Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Volos Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Volos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,705 in Athens versus $1,613 in Volos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,630 in Athens versus $2,377 in Volos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,556 in Athens versus $3,142 in Volos.

Living in Athens is roughly 6% more expensive than in Volos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 28% above, Volos 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.90

$23.28 €20.34

-26.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 €55.5

$45.49 €39.74

39.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.28 €8.98

$8.90 €7.78

15.51%

Cappuccino

$4.37 €3.81

$4.12 €3.60

6.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.08

$2.51 €2.19

-4.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.59

$0.57 €0.50

17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 €4.96

$5.62 €4.91

1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 €4.94

$5.65 €4.93

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.69 €1.48

13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.51 €1.32

-9.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.46

$2.78 €2.43

1.08%

Eggs

$5.12 €4.48

$4.30 €3.76

19.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 €12.94

$14.71 €12.85

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 €9.86

$11.23 €9.81

0.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 €13.27

$15.77 €13.78

-3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.42 €2.11

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$2.02 €1.76

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.67 €1.46

-5.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.20 €1.93

7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.00 €0.88

41.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.10 €0.96

7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 €1.07

$0.91 €0.79

35.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.00 €0.87

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 €4.88

$5.57 €4.87

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 €8.78

$8.99 €7.85

11.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.60 €2.27

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.50

$3.21 €2.80

-10.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.52 €1.33

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.50 €30.14

$62.4 €54.5

-44.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 €4.02

$4.13 €3.61

11.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 €0.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.13 €14.96

$19.89 €17.37

-13.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.78

$2.15 €1.88

-5.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.1K €25.4K

$30.9K €27.0K

-5.82%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.6K €25.8K

$26.0K €22.7K

13.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$217 €190

$237 €207

-8.32%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.37 €23.91

$24.23 €21.17

12.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.44 €30.09

$35.19 €30.74

-2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 €49.46

$61.3 €53.6

-7.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.46 €23.11

$47.60 €41.59

-44.41%

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 €9.11

$9.46 €8.26

10.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 €490

$274 €240

104.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,678

$6,024 €5,263

83.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 €80.5

$115 €100

-19.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.84 €40.92

$54.2 €47.34

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €87.6

$81.3 €71.1

23.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €105

$84.3 €73.7

42.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 €568

$446 €390

45.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 €500

$369 €322

55.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 €1,038

$642 €561

84.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 €886

$572 €500

77.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,057 €3,545

$2,519 €2,201

61.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,221 €2,814

$1,671 €1,460

92.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,327 €1,159

$1,016 €888

30.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

4.47

11.63%

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

Last update for Athens: July 11, 2026

Last update for Volos: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $650 in Athens and $446 in Volos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 31% 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: $64.0 in Athens vs $45.00 in Volos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $308 per month, with Volos cheaper across the board.

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 Volos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Volos wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Volos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Athens, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $650 in Athens versus $446 in Volos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Volos – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $64.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,705 per month in Athens versus $1,613 in Volos – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,613 in Volos versus $1,705 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Volos but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Volos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Volos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,613 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Volos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Athens and Volos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Volos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.