Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Tupelo, MS Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Tupelo, MS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,728 in Athens versus $1,843 in Tupelo, MS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Athens versus $3,483 in Tupelo, MS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,632 in Athens versus $5,124 in Tupelo, MS.

Living in Athens costs roughly 6% less than in Tupelo, MS, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 28% above, Tupelo, MS 37% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.57 โ‚ฌ14.95
$16.61 $16.61
5.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.6 โ‚ฌ55.0
$63.0 $63.0
2.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.36 โ‚ฌ8.82
$9.94 $9.94
4.23%
Cappuccino
$4.34 โ‚ฌ3.69
$4.86 $4.86
-10.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 โ‚ฌ2.09
$2.33 $2.33
5.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 โ‚ฌ0.54
$1.91 $1.91
-67.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.85 โ‚ฌ4.98
$5.93 $5.93
-1.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.73 โ‚ฌ4.88
$7.02 $7.02
-18.38%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 โ‚ฌ1.63
$0.90 $0.90
112.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 โ‚ฌ1.20
$3.35 $3.35
-57.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.87 โ‚ฌ2.45
$1.47 $1.47
95.24%
Eggs
$4.97 โ‚ฌ4.23
$4.28 $4.28
16.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.95 โ‚ฌ12.72
$12.43 $12.43
20.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.01 โ‚ฌ9.37
$7.58 $7.58
45.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.09 โ‚ฌ12.84
$15.51 $15.51
-2.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 โ‚ฌ1.90
$3.04 $3.04
-26.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 โ‚ฌ1.85
$1.13 $1.13
92.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 โ‚ฌ1.35
$3.52 $3.52
-55.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.28 โ‚ฌ1.94
$2.12 $2.12
7.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 โ‚ฌ1.16
$3.62 $3.62
-62.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 โ‚ฌ1.00
$2.20 $2.20
-46.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 โ‚ฌ1.05
$1.84 $1.84
-33.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 โ‚ฌ0.89
$1.56 $1.56
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.54 โ‚ฌ4.72
$8.09 $8.09
-31.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.99 โ‚ฌ10.20
$14.15 $14.15
-15.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 โ‚ฌ1.72
$1.66 $1.66
22.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 โ‚ฌ2.55
$3.17 $3.17
-5.36%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 โ‚ฌ1.16
$1.95 $1.95
-29.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.00 โ‚ฌ29.79
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.67 โ‚ฌ3.97
$4.95 $4.95
-5.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 โ‚ฌ0.91
$1.74 $1.74
-38.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.08 โ‚ฌ14.54
$17.81 $17.81
-4.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 โ‚ฌ1.76
$0.76 $0.76
172.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K โ‚ฌ24.7K
$35.7K $35.7K
-18.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K โ‚ฌ25.7K
$26.7K $26.7K
12.95%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 โ‚ฌ185
$178 $178
22.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.75 โ‚ฌ23.61
$50.1 $50.1
-44.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.02 โ‚ฌ29.80
$69.2 $69.2
-49.41%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.7 โ‚ฌ48.26
$39.84 $39.84
42.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.04 โ‚ฌ22.16
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.39 โ‚ฌ8.84
$9.27 $9.27
12.08%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 โ‚ฌ480
$991 $991
-43.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K โ‚ฌ9,469
$8,411 $8,411
32.28%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.5 โ‚ฌ78.7
$42.51 $42.51
117.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.26 โ‚ฌ40.22
$37.06 $37.06
27.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.8 โ‚ฌ84.1
$87.1 $87.1
13.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 โ‚ฌ102
$126 $126
-5.36%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$645 โ‚ฌ548
$1,395 $1,395
-53.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$561 โ‚ฌ477
$755 $755
-25.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,195 โ‚ฌ1,017
$1,523 $1,523
-21.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 โ‚ฌ883
$2,785 $2,785
-62.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,220 โ‚ฌ3,591
$1,477 $1,477
185.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,598 โ‚ฌ3,062
$1,458 $1,458
146.87%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Athens
Tupelo, MS
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,333 โ‚ฌ1,135
$2,633 $2,633
-49.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.99
6.55
-23.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Athens: April 13, 2026

Last update for Tupelo, MS: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Athens and $1,395 in Tupelo, MS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tupelo, MS pays 98% 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: $65 in Athens vs $63 in Tupelo, MS. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $318, with Athens cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tupelo, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Tupelo, MS?
Athens wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 7% lower than in Tupelo, MS. 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 Tupelo, MS?
On paper, Tupelo, MS earns 98% less. 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 vs Tupelo, MS?
Rent for a central apartment: $645 in Athens versus $1,395 in Tupelo, MS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and Tupelo, MS?
Childcare runs $564 in Athens versus $991 in Tupelo, MS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens vs Tupelo, MS?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens โ€“ a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $63.0 in Tupelo, MS. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or Tupelo, MS?
At $1,728 in Athens versus $1,843 in Tupelo, MS, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Tupelo, MS. 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 Tupelo, MS?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $1,728 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 Tupelo, MS?
Safety-wise, Athens and Tupelo, MS 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 โ€“ expenses run 7% less than in Tupelo, MS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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