Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Olten

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,771 a month against $3,049 in Olten, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Olten
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,049
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Olten

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Athens versus $3,049 in Olten.

  • Athens $1,771
  • Olten $3,049

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,736 in Athens versus $4,812 in Olten.

  • Athens $2,736
  • Olten $4,812

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,701 in Athens versus $6,576 in Olten.

  • Athens $3,701
  • Olten $6,576

Living in Athens costs roughly 42% less than in Olten, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Olten 125% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Olten
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.97
$33.18 CHF 27.33
-49.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$122 CHF 100
-44.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 €10.17
$17.69 CHF 14.57
-35.39%
Cappuccino
$4.06 €3.61
$6.29 CHF 5.18
-35.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$5.51 CHF 4.54
-50.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$5.21 CHF 4.29
-89.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$9.22 CHF 7.59
-38.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.06
$7.52 CHF 6.19
-24.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Olten
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.11 CHF 1.73
-12.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$3.87 CHF 3.19
-62.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$3.81 CHF 3.14
-25.98%
Eggs
$4.86 €4.32
$8.37 CHF 6.90
-41.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.27 €13.58
$26.10 CHF 21.50
-41.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 €9.21
$26.77 CHF 22.05
-61.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 €16.99
$46.34 CHF 38.16
-58.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$4.02 CHF 3.31
-44.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$2.69 CHF 2.22
-28.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$2.97 CHF 2.45
-52.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$4.69 CHF 3.86
-56.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 €0.93
$2.49 CHF 2.05
-57.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.14 CHF 1.76
-45.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.55 CHF 2.10
-57.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$1.29 CHF 1.06
-34.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 €4.89
$10.85 CHF 8.93
-49.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 €9.05
$14.12 CHF 11.63
-27.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$2.79 CHF 2.30
-23.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$3.25 CHF 2.68
-29.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Olten
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$5.30 CHF 4.37
-74.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 €26.43
$107 CHF 88.3
-72.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.39 €3.90
$8.39 CHF 6.91
-47.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$4.53 CHF 3.73
-77.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 €14.79
$90.2 CHF 74.3
-81.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$2.16 CHF 1.78
10.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$39.5K CHF 32.6K
-28.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$39.3K CHF 32.4K
-30.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Olten
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$275 CHF 227
-26.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.79 €23.83
$32.97 CHF 27.15
-18.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.82
$47.51 CHF 39.13
-36.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Olten
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 €47.74
$80.2 CHF 66.1
-33.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.40 €23.48
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$21.01 CHF 17.30
-49.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Olten
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €504
$3,608 CHF 2,971
-84.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.4K
$41.7K CHF 34.3K
-69.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Olten
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 €79.3
$143 CHF 118
-37.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 €36.01
$59.3 CHF 48.81
-31.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.3
$167 CHF 137
-37.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$210 CHF 173
-40.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Olten
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 €648
$1,210 CHF 997
-39.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 €576
$1,035 CHF 852
-37.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,181
$1,968 CHF 1,621
-32.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$1,948 CHF 1,605
-40.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,024 €3,579
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,483 €3,098
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Olten
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,240 €1,103
$5,837 CHF 4,808
-78.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
2.07
116.43%

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

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Last update for Olten: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$647
Olten
$1K 59.9% $388
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Olten
$617 97.6% $305
Eating Out
Athens
$271
Olten
$498 84% $227
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Olten
$356 36.7% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Olten
$261 62% $100
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Olten
$122 63.3% $47
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Olten
$160 258% $115

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Athens and $1,210 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olten pays 371% 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 $122 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $617 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇨🇭 Olten
🕒 Local time
18:12 6:12 PM
17:12 5:12 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
17,280
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Olten 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Olten

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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Olten?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Olten. 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 Olten?
On paper, salaries run 371% lower in Olten. 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 Olten?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Athens versus $1,210 in Olten. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Olten?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $122 in Olten. 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 Olten?
All in, you'll spend $1,771 per month in Athens versus $3,049 in Olten – a 72% 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 Olten?
At $1,771 in Athens versus $3,049 in Olten, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Olten. 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 Olten?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,771 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 Olten?
Safety-wise, Athens and Olten 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 72% less than in Olten. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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