For one person, living is cheaper in Perm: $937 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Perm actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Athens versus $937 in Perm.
Athens $1,779
Perm $937
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,427 in Perm.
Athens $2,721
Perm $1,427
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Athens versus $1,918 in Perm.
Athens $3,663
Perm $1,918
🌍
Living in Athens is roughly 90% more expensive than in Perm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 32% above, Perm is 31% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Perm
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83€14.99
$8.70₽710
93.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.0€58.8
$26.79₽2,187
146.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.21€9.99
$6.21₽507
80.52%
Cappuccino
$4.08€3.64
$2.31₽189
76.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77€2.47
$0.77₽63.0
259.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54€0.48
$0.45₽36.69
20.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.70€5.08
$1.20₽98.4
375.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26€5.58
$1.57₽128
298.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Perm
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.84€1.64
$1.03₽84.0
78.64%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43€1.27
$0.79₽64.4
81.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.67€2.38
$1.25₽102
113.60%
Eggs
$4.95€4.41
$1.22₽99.2
305.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.09€13.45
$8.13₽664
85.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.99€9.79
$5.28₽431
108.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.77€17.61
$12.42₽1,014
59.18%
Apples(1kg)
$2.12€1.89
$1.97₽161
7.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98€1.76
$1.67₽136
18.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.33€1.19
$1.98₽162
-32.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16€1.92
$2.49₽204
-13.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.06€0.94
$0.68₽55.6
55.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.15€1.02
$0.54₽43.82
112.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08€0.97
$0.89₽73.0
21.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85€0.75
$0.70₽57.0
21.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46€4.86
$2.77₽226
97.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.03€8.93
$9.72₽793
3.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04€1.82
$0.86₽70.5
137.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38€2.12
$1.78₽145
33.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Perm
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.35€1.20
$0.55₽44.66
145.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.52€27.19
$26.65₽2,176
14.52%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.81€3.39
$1.90₽155
100.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03€0.92
$0.47₽38.72
119.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.49€14.68
$4.40₽360
274.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.34€2.09
$0.87₽71.3
168.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K€24.7K
$53.8K₽4.4M
-48.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K€23.7K
$40.9K₽3.3M
-34.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Perm
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$202€180
$132₽10.8K
53.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81€23.88
$5.74₽469
367.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.49€27.16
$8.60₽703
254.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Perm
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.1€48.17
$29.05₽2,372
86.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.40€24.41
$13.72₽1,121
99.71%
Cinema Ticket
$10.44€9.30
$8.57₽700
21.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Perm
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$568€506
$243₽19.8K
133.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2K€13.5K
$4,558₽372.2K
233.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Perm
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7€80.8
$55.1₽4,497
64.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32€35.03
$35.18₽2,873
11.77%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105€93.7
$65.8₽5,369
60.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129€115
$73.7₽6,015
75.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Perm
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$742€661
$486₽39.7K
52.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$648€578
$279₽22.8K
132.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,271€1,132
$631₽51.6K
101.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,122€999
$503₽41.1K
122.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,999€3,562
$2,484₽202.9K
60.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,281€2,923
$1,619₽132.2K
102.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Perm
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,245€1,109
$986₽80.5K
26.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.44
23.33
-80.97%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026
Last update for Perm: November 3, 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
$648 36.4%
Perm
$279 29.8% ↓ 56.9%$369
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$316 17.8%
Perm
$199 21.2% ↓ 37.2%$118
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$272 15.3%
Perm
$130 13.9% ↓ 52.1%$142
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260 14.6%
Perm
$146 15.6% ↓ 43.6%$113
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$164 9.2%
Perm
$103 11% ↓ 36.9%$61
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75 4.2%
Perm
$46 4.9% ↓ 38.4%$29
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$45 2.5%
Perm
$33 3.5% ↓ 26.2%$12
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$1.1K 30.6%
Perm
$503 26.2% ↓ 55.1%$618
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$743 20.3%
Perm
$460 24% ↓ 38.2%$284
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$878 24%
Perm
$400 20.9% ↓ 54.4%$477
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$286 7.8%
Perm
$152 7.9% ↓ 46.9%$134
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$364 9.9%
Perm
$230 12% ↓ 36.9%$135
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$177 4.8%
Perm
$106 5.5% ↓ 40.2%$71
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$92 2.5%
Perm
$67 3.5% ↓ 27.2%$25
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Athens and $486 in Perm. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays 26% 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 $27 in Perm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $199 per month, with Perm cheaper across the board.
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 Perm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Perm?
Perm wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Perm the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Perm?
Average pay runs 26% 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 Perm?
Rent for a central apartment: $742 in Athens versus $486 in Perm. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Perm?
Dining out is cheaper in Perm – a meal for two runs $27 versus $66 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 Perm?
All in, you’ll spend $1,779 per month in Athens versus $937 in Perm – Perm is about 47% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Athens or Perm?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Perm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.