For one person, living is cheaper in Sfax: $620 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 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 Sfax actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $620 in Sfax.
Athens $1,806
Sfax $620
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $975 in Sfax.
Athens $2,731
Sfax $975
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $1,329 in Sfax.
Athens $3,656
Sfax $1,329
🌍
Living in Athens is roughly 191% more expensive than in Sfax, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 35% above, Sfax is 54% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Sfax
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66€14.85
$3.43TND 10.24
385.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2€59.0
$19.82TND 59.1
234.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.06€9.86
$5.03TND 15.02
119.88%
Cappuccino
$4.14€3.69
$0.71TND 2.10
483.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80€2.50
$0.58TND 1.73
382.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57€0.51
$0.27TND 0.81
111.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.64€5.03
$1.56TND 4.66
261.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46€4.86
$2.02TND 6.03
170.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Sfax
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.96€1.74
$0.50TND 1.49
292.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41€1.25
$0.24TND 0.72
487.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.83€2.53
$1.38TND 4.12
105.07%
Eggs
$5.04€4.49
$1.56TND 4.64
223.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.35€13.68
$12.32TND 36.76
24.59%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.34€9.22
$5.76TND 17.18
79.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.97€16.92
$13.97TND 41.70
35.79%
Apples(1kg)
$2.17€1.93
$1.77TND 5.29
22.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.91€1.70
$3.08TND 9.18
-37.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.38€1.23
$1.04TND 3.11
32.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.20€1.96
$0.68TND 2.04
223.53%
Potato(1kg)
$1.10€0.98
$0.81TND 2.42
35.80%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13€1.00
$0.77TND 2.29
46.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.10€0.98
$0.58TND 1.72
89.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83€0.74
$0.35TND 1.03
137.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60€4.99
$3.87TND 11.53
44.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.19€9.08
$6.51TND 19.41
56.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18€1.95
$1.19TND 3.56
83.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45€2.18
$1.04TND 3.10
135.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Sfax
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.38€1.23
$0.18TND 0.55
666.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.87€27.52
$9.98TND 29.77
209.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.37€3.90
$0.33TND 1.00
1224.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04€0.93
$0.34TND 1.03
205.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.11€15.26
$7.56TND 22.56
126.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.31€2.06
$0.83TND 2.47
178.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K€24.9K
$36.5KTND 109.0K
-23.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K€25.0K
$34.9KTND 104.2K
-19.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Sfax
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$210€187
$44.47TND 133
371.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70€23.80
$9.43TND 28.14
183.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13€26.86
$14.85TND 44.31
102.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Sfax
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.6€48.68
$27.37TND 81.7
99.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03€23.21
$7.32TND 21.85
255.60%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78€9.61
$4.46TND 13.30
141.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Sfax
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$575€513
$98.6TND 294
483.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.1K€11.7K
$2,470TND 7,370
431.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Sfax
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2€83.1
$42.94TND 128
116.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68€36.27
$36.43TND 109
11.67%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104€92.8
$114TND 340
-8.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128€114
$66.2TND 198
93.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Sfax
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$756€674
$194TND 579
289.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$652€582
$135TND 404
381.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,294€1,153
$340TND 1,013
281.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,163€1,037
$217TND 649
434.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,008€3,574
$1,020TND 3,043
293.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,452€3,078
$745TND 2,224
363.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Sfax
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,243€1,109
$327TND 976
280.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.48
13.6
-67.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026
Last update for Sfax: October 4, 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
$652 36.5%
Sfax
$135 21.5% ↓ 79.2%$517
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315 17.6%
Sfax
$193 30.7% ↓ 38.6%$121
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$269 15%
Sfax
$66 10.5% ↓ 75.3%$202
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267 14.9%
Sfax
$69 10.9% ↓ 74.2%$198
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165 9.2%
Sfax
$117 18.6% ↓ 29.2%$48
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76 4.3%
Sfax
$36 5.8% ↓ 52.4%$40
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$46 2.6%
Sfax
$13 2% ↓ 72.2%$33
🏠Accommodation & Living
Athens
$1.2K 31.4%
Sfax
$217 16.1% ↓ 81.3%$945
🛒Groceries & Markets
Athens
$737 19.9%
Sfax
$458 34% ↓ 37.9%$280
🍽Eating Out
Athens
$873 23.6%
Sfax
$229 17% ↓ 73.8%$644
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$293 7.9%
Sfax
$78 5.8% ↓ 73.3%$215
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$366 9.9%
Sfax
$259 19.3% ↓ 29.2%$107
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$178 4.8%
Sfax
$80 5.9% ↓ 55.2%$98
🚌Getting Around
Athens
$95 2.6%
Sfax
$26 1.9% ↓ 72.6%$69
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $194 in Sfax. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays 280% 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: $66.0 in Athens vs $20.00 in Sfax for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $193 per month, with Sfax 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 Sfax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Sfax?
Sfax wins on cost – living expenses run 191% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sfax the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Sfax?
Average pay runs 280% 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 Sfax?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $194 in Sfax. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Sfax?
Dining out is cheaper in Sfax – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $66.0 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 Sfax?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $620 in Sfax – a 191% 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 Sfax?
At $620 in Sfax versus $1,806 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sfax but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Sfax the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Sfax?
Both work as nomad bases, but Sfax delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $620 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sfax hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Sfax?
Safety-wise, Athens and Sfax 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 Sfax gentler on the wallet – expenses run 191% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.