Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Zebbug

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $1,935 in Zebbug, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Zebbug
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Zebbug

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $1,935 in Zebbug.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Zebbug $1,935

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $3,072 in Zebbug.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Zebbug $3,072

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $4,208 in Zebbug.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Zebbug $4,208

Living in Athens costs roughly 8% less than in Zebbug, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athens 31% above, Zebbug 43% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$19.75 €17.57
-15.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$79.6 €70.8
-14.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$7.23 €6.43
54.08%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$3.08 €2.74
30.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$2.26 €2.01
22.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.09 €0.97
-49.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$4.59 €4.08
25.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$4.76 €4.24
14.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.30 €1.16
40.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$1.39 €1.24
-0.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.58 €3.18
-21.79%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$4.39 €3.91
10.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$10.18 €9.06
47.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$11.79 €10.49
-9.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$18.45 €16.41
-0.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$3.66 €3.26
-39.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.79 €2.48
-31.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.85 €3.43
-64.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$3.68 €3.27
-42.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.93 €1.71
-44.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$3.44 €3.06
-67.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$2.27 €2.02
-50.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.51 €1.34
-41.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$6.16 €5.48
-11.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$5.77 €5.14
75.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.46 €2.19
-13.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.33 €2.07
-3.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.39 €2.13
-43.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$3.89 €3.46
14.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$1.82 €1.62
-43.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$32.86 €29.23
-48.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.46 €1.30
54.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$27.4K €24.4K
2.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$38.5K €34.2K
-26.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$158 €140
29.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$31.32 €27.86
-14.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$29.42 €26.17
3.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$59.6 €53.0
-8.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$11.30 €10.05
-7.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$275 €245
106.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$12.5K €11.1K
0.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$56.3 €50.1
57.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$67.6 €60.1
-40.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$110 €97.4
-4.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$130 €116
-6.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$1,232 €1,096
-39.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$845 €752
-22.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$1,763 €1,568
-26.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$1,637 €1,456
-29.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$3,894 €3,464
3.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$3,048 €2,711
13.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Zebbug
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4.05
10.62%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Zebbug: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Zebbug
$845 29.1% $190
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Zebbug
$341 9.8% $30
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Zebbug
$263 2.1% $5.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Zebbug
$219 16.4% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Zebbug
$163 2.2% $3.5
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Zebbug
$82 9.2% $6.9
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Zebbug
$23 * 49.7% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $1,232 in Zebbug. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Athens vs $80.0 in Zebbug for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $341 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇲🇹 Zebbug
🕒 Local time
05:35 5:35 AM
04:35 4:35 AM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
1,770
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Zebbug 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Athens
  • Zebbug

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 Zebbug: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Zebbug?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Zebbug. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Athens and in Zebbug?
You'd need roughly $2,662 in Athens and $2,903 in Zebbug 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Zebbug?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $1,232 in Zebbug. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Zebbug?
Childcare runs $569 in Athens versus $275 in Zebbug. 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 Zebbug?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $80.0 in Zebbug. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Zebbug?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $1,935 in Zebbug, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Zebbug. 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 Zebbug?
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 Zebbug?
Safety-wise, Athens and Zebbug 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 9% less than in Zebbug. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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