Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Szczecin

For one person, living is cheaper in Szczecin: $1,331 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Szczecin
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,331
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Szczecin

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $1,331 in Szczecin.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Szczecin $1,331

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $1,974 in Szczecin.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Szczecin $1,974

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $2,618 in Szczecin.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Szczecin $2,618

Living in Athens is roughly 36% more expensive than in Szczecin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 35% above, Szczecin is 1% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$8.71 zł 34.04
91.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$45.79 zł 179
44.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$8.32 zł 32.50
32.93%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$2.93 zł 11.44
41.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$1.80 zł 7.05
55.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$1.41 zł 5.52
-59.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$2.98 zł 11.64
89.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$3.09 zł 12.09
76.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$0.92 zł 3.61
113.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.25 zł 4.90
12.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$1.06 zł 4.16
166.98%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$3.24 zł 12.68
55.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$9.39 zł 36.70
63.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$6.25 zł 24.43
65.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$13.00 zł 50.8
45.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$0.96 zł 3.77
126.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.64 zł 6.39
16.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.58 zł 6.19
-12.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.34 zł 9.14
-5.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$0.85 zł 3.32
29.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$1.07 zł 4.20
5.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.12 zł 4.36
-1.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.59 zł 2.33
40.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$5.28 zł 20.64
6.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$6.49 zł 25.38
57.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.07 zł 4.17
103.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$1.46 zł 5.70
67.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.74 zł 2.90
86.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$25.11 zł 98.2
22.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$1.97 zł 7.69
121.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$0.94 zł 3.67
10.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$12.96 zł 50.7
32.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$1.65 zł 6.44
40.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$30.2K zł 118.0K
-7.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$28.4K zł 111.2K
-1.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$243 zł 949
-13.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$12.39 zł 48.42
115.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$18.74 zł 73.3
60.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$30.15 zł 118
81.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$49.87 zł 195
-47.80%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$6.42 zł 25.09
67.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$329 zł 1,287
74.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$7,675 zł 30.0K
70.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$69.8 zł 273
33.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$35.71 zł 140
13.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$80.3 zł 314
29.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$89.6 zł 350
43.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$616 zł 2,407
22.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$485 zł 1,894
34.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$1,153 zł 4,506
12.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$815 zł 3,184
42.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$3,349 zł 13.1K
19.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$2,339 zł 9,142
47.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Szczecin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$1,622 zł 6,339
-23.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
6.82
-34.31%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Szczecin
$485 25.7% $168
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Szczecin
$208 34% $107
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Szczecin
$164 39.1% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Szczecin
$274 2.7% $7.2
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Szczecin
$124 24.8% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Szczecin
$43 43.6% $33
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Szczecin
$35 24.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $616 in Szczecin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szczecin pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Athens vs $46.00 in Szczecin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $208 per month, with Szczecin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇵🇱 Szczecin
🕒 Local time
14:25 2:25 PM
13:25 1:25 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
387,700
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.91 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Szczecin 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Szczecin

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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Szczecin?
Szczecin wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Szczecin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Szczecin?
On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Szczecin. 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 Szczecin?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $616 in Szczecin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Szczecin?
Dining out is cheaper in Szczecin – a meal for two runs $46.00 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 Szczecin?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $1,331 in Szczecin – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Athens or in Szczecin?
At $1,331 in Szczecin versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Szczecin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Szczecin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,331 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Szczecin hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Szczecin?
Safety-wise, Athens and Szczecin 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 Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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