Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Setubal

For one person, living is cheaper in Setubal: $1,634 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Athens despite lower rent and utilities.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Setubal
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,634
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Setubal

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,634 in Setubal.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Setubal $1,634

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,343 in Setubal.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Setubal $2,343

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,052 in Setubal.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Setubal $3,052

Living in Athens is roughly 9% more expensive than in Setubal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Setubal 21% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Setubal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$12.33 €10.97
35.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$47.13 €41.92
43.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$9.15 €8.14
21.75%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.01 €1.79
100.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.03 €1.81
36.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.52 €1.35
-63.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$2.19 €1.95
162.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.31 €2.94
64.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Setubal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.06 €0.95
71.70%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.48 €1.32
-6.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.70 €1.51
64.71%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.26 €2.90
48.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$11.73 €10.43
28.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$7.43 €6.61
43.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$14.71 €13.08
25.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.31 €2.05
-4.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.37 €1.22
38.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.76 €1.57
-22.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.79 €2.48
-24.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.64 €1.46
-34.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.02 €1.80
-44.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.48 €1.32
-24.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.72 €0.64
22.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$5.68 €5.05
-3.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$4.35 €3.87
132.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$0.92 €0.82
131.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.17 €1.93
3.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Setubal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$4.33 €3.85
-68.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$45.52 €40.49
-34.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$3.70 €3.29
20.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.36 €1.21
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$14.10 €12.54
20.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.12 €1.89
6.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$33.9K €30.1K
-17.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$37.8K €33.6K
-25.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Setubal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$100 €89.2
103.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$20.39 €18.14
30.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$32.54 €28.95
-6.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Setubal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$30.94 €27.52
76.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$15.90 €14.15
62.77%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$7.95 €7.08
31.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Setubal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$575 €511
-0.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$10.6K €9,430
18.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Setubal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$66.8 €59.4
32.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$37.46 €33.32
8.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$70.3 €62.5
49.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$94.9 €84.5
27.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Setubal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$993 €884
-25.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$814 €724
-19.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,586 €1,411
-18.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,159 €1,031
-0.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$4,100 €3,647
-2.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,343 €2,084
47.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Setubal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$1,246 €1,109
-0.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.85
16.36%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Setubal: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Setubal
$814 24.3% $159
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Setubal
$244 21.5% $67
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Setubal
$182 32.1% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Setubal
$153 41.4% $108
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Setubal
$121 24.2% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Setubal
$47 37.8% $28
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Setubal
$73 63.4% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $993 in Setubal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setubal pays 0% 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 $47.00 in Setubal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $244 per month, with Setubal cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇵🇹 Setubal
🕒 Local time
06:57 6:57 AM
04:57 4:57 AM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
123,519
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Setubal 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Setubal

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 Setubal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Setubal?
Setubal wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Setubal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Setubal?
On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Setubal. 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 Setubal?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $993 in Setubal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Setubal?
Dining out is cheaper in Setubal – a meal for two runs $47.00 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 Setubal?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,634 in Setubal – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Athens or in Setubal?
At $1,634 in Setubal versus $1,775 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Setubal but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Setubal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Setubal?
Both work as nomad bases, but Setubal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Setubal hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Setubal?
Safety-wise, Athens and Setubal 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 Setubal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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