Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Vienna

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,806 a month against $2,243 in Vienna, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Vienna
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,243
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Vienna

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Athens versus $2,243 in Vienna.

  • Athens $1,806
  • Vienna $2,243

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,731 in Athens versus $3,331 in Vienna.

  • Athens $2,731
  • Vienna $3,331

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,656 in Athens versus $4,420 in Vienna.

  • Athens $3,656
  • Vienna $4,420

Living in Athens costs roughly 19% less than in Vienna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 35% above, Vienna 67% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Vienna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.87
$18.09 €16.14
-7.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.1
$79.2 €70.7
-16.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 €9.87
$13.21 €11.79
-16.28%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.69
$5.16 €4.61
-19.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$3.77 €3.37
-25.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$3.29 €2.93
-82.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 €5.03
$5.97 €5.33
-5.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 €4.87
$5.64 €5.04
-3.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Vienna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.60 €1.43
22.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.26
$2.22 €1.98
-36.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.83 €2.53
$2.54 €2.27
11.42%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.50
$4.51 €4.03
11.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.35 €13.70
$13.39 €11.95
14.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.34 €9.23
$14.03 €12.52
-26.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 €16.93
$21.95 €19.59
-13.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.99 €2.67
-27.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$2.30 €2.05
-16.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.58 €3.20
-61.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.99 €3.56
-44.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$1.86 €1.66
-40.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.00
$1.80 €1.61
-37.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.93 €1.73
-43.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.86 €0.77
-3.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.60 €4.99
$7.33 €6.54
-23.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.09
$8.27 €7.38
23.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.46 €1.30
49.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$1.78 €1.59
37.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Vienna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.39 €3.02
-59.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.87 €27.55
$57.5 €51.3
-46.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.37 €3.90
$5.51 €4.91
-20.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 €0.93
$2.07 €1.84
-49.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.11 €15.27
$44.23 €39.47
-61.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.07 €1.85
11.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$29.7K €26.5K
-5.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$29.0K €25.9K
-3.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Vienna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$210 €187
$310 €277
-32.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.70 €23.83
$14.38 €12.83
85.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.13 €26.89
$30.98 €27.65
-2.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Vienna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.6 €48.72
$38.15 €34.04
43.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.03 €23.23
$27.71 €24.73
-6.06%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.62
$14.33 €12.79
-24.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Vienna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €513
$353 €315
62.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K €11.7K
$28.1K €25.1K
-53.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Vienna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.2 €83.1
$85.7 €76.5
8.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.68 €36.30
$36.88 €32.92
10.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.9
$92.6 €82.6
12.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 €115
$135 €120
-4.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Vienna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €674
$1,271 €1,134
-40.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$906 €808
-27.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 €1,154
$2,397 €2,139
-46.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,163 €1,038
$1,562 €1,394
-25.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,008 €3,577
$14.4K €12.9K
-72.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,452 €3,081
$5,939 €5,300
-41.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Vienna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,243 €1,110
$3,471 €3,097
-64.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.41
31.38%

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

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Last update for Vienna: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$652
Vienna
$906 38.9% $254
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$315
Vienna
$360 14.5% $46
Eating Out
Athens
$269
Vienna
$316 17.5% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$267
Vienna
$355 33.3% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$165
Vienna
$158 4.4% $7.3
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$76
Vienna
$67 12.3% $9.4
Getting Around
Athens
$46
Vienna
$87 89.2% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Athens and $1,271 in Vienna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vienna pays 179% 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: $66.0 in Athens vs $79.0 in Vienna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $360 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇦🇹 Vienna
🕒 Local time
10:09 10:09 AM
09:09 9:09 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
1,920,949 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Vienna 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Vienna

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 Vienna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Vienna?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Vienna. 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 Vienna?
On paper, salaries run 179% lower in Vienna. 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 Vienna?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Athens versus $1,271 in Vienna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Vienna?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $79.0 in Vienna. 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 Vienna?
All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Athens versus $2,243 in Vienna – a 24% 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 Vienna?
At $1,806 in Athens versus $2,243 in Vienna, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Vienna. 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 Vienna?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,806 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 Vienna?
Safety-wise, Athens and Vienna 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 24% less than in Vienna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Athens vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?