Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Setif

For one person, living is cheaper in Setif: $407 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Setif
🇩🇿 Algeria
$407
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Setif

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $407 in Setif.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Setif $407

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $677 in Setif.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Setif $677

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $946 in Setif.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Setif $946

Living in Athens is roughly 336% more expensive than in Setif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Setif is 70% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Setif
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.91
$3.14 DZD 420
431.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.6
$15.71 DZD 2,103
331.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.95
$3.49 DZD 467
219.20%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.60
$0.58 DZD 77.6
594.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.47
$0.60 DZD 79.8
361.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.22 DZD 28.92
150.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.13
$1.44 DZD 192
298.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.87
$2.11 DZD 282
158.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Setif
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.63
$0.67 DZD 89.6
171.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.12 DZD 16.26
1050.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.50
$1.05 DZD 141
166.67%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.32
$0.83 DZD 111
481.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.45
$6.45 DZD 863
133.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.50
$3.92 DZD 525
171.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.46
$14.18 DZD 1,898
29.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.09 DZD 279
5.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.82 DZD 377
-32.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.06 DZD 142
29.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.88
$0.80 DZD 107
162.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.97
$0.52 DZD 69.5
107.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.01
$0.46 DZD 61.5
143.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.41 DZD 54.3
173.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.17 DZD 22.27
417.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.90
$2.72 DZD 365
101.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.05
$5.20 DZD 695
94.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.23 DZD 165
73.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.01
$1.86 DZD 249
20.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Setif
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.22
$0.12 DZD 15.68
1033.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.71
$5.60 DZD 750
433.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.98
$0.57 DZD 76.9
680.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.91
$0.40 DZD 53.0
155.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.12
$4.87 DZD 652
247.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.01
$0.33 DZD 43.65
581.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$27.4K DZD 3.7M
2.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.2K
$20.4K DZD 2.7M
38.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Setif
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €183
$34.14 DZD 4,570
499.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.82
$9.43 DZD 1,262
182.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.15
$12.21 DZD 1,634
148.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Setif
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.69
$17.30 DZD 2,316
214.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.12
$5.49 DZD 735
371.40%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.31
$4.40 DZD 589
136.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Setif
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €509
$553 DZD 74.1K
2.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$6,406 DZD 857.5K
96.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Setif
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €79.2
$16.53 DZD 2,213
436.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €36.16
$15.00 DZD 2,008
169.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.8
$33.96 DZD 4,545
208.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$56.2 DZD 7,522
115.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Setif
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €662
$66.0 DZD 8,839
1021.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €585
$46.16 DZD 6,179
1318.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,161
$130 DZD 17.3K
903.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,026
$114 DZD 15.3K
906.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,587
$340 DZD 45.4K
1082.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,092
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Setif
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,110
$295 DZD 39.5K
321.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
5.3
-15.47%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Setif: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Setif
$46 92.9% $608
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Setif
$159 48.8% $152
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Setif
$57 78.7% $211
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Setif
$56 78.7% $206
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Setif
$55 65.8% $105
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Setif
$26 65.3% $49
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Setif
$8.6 80.8% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $66.0 in Setif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 321% 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: $68.0 in Athens vs $16.00 in Setif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $159 per month, with Setif cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇩🇿 Setif
🕒 Local time
18:58 6:58 PM
16:58 4:58 PM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
288,461
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 149 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Setif 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Setif

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 Setif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Setif?
Setif wins on cost – living expenses run 336% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Setif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Setif?
Average pay runs 321% 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 Setif?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $66.0 in Setif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Setif?
Dining out is cheaper in Setif – a meal for two runs $16.00 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 Setif?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $407 in Setif – a 336% 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 Setif?
At $407 in Setif versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Setif but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Setif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Setif?
Both work as nomad bases, but Setif delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $407 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Setif hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Setif?
Safety-wise, Athens and Setif 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 Setif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 336% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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