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Massa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$55.1 €48.97
-1.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$23.85 €21.21
8.51%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$9.21 €8.19
13.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Massa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$559 €497
1.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$4,386 €3,902
186.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Massa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$87.8 €78.1
0.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$42.33 €37.65
-4.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$93.5 €83.1
12.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$156 €139
-22.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Massa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$603 €536
22.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$414 €368
58.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,079 €960
20.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$851 €757
34.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$2,915 €2,593
37.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,038 €1,812
69.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Massa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,690 €1,504
-26.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.46
29.48%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Massa: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Massa
$414 36.8% $241
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Massa
$331 6.7% $21
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Massa
$253 5.8% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Massa
$276 5.6% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Massa
$171 6.9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Massa
$73 2.5% $1.9
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Massa
$61 35.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $603 in Massa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Massa pays 36% 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 $73.0 in Massa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $331 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇮🇹 Massa
🕒 Local time
05:40 5:40 AM
04:40 4:40 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
69,479
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Massa 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Massa

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 Massa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Massa?
Massa wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Massa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Massa?
On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Massa. 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 Massa?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $603 in Massa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Massa?
Dining out is cheaper in Massa – a meal for two runs $73.0 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 Massa?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,579 in Massa – a 12% 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 Massa?
At $1,579 in Massa versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Massa but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Massa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Massa?
Both work as nomad bases, but Massa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,579 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Massa hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Massa?
Safety-wise, Athens and Massa 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 Massa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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