Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Oskemen

For one person, living is cheaper in Oskemen: $900 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens, Greece
Oskemen, Kazakhstan
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Oskemen
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$900
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Oskemen

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Athens versus $900 in Oskemen.

  • Athens $1,779
  • Oskemen $900

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,514 in Oskemen.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Oskemen $1,514

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Athens versus $2,128 in Oskemen.

  • Athens $3,663
  • Oskemen $2,128

Living in Athens is roughly 98% more expensive than in Oskemen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 32% above, Oskemen is 33% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.99
$13.09 ₸5,900
28.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.0 €58.8
$26.48 ₸11.9K
149.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.21 €9.98
$4.08 ₸1,837
174.75%
Cappuccino
$4.08 €3.64
$3.34 ₸1,506
22.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.47
$0.98 ₸442
182.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.48
$0.56 ₸251
-3.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.70 €5.07
$1.51 ₸683
277.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26 €5.58
$1.62 ₸731
286.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.64
$1.45 ₸653
26.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.49 ₸223
191.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$1.36 ₸615
96.32%
Eggs
$4.95 €4.41
$1.79 ₸808
176.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.09 €13.44
$10.37 ₸4,676
45.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.99 €9.79
$5.95 ₸2,684
84.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.77 €17.60
$8.07 ₸3,640
144.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.17 ₸528
81.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$2.00 ₸900
-1.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.33 €1.18
$2.68 ₸1,207
-50.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$2.48 ₸1,119
-12.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 €0.94
$0.91 ₸410
16.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 €1.02
$0.53 ₸238
116.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.32 ₸144
237.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.75
$1.06 ₸478
-19.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46 €4.86
$2.26 ₸1,018
141.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.03 €8.93
$4.93 ₸2,223
103.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 €1.82
$1.46 ₸656
39.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.63 ₸734
46.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.20
$0.30 ₸137
350.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.52 €27.18
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 €3.39
$1.09 ₸491
249.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 €0.92
$0.30 ₸133
243.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.49 €14.68
$2.45 ₸1,106
573.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 €2.09
$0.63 ₸286
271.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K €24.7K
$31.9K ₸14.4M
-13.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.7K
$31.0K ₸14.0M
-14.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 €180
$46.49 ₸21.0K
334.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81 €23.87
$11.55 ₸5,206
132.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.49 €27.14
$22.42 ₸10.1K
35.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 €48.14
$26.09 ₸11.8K
107.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.40 €24.40
$20.08 ₸9,050
36.45%
Cinema Ticket
$10.44 €9.30
$5.00 ₸2,255
108.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €505
$66.8 ₸30.1K
749.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K €13.5K
$2,797 ₸1.3M
442.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7 €80.7
$115 ₸51.8K
-21.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32 €35.01
$81.5 ₸36.7K
-51.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.7
$98.5 ₸44.4K
6.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €115
$122 ₸55.0K
5.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$742 €661
$348 ₸156.7K
113.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$648 €577
$222 ₸100.1K
191.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 €1,132
$653 ₸294.4K
94.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 €999
$566 ₸255.3K
98.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,999 €3,561
$1,132 ₸510.2K
253.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,281 €2,921
$831 ₸374.7K
294.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Oskemen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 €1,109
$779 ₸351.4K
59.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.44
19.5
-77.23%

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

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$648
Oskemen
$222 65.7% $426
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$316
Oskemen
$196 37.9% $120
Eating Out
Athens
$272
Oskemen
$174 35.9% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Oskemen
$80 69% $179
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$164
Oskemen
$188 14.5% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Oskemen
$36 51.8% $39
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Oskemen
$3.8 * 91.6% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Athens and $348 in Oskemen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 60% 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: $66 in Athens vs $26 in Oskemen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $196 per month, with Oskemen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇰🇿 Oskemen
🕒 Local time
04:31 4:31 AM
07:31 7:31 AM
3 h ahead of Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
354,770
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 451 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Oskemen 4,770 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Oskemen

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 Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Oskemen?
Oskemen wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Oskemen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Oskemen?
Average pay runs 60% 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 Oskemen?
Rent for a central apartment: $742 in Athens versus $348 in Oskemen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Oskemen?
Childcare runs $568 in Athens versus $67 in Oskemen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Oskemen?
Dining out is cheaper in Oskemen – a meal for two runs $26 versus $66 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Athens or in Oskemen?
At $900 in Oskemen versus $1,779 in Athens, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Oskemen but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Oskemen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Athens or Oskemen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Athens or to Oskemen?
It comes down to priorities – Oskemen wins on affordability, Athens on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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