Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Sanliurfa

For one person, living is cheaper in Sanliurfa: $879 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens, Greece
Sanliurfa, Turkey
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Sanliurfa
🇹🇷 Turkey
$879
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Sanliurfa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Athens versus $879 in Sanliurfa.

  • Athens $1,779
  • Sanliurfa $879

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,296 in Sanliurfa.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Sanliurfa $1,296

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Athens versus $1,713 in Sanliurfa.

  • Athens $3,663
  • Sanliurfa $1,713

Living in Athens is roughly 103% more expensive than in Sanliurfa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 32% above, Sanliurfa is 35% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.99
$3.96 ₺199
325.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.0 €58.8
$16.17 ₺811
308.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.21 €9.98
$6.79 ₺341
65.10%
Cappuccino
$4.08 €3.64
$3.32 ₺167
22.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.47
$1.02 ₺51.3
171.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.48
$0.19 ₺9.61
184.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.70 €5.07
$3.35 ₺168
70.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26 €5.58
$3.52 ₺177
77.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.64
$0.90 ₺45.39
104.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.27
$0.68 ₺34.00
110.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$1.64 ₺82.4
62.80%
Eggs
$4.95 €4.41
$1.81 ₺90.9
173.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.09 €13.44
$5.77 ₺289
161.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.99 €9.79
$3.22 ₺161
241.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.77 €17.60
$14.94 ₺749
32.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.57 ₺78.9
35.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.56 ₺78.1
26.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.33 €1.18
$0.79 ₺39.41
68.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$0.79 ₺39.56
173.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 €0.94
$0.57 ₺28.74
85.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 €1.02
$0.47 ₺23.73
144.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.74 ₺37.12
45.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.75
$0.38 ₺19.29
123.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46 €4.86
$1.94 ₺97.5
181.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.03 €8.93
$7.79 ₺391
28.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 €1.82
$2.18 ₺109
-6.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.97 ₺98.7
20.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.20
$0.67 ₺33.40
101.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.52 €27.18
$9.87 ₺495
209.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 €3.39
$1.51 ₺75.7
152.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 €0.92
$0.67 ₺33.58
53.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.49 €14.68
$5.02 ₺252
228.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 €2.09
$1.07 ₺53.9
118.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K €24.7K
$40.1K ₺2.0M
-30.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.7K
$44.2K ₺2.2M
-39.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 €180
$80.4 ₺4,033
151.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81 €23.87
$9.84 ₺493
172.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.49 €27.14
$26.32 ₺1,320
15.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 €48.14
$53.5 ₺2,685
1.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.40 €24.40
$19.60 ₺983
39.80%
Cinema Ticket
$10.44 €9.30
$5.45 ₺273
91.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €505
$198 ₺9,913
187.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K €13.5K
$11.9K ₺597.3K
27.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7 €80.7
$15.11 ₺758
499.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32 €35.01
$39.49 ₺1,981
-0.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.7
$50.5 ₺2,531
108.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €115
$30.49 ₺1,529
322.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$742 €661
$424 ₺21.2K
75.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$648 €577
$326 ₺16.4K
98.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 €1,132
$765 ₺38.3K
66.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 €999
$555 ₺27.8K
102.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,999 €3,561
$1,441 ₺72.3K
177.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,281 €2,921
$979 ₺49.1K
235.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Sanliurfa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 €1,109
$814 ₺40.8K
52.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.44
55
-91.93%

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

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Last update for Sanliurfa: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$648
Sanliurfa
$326 49.7% $322
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$316
Sanliurfa
$173 45.4% $144
Eating Out
Athens
$272
Sanliurfa
$121 55.6% $151
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Sanliurfa
$117 55.1% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$164
Sanliurfa
$61 62.8% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Sanliurfa
$64 14% $11
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Sanliurfa
$17 61.2% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Athens and $424 in Sanliurfa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 53% 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 $16 in Sanliurfa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $173 per month, with Sanliurfa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇹🇷 Sanliurfa
🕒 Local time
09:41 9:41 AM
10:41 10:41 AM
1 h ahead of Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
2,143,020
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Sanliurfa 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Sanliurfa

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 Sanliurfa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Sanliurfa?
Sanliurfa wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Sanliurfa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Sanliurfa?
Average pay runs 53% 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 Sanliurfa?
Rent for a central apartment: $742 in Athens versus $424 in Sanliurfa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Sanliurfa?
Dining out is cheaper in Sanliurfa – a meal for two runs $16 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 Sanliurfa?
All in, you’ll spend $1,779 per month in Athens versus $879 in Sanliurfa – Sanliurfa is about 51% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Athens or in Sanliurfa?
At $879 in Sanliurfa versus $1,779 in Athens, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Sanliurfa but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Sanliurfa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Athens or Sanliurfa?
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 Sanliurfa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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