Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Mataro

For one person, living costs are similar in Athens and in Mataro: $1,775 and $1,845 a month, rent and utilities included.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Mataro
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,845
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Mataro

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,845 in Mataro.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Mataro $1,845

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,691 in Mataro.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Mataro $2,691

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,536 in Mataro.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Mataro $3,536

Living in Athens costs roughly 4% less than in Mataro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Mataro 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Mataro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$16.49 €14.67
1.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$56.6 €50.3
19.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$13.31 €11.84
-16.30%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.11 €1.88
91.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.32 €2.06
19.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.93 €1.72
-71.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.88 €3.45
47.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.29 €2.93
65.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Mataro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.17 €1.04
55.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.99 €1.77
-30.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.50 €1.33
86.67%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.90 €3.47
23.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$16.84 €14.98
-10.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$8.84 €7.86
20.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$19.92 €17.72
-7.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.71 €2.41
-18.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.04 €1.81
-6.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.59 €2.30
-47.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.74 €2.44
-23.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.01 €1.79
-46.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.27 €2.02
-50.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.53 €1.36
-26.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.88 €0.79
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.32 €5.63
-13.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.43 €4.83
86.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.15 €1.02
85.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.29 €2.03
-1.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Mataro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.57 €2.28
-47.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$35.25 €31.35
-15.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$2.31 €2.06
92.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.02 €0.91
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$29.23 €26.00
-42.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.79 €1.59
25.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$34.5K €30.7K
-18.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$28.4K €25.3K
-0.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Mataro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$181 €161
13.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$12.10 €10.77
120.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$28.95 €25.75
4.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Mataro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$60.7 €54.0
-10.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$13.94 €12.40
85.65%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$10.51 €9.35
-0.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Mataro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$498 €443
14.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$7,969 €7,089
57.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Mataro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$87.2 €77.6
1.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$39.03 €34.71
3.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$97.8 €87.0
7.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$112 €99.5
8.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Mataro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$954 €849
-22.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$791 €704
-17.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,350 €1,200
-3.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,179 €1,048
-2.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$3,404 €3,028
17.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,818 €2,507
22.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Mataro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,889 €1,681
-34.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.28
36.59%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mataro: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Mataro
$791 20.9% $137
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Mataro
$306 1.4% $4.4
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Mataro
$240 10.4% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Mataro
$222 15.2% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Mataro
$151 5.5% $8.8
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Mataro
$82 8.5% $6.4
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Mataro
$53 17.9% $8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $954 in Mataro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mataro pays 52% 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 $57.0 in Mataro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $306 per month, with Mataro cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇪🇸 Mataro
🕒 Local time
21:40 9:40 PM
20:40 8:40 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
129,870
💱 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 Mataro 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Mataro

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 Mataro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Mataro?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Mataro. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Mataro?
On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Mataro. 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 Mataro?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $954 in Mataro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Mataro?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $57.0 in Mataro. 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 Mataro?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,845 in Mataro – a 4% 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 Mataro?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $1,845 in Mataro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Mataro. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Mataro?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,775 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Mataro?
Safety-wise, Athens and Mataro 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 Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Mataro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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