Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Orestiada

For one person, living is cheaper in Orestiada: $1,501 a month against $1,771 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Orestiada
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,501
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Orestiada

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Athens versus $1,501 in Orestiada.

  • Athens $1,771
  • Orestiada $1,501

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,736 in Athens versus $2,285 in Orestiada.

  • Athens $2,736
  • Orestiada $2,285

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,701 in Athens versus $3,069 in Orestiada.

  • Athens $3,701
  • Orestiada $3,069

Living in Athens is roughly 18% more expensive than in Orestiada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Orestiada 11% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.97
$16.70 €14.86
0.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$59.5 €52.9
14.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 €10.17
$9.98 €8.87
14.53%
Cappuccino
$4.06 €3.61
$2.89 €2.57
40.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$1.66 €1.47
65.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$0.72 €0.64
-26.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$4.77 €4.24
19.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.06
$5.39 €4.79
5.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.82 €1.61
1.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.25 €1.11
15.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$1.40 €1.25
101.43%
Eggs
$4.86 €4.32
$3.83 €3.40
26.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.27 €13.58
$6.52 €5.80
134.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 €9.21
$9.41 €8.37
10.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 €16.99
$9.63 €8.57
98.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.69 €1.50
31.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$2.04 €1.82
-5.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$1.10 €0.98
28.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$2.81 €2.50
-27.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.62 €1.44
-35.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.93 €0.83
25.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.22 €1.09
-11.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$0.80 €0.71
5.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 €4.89
$4.51 €4.02
21.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 €9.05
$6.58 €5.85
54.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$2.08 €1.85
2.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.61 €2.32
-12.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.38 €1.22
-0.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 €26.43
$44.81 €39.86
-33.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.39 €3.90
$4.22 €3.75
4.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$1.15 €1.02
-13.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 €14.79
$16.29 €14.49
2.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$2.04 €1.82
16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$27.6K €24.6K
2.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$25.8K €22.9K
5.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$402 €357
-49.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.79 €23.83
$23.05 €20.51
16.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.82
$33.39 €29.70
-9.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 €47.74
$56.0 €49.82
-4.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.40 €23.48
$25.43 €22.62
3.81%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$8.00 €7.12
32.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €504
$429 €381
32.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.4K
$7,851 €6,984
63.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 €79.3
$41.28 €36.72
115.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 €36.01
$39.46 €35.10
2.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.3
$81.6 €72.6
27.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$174 €155
-28.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 €648
$491 €437
48.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 €576
$281 €250
130.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,181
$507 €451
161.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$617 €549
89.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,024 €3,579
$2,601 €2,313
54.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,483 €3,098
$2,185 €1,944
59.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Orestiada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,240 €1,103
$1,273 €1,133
-2.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.46
0.45%

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

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Last update for Orestiada: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$647
Orestiada
$281 56.6% $367
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Orestiada
$236 24.4% $76
Eating Out
Athens
$271
Orestiada
$242 10.4% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Orestiada
$458 75.9% $198
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Orestiada
$151 6% $9.7
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Orestiada
$72 3.8% $2.8
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Orestiada
$60 35.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Athens and $491 in Orestiada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Orestiada pays 3% 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 $60.0 in Orestiada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $236 per month, with Orestiada cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇬🇷 Orestiada
🕒 Local time
09:17 9:17 AM
09:17 9:17 AM
Same time as Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
15,246
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Orestiada 460 km
From you
  • Athens
  • Orestiada

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 Orestiada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Orestiada?
Orestiada wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Orestiada the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Orestiada?
On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Orestiada. 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 Orestiada?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Athens versus $491 in Orestiada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Orestiada?
Dining out is cheaper in Orestiada – a meal for two runs $60.0 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 Orestiada?
All in, you'll spend $1,771 per month in Athens versus $1,501 in Orestiada – a 18% 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 Orestiada?
At $1,501 in Orestiada versus $1,771 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Orestiada but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Orestiada the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Orestiada?
Both work as nomad bases, but Orestiada delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,501 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Orestiada hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Orestiada?
Safety-wise, Athens and Orestiada 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 Orestiada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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