Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Sligo

For one person, living costs are similar in Athens and in Sligo: $1,771 and $1,784 a month, rent and utilities included.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Sligo
🇮🇪 Ireland
$1,784
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Sligo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Athens versus $1,784 in Sligo.

  • Athens $1,771
  • Sligo $1,784

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,736 in Athens versus $2,736 in Sligo.

  • Athens $2,736
  • Sligo $2,736

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,701 in Athens versus $3,688 in Sligo.

  • Athens $3,701
  • Sligo $3,688

Living in Athens costs roughly 1% less than in Sligo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Sligo 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Sligo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €14.97
$17.00 €15.12
-1.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$77.8 €69.2
-12.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 €10.17
$8.98 €7.99
27.28%
Cappuccino
$4.06 €3.61
$3.67 €3.26
10.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$2.57 €2.29
6.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$1.88 €1.67
-71.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$6.42 €5.71
-11.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.68 €5.06
$6.07 €5.40
-6.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Sligo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.47 €1.31
25.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.44 €1.28
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 €2.51
$1.57 €1.40
79.62%
Eggs
$4.86 €4.32
$3.53 €3.14
37.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.27 €13.58
$8.54 €7.59
78.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 €9.21
$9.05 €8.05
14.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 €16.99
$11.18 €9.94
70.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.08 €1.85
6.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.75 €1.56
9.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$2.84 €2.52
-50.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$2.75 €2.45
-25.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.71 €1.52
-38.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.18 €1.05
-0.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.26 €1.12
-14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$1.64 €1.46
-48.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.49 €4.89
$17.28 €15.37
-68.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 €9.05
$11.43 €10.17
-11.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$2.64 €2.34
-19.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.03
$3.84 €3.42
-40.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Sligo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.20 €1.96
-37.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.71 €26.43
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.39 €3.90
$5.72 €5.09
-23.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$1.44 €1.28
-30.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 €14.79
$67.4 €60.0
-75.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.38 €2.11
$2.00 €1.78
19.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$39.7K €35.3K
-28.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K €24.2K
$37.1K €33.0K
-26.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Sligo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$166 €147
22.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.79 €23.83
$22.20 €19.75
20.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.82
$46.25 €41.14
-34.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Sligo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.7 €47.74
$65.6 €58.3
-18.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.40 €23.48
$11.19 €9.95
135.92%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$10.99 €9.78
-3.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Sligo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €504
$807 €718
-29.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K €11.4K
$2,248 €2,000
472.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Sligo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 €79.3
$88.7 €78.9
0.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 €36.01
$28.13 €25.02
43.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.3
$73.8 €65.6
40.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$90.3 €80.3
37.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Sligo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 €648
$1,378 €1,226
-47.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 €576
$770 €685
-15.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 €1,181
$2,286 €2,034
-41.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$1,360 €1,210
-14.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,024 €3,579
$2,114 €1,880
90.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,483 €3,098
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Sligo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,240 €1,103
$4,161 €3,701
-70.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.6
24.44%

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

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Last update for Sligo: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$647
Sligo
$770 18.9% $122
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$312
Sligo
$276 11.7% $37
Eating Out
Athens
$271
Sligo
$269 0.6% $1.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Sligo
$234 10.1% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$161
Sligo
$126 21.5% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Sligo
$88 17% $13
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Sligo
$22 * 51.3% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Athens and $1,378 in Sligo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sligo pays 235% 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 $78.0 in Sligo. Groceries flip the comparison at $312 vs $276, with Sligo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇮🇪 Sligo
🕒 Local time
12:37 12:37 PM
10:37 10:37 AM
2 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
20,608
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Sligo 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Sligo

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 Sligo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Sligo?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Sligo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Sligo?
On paper, salaries run 235% lower in Sligo. 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 Sligo?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Athens versus $1,378 in Sligo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Sligo?
Childcare runs $566 in Athens versus $807 in Sligo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Sligo?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $78.0 in Sligo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Sligo?
At $1,771 in Athens versus $1,784 in Sligo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Sligo. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Sligo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,771 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Sligo?
Safety-wise, Athens and Sligo 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 Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Sligo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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