Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Tres Cantos

For one person, living is cheaper in Tres Cantos: $1,640 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Tres Cantos
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,640
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Tres Cantos

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,640 in Tres Cantos.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Tres Cantos $1,640

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $2,406 in Tres Cantos.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Tres Cantos $2,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $3,171 in Tres Cantos.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Tres Cantos $3,171

Living in Athens is roughly 8% more expensive than in Tres Cantos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Tres Cantos 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$16.59 €14.76
0.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$56.7 €50.4
19.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$11.00 €9.78
1.27%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$2.34 €2.08
72.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.56 €2.28
8.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.87 €1.66
-70.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$3.39 €3.01
69.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.55 €3.16
53.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.18 €1.05
54.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.48 €1.32
-6.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.62 €1.44
72.84%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.35 €2.98
44.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$13.36 €11.88
12.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$7.96 €7.08
33.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$15.53 €13.81
18.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.56 €2.28
-14.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.01 €1.79
-5.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.91 €1.70
-28.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.58 €2.29
-18.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.79 €1.59
-39.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.99 €1.77
-43.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.33 €1.18
-15.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.68 €0.60
29.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.32 €5.62
-13.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.55 €4.94
82.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.18 €1.05
80.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.23 €1.99
0.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.65 €1.46
-17.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$32.40 €28.82
-7.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$3.99 €3.55
11.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.42 €1.26
-28.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$23.12 €20.56
-26.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.76 €1.56
27.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$35.9K €31.9K
-21.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$28.6K €25.4K
-1.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$143 €127
43.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$18.25 €16.23
46.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$29.50 €26.24
2.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$44.25 €39.36
23.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$15.66 €13.93
65.26%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$8.91 €7.92
16.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$467 €415
21.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$8,395 €7,467
49.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$86.7 €77.1
2.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$35.97 €31.99
12.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$91.3 €81.2
14.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$114 €102
6.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$884 €786
-16.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$692 €616
-5.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,350 €1,201
-3.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,004 €893
14.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$3,352 €2,982
19.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$2,235 €1,988
54.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Tres Cantos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$3,300 €2,935
-62.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.3
35.76%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tres Cantos: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Tres Cantos
$692 5.7% $38
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Tres Cantos
$263 15.4% $48
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Tres Cantos
$236 12.1% $33
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Tres Cantos
$190 27.3% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Tres Cantos
$148 7.6% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Tres Cantos
$62 17.6% $13
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Tres Cantos
$50 11.5% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $884 in Tres Cantos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tres Cantos pays 166% 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 $57.0 in Tres Cantos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $263 per month, with Tres Cantos cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇪🇸 Tres Cantos
🕒 Local time
15:37 3:37 PM
14:37 2:37 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
51,453
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Tres Cantos 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Tres Cantos

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 Tres Cantos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Tres Cantos?
Tres Cantos wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tres Cantos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Tres Cantos?
On paper, salaries run 166% lower in Tres Cantos. 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 Tres Cantos?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $884 in Tres Cantos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Tres Cantos?
Dining out is cheaper in Tres Cantos – a meal for two runs $57.0 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 Tres Cantos?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $1,640 in Tres Cantos – a 8% 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 Tres Cantos?
At $1,640 in Tres Cantos versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tres Cantos but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Tres Cantos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Tres Cantos?
Both work as nomad bases, but Tres Cantos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,640 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tres Cantos hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Tres Cantos?
Safety-wise, Athens and Tres Cantos 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 Tres Cantos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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