Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Stavanger

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,806 a month against $3,140 in Stavanger, rent and utilities included – about $16,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Stavanger
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,140
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Stavanger

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $3,140 in Stavanger.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Stavanger $3,140

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $4,513 in Stavanger.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Stavanger $4,513

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $5,886 in Stavanger.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Stavanger $5,886

Living in Athens costs roughly 42% less than in Stavanger, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 35% above, Stavanger 134% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$24.58 NOK 235
-32.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$97.3 NOK 929
-31.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$15.95 NOK 152
-30.66%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$6.25 NOK 59.7
-33.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$5.41 NOK 51.7
-48.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$4.25 NOK 40.57
-86.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$13.66 NOK 130
-58.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$11.78 NOK 112
-53.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$2.37 NOK 22.61
-17.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$3.47 NOK 33.14
-59.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$3.83 NOK 36.59
-26.11%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$4.70 NOK 44.87
7.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$14.36 NOK 137
6.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$16.81 NOK 161
-38.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$34.43 NOK 329
-44.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$3.42 NOK 32.68
-36.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$2.72 NOK 26.00
-29.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.54 NOK 33.78
-61.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$4.91 NOK 46.90
-55.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$2.55 NOK 24.35
-56.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$3.12 NOK 29.79
-63.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$2.81 NOK 26.81
-60.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$2.34 NOK 22.33
-64.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$17.13 NOK 164
-67.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$18.45 NOK 176
-44.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$3.72 NOK 35.54
-41.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$4.45 NOK 42.52
-44.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$4.76 NOK 45.49
-71.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$87.0 NOK 831
-64.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$6.09 NOK 58.2
-28.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$1.75 NOK 16.69
-40.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$103 NOK 981
-83.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.36 NOK 22.50
-2.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$47.3K NOK 451.6K
-40.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$40.4K NOK 386.0K
-30.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$245 NOK 2,337
-14.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$35.29 NOK 337
-24.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$81.6 NOK 779
-63.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$50.3 NOK 480
8.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$36.81 NOK 352
-29.29%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$22.03 NOK 210
-51.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$322 NOK 3,080
78.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$14.1K NOK 134.4K
-6.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$127 NOK 1,212
-26.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$60.1 NOK 574
-32.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$153 NOK 1,459
-31.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$204 NOK 1,948
-37.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$1,658 NOK 15.8K
-54.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$1,380 NOK 13.2K
-52.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$2,766 NOK 26.4K
-53.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$2,016 NOK 19.3K
-42.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$6,196 NOK 59.2K
-35.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$5,307 NOK 50.7K
-34.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Stavanger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$4,951 NOK 47.3K
-74.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
5.27
-14.99%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Stavanger
$1.4K 112% $727
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Stavanger
$513 62.9% $198
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Stavanger
$450 67.5% $181
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Stavanger
$362 35.6% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Stavanger
$245 48.5% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Stavanger
$94 23.9% $18
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Stavanger
$121 163% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $1,658 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 298% 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 $97.0 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $513 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇳🇴 Stavanger
🕒 Local time
11:06 11:06 AM
10:06 10:06 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
149,330
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.55 NOK (1 NOK = 0.105 USD). 1 EUR = 10.71 NOK (100 NOK = 9.34 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Stavanger 2,670 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Stavanger

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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Stavanger?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger?
On paper, salaries run 298% lower in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $1,658 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Stavanger?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $97.0 in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $3,140 in Stavanger – a 74% 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 Stavanger?
At $1,806 in Athens versus $3,140 in Stavanger, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. 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 Stavanger?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,806 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 Stavanger?
Safety-wise, Athens and Stavanger 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 74% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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