Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Pontevedra

For one person, living is cheaper in Pontevedra: $1,449 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Pontevedra
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,449
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Pontevedra

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,449 in Pontevedra.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Pontevedra $1,449

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,241 in Pontevedra.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Pontevedra $2,241

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,033 in Pontevedra.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Pontevedra $3,033

Living in Athens is roughly 22% more expensive than in Pontevedra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Pontevedra 7% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$14.88 €13.23
12.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$56.9 €50.6
19.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$10.13 €9.01
9.97%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$1.99 €1.77
102.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.62 €2.33
5.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.78 €1.59
-69.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.41 €3.03
68.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.38 €3.01
61.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$0.90 €0.80
102.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.30 €1.16
6.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.70 €1.51
64.71%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.04 €2.70
58.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$12.18 €10.83
23.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$7.94 €7.06
33.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$15.90 €14.14
15.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.17 €1.93
1.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.53 €1.37
24.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.80 €1.61
-23.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.60 €2.31
-19.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.44 €1.28
-25.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.55 €1.38
-27.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.08 €0.96
3.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.66 €0.58
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.70 €5.96
-18.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.65 €5.03
79.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.40 €1.25
52.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.02 €1.80
11.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.62 €1.45
-16.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$27.92 €24.84
7.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$4.81 €4.28
-7.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.15 €1.03
-11.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$22.26 €19.80
-23.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.62 €1.44
38.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$35.7K €31.7K
-21.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$30.1K €26.8K
-6.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$163 €145
25.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$16.02 €14.25
66.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$33.94 €30.19
-10.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$66.4 €59.0
-17.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$23.89 €21.25
8.33%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$9.05 €8.05
15.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$511 €454
11.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$8,221 €7,313
53.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$85.0 €75.6
4.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$41.27 €36.71
-1.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$90.2 €80.2
16.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$122 €109
-0.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$626 €557
18.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$492 €438
32.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,134 €1,009
14.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$875 €779
31.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$2,677 €2,381
49.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,480 €2,206
39.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Pontevedra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,554 €1,382
-20.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.77
18.83%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Pontevedra: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Pontevedra
$492 24.8% $162
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Pontevedra
$247 20.4% $63
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Pontevedra
$215 19.9% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Pontevedra
$213 18.5% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Pontevedra
$152 4.7% $7.4
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Pontevedra
$84 12.1% $9.1
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Pontevedra
$45 0.2% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $626 in Pontevedra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontevedra pays 25% 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 $57.0 in Pontevedra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $247 per month, with Pontevedra cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇪🇸 Pontevedra
🕒 Local time
05:28 5:28 AM
04:28 4:28 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
82,535
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Pontevedra 2,780 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Pontevedra

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 Pontevedra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Pontevedra?
Pontevedra wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pontevedra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Pontevedra?
On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Pontevedra. 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 Pontevedra?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $626 in Pontevedra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Pontevedra?
Dining out is cheaper in Pontevedra – a meal for two runs $57.0 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 Pontevedra?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,449 in Pontevedra – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Athens or in Pontevedra?
At $1,449 in Pontevedra versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pontevedra but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Pontevedra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Pontevedra?
Both work as nomad bases, but Pontevedra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,449 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pontevedra hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Pontevedra?
Safety-wise, Athens and Pontevedra 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 Pontevedra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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