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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.
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
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Setif
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69€14.91
$3.14DZD 420
431.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8€60.6
$15.71DZD 2,103
331.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.14€9.95
$3.49DZD 467
219.20%
Cappuccino
$4.03€3.60
$0.58DZD 77.6
594.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77€2.47
$0.60DZD 79.8
361.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55€0.49
$0.22DZD 28.92
150.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.74€5.13
$1.44DZD 192
298.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45€4.87
$2.11DZD 282
158.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Setif
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82€1.63
$0.67DZD 89.6
171.64%
White Bread(500g)
$1.38€1.23
$0.12DZD 16.26
1050.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.80€2.50
$1.05DZD 141
166.67%
Eggs
$4.83€4.32
$0.83DZD 111
481.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.05€13.45
$6.45DZD 863
133.33%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.63€9.50
$3.92DZD 525
171.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.43€16.46
$14.18DZD 1,898
29.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.20€1.97
$2.09DZD 279
5.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.90€1.69
$2.82DZD 377
-32.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37€1.22
$1.06DZD 142
29.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.10€1.88
$0.80DZD 107
162.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08€0.97
$0.52DZD 69.5
107.69%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12€1.01
$0.46DZD 61.5
143.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12€1.00
$0.41DZD 54.3
173.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88€0.79
$0.17DZD 22.27
417.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48€4.90
$2.72DZD 365
101.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.13€9.05
$5.20DZD 695
94.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13€1.90
$1.23DZD 165
73.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25€2.01
$1.86DZD 249
20.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Setif
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36€1.22
$0.12DZD 15.68
1033.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.89€26.71
$5.60DZD 750
433.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.45€3.98
$0.57DZD 76.9
680.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02€0.91
$0.40DZD 53.0
155.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.92€15.12
$4.87DZD 652
247.43%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.25€2.01
$0.33DZD 43.65
581.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K€25.0K
$27.4KDZD 3.7M
2.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K€25.2K
$20.4KDZD 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
$34.14DZD 4,570
499.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65€23.82
$9.43DZD 1,262
182.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38€27.15
$12.21DZD 1,634
148.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Setif
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.5€48.69
$17.30DZD 2,316
214.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88€23.12
$5.49DZD 735
371.40%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42€9.31
$4.40DZD 589
136.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Setif
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$569€509
$553DZD 74.1K
2.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.6K€11.2K
$6,406DZD 857.5K
96.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Setif
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7€79.2
$16.53DZD 2,213
436.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46€36.16
$15.00DZD 2,008
169.73%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105€93.8
$33.96DZD 4,545
208.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121€108
$56.2DZD 7,522
115.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Setif
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$741€662
$66.0DZD 8,839
1021.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$655€585
$46.16DZD 6,179
1318.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,300€1,161
$130DZD 17.3K
903.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,148€1,026
$114DZD 15.3K
906.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,014€3,587
$340DZD 45.4K
1082.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,460€3,092
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💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Setif
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,242€1,110
$295DZD 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.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655 36.9%
Setif
$46 11.3% ↓ 92.9%$608
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310 17.5%
Setif
$159 39% ↓ 48.8%$152
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$268 15.1%
Setif
$57 14% ↓ 78.7%$211
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262 14.7%
Setif
$56 13.7% ↓ 78.7%$206
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160 9%
Setif
$55 13.4% ↓ 65.8%$105
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75 4.2%
Setif
$26 6.4% ↓ 65.3%$49
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$45 2.5%
Setif
$8.6 2.1% ↓ 80.8%$36
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$1.1K 31.3%
Setif
$114 12.1% ↓ 90.1%$1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$726 19.8%
Setif
$378 40% ↓ 47.9%$348
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$879 24%
Setif
$191 20.2% ↓ 78.3%$688
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$288 7.9%
Setif
$65 6.9% ↓ 77.4%$223
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$355 9.7%
Setif
$122 12.9% ↓ 65.8%$234
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$177 4.8%
Setif
$58 6.1% ↓ 67.3%$119
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$92 2.5%
Setif
$17 1.9% ↓ 81.1%$75
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.
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.