For one person, living is cheaper in Neum: $955 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Neum actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $955 in Neum.
Athens $1,775
Neum $955
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,410 in Neum.
Athens $2,721
Neum $1,410
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $1,866 in Neum.
Athens $3,666
Neum $1,866
🌍
Living in Athens is roughly 86% more expensive than in Neum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Neum is 29% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Neum
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69€14.91
$5.29BAM 9.24
215.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8€60.6
$30.98BAM 54.1
118.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.14€9.95
$5.67BAM 9.91
96.47%
Cappuccino
$4.03€3.60
$1.90BAM 3.32
112.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77€2.47
$1.90BAM 3.33
45.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$1.18BAM 2.07
-53.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.74€5.13
$2.52BAM 4.41
127.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45€4.87
$2.19BAM 3.83
148.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Neum
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82€1.63
$1.12BAM 1.96
62.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.38€1.23
$0.95BAM 1.65
45.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.80€2.50
$2.07BAM 3.62
35.27%
Eggs
$4.83€4.32
$2.57BAM 4.48
87.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.05€13.45
$7.88BAM 13.77
90.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.63€9.50
$7.37BAM 12.87
44.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.43€16.46
$10.39BAM 18.15
77.38%
Apples(1kg)
$2.20€1.97
$1.12BAM 1.96
96.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.90€1.69
$1.62BAM 2.83
17.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37€1.22
$1.36BAM 2.37
0.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.10€1.88
$1.20BAM 2.09
75.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08€0.97
$0.98BAM 1.72
10.20%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12€1.01
$0.99BAM 1.72
13.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12€1.00
$0.76BAM 1.32
47.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88€0.79
$0.71BAM 1.24
23.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48€4.90
$3.93BAM 6.86
39.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.13€9.05
$3.99BAM 6.96
153.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13€1.90
$0.78BAM 1.36
173.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25€2.01
$0.89BAM 1.55
152.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Neum
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36€1.22
$1.27BAM 2.21
7.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.89€26.71
$57.4BAM 100
-47.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.45€3.98
$1.74BAM 3.05
155.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02€0.91
$0.60BAM 1.04
70.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.92€15.12
$5.79BAM 10.11
192.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.25€2.01
$1.55BAM 2.70
45.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K€25.0K
$29.9KBAM 52.2K
-6.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K€25.2K
$21.3KBAM 37.3K
32.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Neum
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$205€183
$135BAM 237
51.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65€23.82
$17.64BAM 30.82
51.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38€27.15
$25.86BAM 45.18
17.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Neum
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.5€48.69
$32.47BAM 56.7
67.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88€23.12
$11.52BAM 20.13
124.65%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42€9.31
$5.74BAM 10.02
81.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Neum
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$569€509
$198BAM 346
187.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.6K€11.2K
$2,317BAM 4,048
443.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Neum
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7€79.2
$59.4BAM 104
49.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46€36.16
$33.42BAM 58.4
21.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105€93.8
$85.8BAM 150
22.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121€108
$83.3BAM 146
45.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Neum
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$741€662
$345BAM 603
114.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$655€585
$248BAM 433
164.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,300€1,161
$506BAM 884
156.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,148€1,026
$355BAM 620
223.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,014€3,587
$2,410BAM 4,210
66.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,460€3,092
$1,786BAM 3,120
93.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Neum
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,242€1,110
$847BAM 1,480
46.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.48
2.9
54.48%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026
Last update for Neum: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655 36.9%
Neum
$248 25.9% ↓ 62.2%$407
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310 17.5%
Neum
$188 19.7% ↓ 39.5%$123
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$268 15.1%
Neum
$112 11.7% ↓ 58.4%$157
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262 14.7%
Neum
$179 18.7% ↓ 31.6%$83
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160 9%
Neum
$118 12.4% ↓ 26.3%$42
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75 4.2%
Neum
$44 4.6% ↓ 41.7%$31
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$45 2.5%
Neum
$67 7% ↑ 49.7%$22
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$1.1K 31.3%
Neum
$355 19% ↓ 69.1%$793
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$726 19.8%
Neum
$444 23.8% ↓ 38.9%$282
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$879 24%
Neum
$372 19.9% ↓ 57.7%$508
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$288 7.9%
Neum
$197 10.5% ↓ 31.8%$92
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$355 9.7%
Neum
$262 14% ↓ 26.3%$93
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$177 4.8%
Neum
$99 5.3% ↓ 43.7%$77
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$92 2.5%
Neum
$137 7.3% ↑ 48.1%$44
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $345 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays 47% 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 $31.00 in Neum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $188 per month, with Neum cheaper across the board.
Euro exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR(1 EUR = 1.12 USD).
Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BAM(1 BAM = 0.572 USD).1 EUR = 1.96 BAM(1 BAM = 0.511 EUR).
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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Neum?
Neum wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Neum the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Neum?
Average pay runs 47% 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 Neum?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $345 in Neum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Neum?
Dining out is cheaper in Neum – a meal for two runs $31.00 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 Neum?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $955 in Neum – a 86% 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 Neum?
At $955 in Neum versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Neum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Neum?
Both work as nomad bases, but Neum delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $955 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Neum hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Neum?
Safety-wise, Athens and Neum 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 Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.