Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Veliky Novgorod

For one person, living is cheaper in Veliky Novgorod: $807 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens, Greece
Veliky Novgorod, Russia
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Veliky Novgorod
🇷🇺 Russia
$807
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Veliky Novgorod

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,779 in Athens versus $807 in Veliky Novgorod.

  • Athens $1,779
  • Veliky Novgorod $807

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,308 in Veliky Novgorod.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Veliky Novgorod $1,308

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Athens versus $1,810 in Veliky Novgorod.

  • Athens $3,663
  • Veliky Novgorod $1,810

Living in Athens is roughly 121% more expensive than in Veliky Novgorod, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 32% above, Veliky Novgorod is 40% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.83 €15.06
$12.26 ₽1,004
37.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.0 €59.1
$43.49 ₽3,563
51.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.21 €10.03
$6.85 ₽561
63.65%
Cappuccino
$4.08 €3.65
$3.20 ₽262
27.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.48
$1.71 ₽140
61.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.48
$0.75 ₽61.0
-28.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.70 €5.10
$2.42 ₽198
135.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26 €5.60
$3.78 ₽310
65.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.65
$1.12 ₽91.8
64.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.28
$0.97 ₽79.8
47.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 €2.39
$1.73 ₽142
54.34%
Eggs
$4.95 €4.43
$1.69 ₽139
192.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.09 €13.51
$12.94 ₽1,060
16.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.99 €9.83
$6.79 ₽556
61.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.77 €17.69
$12.68 ₽1,039
55.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 €1.90
$1.75 ₽143
21.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 €1.77
$1.62 ₽133
22.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.33 €1.19
$1.71 ₽140
-22.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.93
$3.19 ₽262
-32.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.06 €0.95
$0.82 ₽67.0
29.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 €1.03
$0.68 ₽55.6
69.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 €0.97
$1.37 ₽113
-21.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.76
$0.77 ₽63.0
10.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46 €4.88
$3.11 ₽255
75.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.03 €8.97
$9.24 ₽757
8.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 €1.83
$1.26 ₽103
61.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.13
$2.14 ₽175
11.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.21
$0.58 ₽47.12
132.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.52 €27.31
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.81 €3.41
$3.16 ₽259
20.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 €0.92
$0.60 ₽49.25
71.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.49 €14.75
$8.64 ₽708
90.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 €2.10
$0.88 ₽71.9
165.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K €24.8K
$43.5K ₽3.6M
-36.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.8K
$37.8K ₽3.1M
-29.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 €181
$158 ₽12.9K
28.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81 €23.99
$7.93 ₽649
238.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.49 €27.28
$8.99 ₽736
239.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 €48.38
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.40 €24.52
$22.79 ₽1,867
20.23%
Cinema Ticket
$10.44 €9.34
$7.57 ₽621
37.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €508
$669 ₽54.8K
-15.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K €13.6K
$23.1K ₽1.9M
-34.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7 €81.1
$97.4 ₽7,975
-6.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32 €35.19
$55.0 ₽4,508
-28.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €94.1
$139 ₽11.4K
-24.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €115
$126 ₽10.3K
2.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$742 €664
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$648 €580
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 €1,138
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 €1,004
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,999 €3,578
$1,831 ₽150.0K
118.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,281 €2,936
$1,253 ₽102.7K
161.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Veliky Novgorod
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 €1,114
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.44
19.5
-77.23%

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

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Last update for Veliky Novgorod: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$648
Veliky Novgorod
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$316
Veliky Novgorod
$234 25.9% $82
Eating Out
Athens
$272
Veliky Novgorod
$186 31.3% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$260
Veliky Novgorod
$174 32.8% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$164
Veliky Novgorod
$188 14.7% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Veliky Novgorod
$15 * 79.8% $60
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Veliky Novgorod
$8.5 * 81.1% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $66 in Athens vs $43 in Veliky Novgorod for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $234 per month, with Veliky Novgorod cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇷🇺 Veliky Novgorod
🕒 Local time
20:05 8:05 PM
21:05 9:05 PM
1 h ahead of Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
223,191
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.895 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 81.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 92.01 RUB (100 RUB = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Veliky Novgorod 2,350 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Veliky Novgorod

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 Veliky Novgorod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Veliky Novgorod?
Veliky Novgorod wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Veliky Novgorod the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Veliky Novgorod?
You’d need roughly $2,669 in Athens and $1,210 in Veliky Novgorod to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Veliky Novgorod?
Childcare runs $568 in Athens versus $669 in Veliky Novgorod. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Veliky Novgorod?
Dining out is cheaper in Veliky Novgorod – a meal for two runs $43 versus $66 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Athens or in Veliky Novgorod?
At $807 in Veliky Novgorod versus $1,779 in Athens, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Veliky Novgorod but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Veliky Novgorod the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Athens or Veliky Novgorod?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Athens compared to Veliky Novgorod?
Safety-wise, Athens and Veliky Novgorod are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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