Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Turnhout

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $2,127 in Turnhout, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Turnhout
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,127
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Turnhout

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $2,127 in Turnhout.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Turnhout $2,127

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $3,076 in Turnhout.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Turnhout $3,076

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $4,024 in Turnhout.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Turnhout $4,024

Living in Athens costs roughly 17% less than in Turnhout, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Turnhout 58% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$22.68 €20.17
-26.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$64.0 €57.0
5.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$15.58 €13.86
-28.50%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$4.25 €3.78
-5.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$3.09 €2.75
-10.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$2.73 €2.43
-79.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$5.19 €4.62
10.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$4.67 €4.16
16.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.08 €0.96
68.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.63 €1.45
-15.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.13 €1.90
31.46%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$3.98 €3.54
21.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$9.93 €8.83
51.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$9.12 €8.11
16.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$19.36 €17.22
-4.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.77 €2.47
-20.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.41 €2.14
-21.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.51 €2.23
-45.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.85 €2.53
-26.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$2.12 €1.89
-49.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.93 €1.71
-41.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.09 €0.97
2.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.07 €0.95
-17.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$12.99 €11.55
-57.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.06 €4.50
100.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.64 €1.46
29.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.37 €2.11
-5.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.77 €2.46
-50.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
$49.54 €44.07
-39.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$11.30 €10.05
-60.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$2.93 €2.61
-65.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$52.3 €46.56
-67.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.93 €1.71
16.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$34.8K €30.9K
-19.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$33.7K €29.9K
-16.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$225 €200
-9.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$21.17 €18.83
25.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$47.30 €42.07
-35.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$125 €111
-56.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$22.43 €19.95
15.38%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$13.60 €12.10
-23.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$547 €487
3.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$21.1K €18.7K
-40.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$106 €94.0
-16.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$46.94 €41.75
-13.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$108 €95.9
-2.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$148 €132
-18.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$910 €809
-18.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$785 €699
-16.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,236 €1,100
5.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,105 €983
3.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Turnhout
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$2,592 €2,305
-52.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.2
40.00%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Turnhout: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Turnhout
$786 20% $131
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Turnhout
$288 7.2% $22
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Turnhout
$338 26% $70
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Turnhout
$294 12.2% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Turnhout
$184 15.1% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Turnhout
$152 102% $76
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Turnhout
$87 92.9% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $910 in Turnhout. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Turnhout pays 109% 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 $64.0 in Turnhout for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $288 per month, with Turnhout cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇧🇪 Turnhout
🕒 Local time
12:06 12:06 PM
11:06 11:06 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
44,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Turnhout 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Turnhout

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 Turnhout: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Turnhout?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Turnhout. 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 Turnhout?
On paper, salaries run 109% lower in Turnhout. 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 Turnhout?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $910 in Turnhout. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Turnhout?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $64.0 in Turnhout. 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 Turnhout?
All in, you'll spend $1,775 per month in Athens versus $2,127 in Turnhout – a 20% 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 Turnhout?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $2,127 in Turnhout, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Turnhout. 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 Turnhout?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,775 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 Turnhout?
Safety-wise, Athens and Turnhout 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 20% less than in Turnhout. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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