Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,806 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Athens

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,806 in Athens.

  • Austin, TX $2,704
  • Athens $1,806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,731 in Athens.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Athens $2,731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $3,656 in Athens.

  • Austin, TX $5,562
  • Athens $3,656

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 50% more expensive than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Athens 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
$16.66 €14.85
21.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.0 $85.0
$66.2 €59.0
28.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 $12.35
$11.06 €9.86
11.66%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$4.14 €3.69
32.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.80 €2.50
36.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.57 €0.51
338.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
$5.64 €5.03
42.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.99 $8.99
$5.46 €4.86
64.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.96 €1.74
-42.35%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 $3.78
$1.41 €1.25
168.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$2.83 €2.53
14.84%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$5.04 €4.49
-17.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$15.35 €13.68
-14.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.31 $14.31
$10.34 €9.22
38.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$18.97 €16.92
-15.87%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$2.17 €1.93
101.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.91 €1.70
-24.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$1.38 €1.23
228.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$2.20 €1.96
90.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.10 €0.98
139.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$1.13 €1.00
108.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.10 €0.98
60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$0.83 €0.74
160.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.81 $9.81
$5.60 €4.99
75.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
$10.19 €9.08
44.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$2.18 €1.95
27.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.45 €2.18
42.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.38 €1.23
7.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.51 $40.51
$30.87 €27.52
31.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$4.37 €3.90
-38.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.04 €0.93
51.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.29 $35.29
$17.11 €15.26
106.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$2.31 €2.06
-57.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$28.0K €24.9K
27.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$28.0K €25.0K
-2.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$210 €187
4.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$26.70 €23.80
117.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$30.13 €26.86
126.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 $57.9
$54.6 €48.68
6.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.82 $14.82
$26.03 €23.21
-43.07%
Cinema Ticket
$14.13 $14.13
$10.78 €9.61
31.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$575 €513
162.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$13.1K €11.7K
63.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 $51.7
$93.2 €83.1
-44.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 $44.05
$40.68 €36.27
8.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
$104 €92.8
-18.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$128 €114
-17.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,932 $1,932
$756 €674
155.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 $1,272
$652 €582
95.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,670 $3,670
$1,294 €1,153
183.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
$1,163 €1,037
117.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,617 $7,617
$4,008 €3,574
90.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,199 $3,199
$3,452 €3,078
-7.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 $5,105
$1,243 €1,109
310.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
4.48
51.56%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Athens
$652 48.7% $620
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$403
Athens
$315 21.9% $88
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Athens
$269 22.8% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$346
Athens
$267 22.9% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Athens
$165 28% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Athens
$76 11.6% $10
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Athens
$46 19.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $756 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 311% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $66.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $315 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
20:08 8:08 PM
04:08 4:08 AM
8 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Athens 10,300 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Athens

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
Austin, TX vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Athens?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Austin, TX. 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 Austin, TX or in Athens?
Average pay runs 311% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $756 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,806 in Athens – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Athens?
At $1,806 in Athens versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Austin, TX or Athens?
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 Austin, TX compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Athens 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 50% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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