Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Azores and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in the Azores: $1,594 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Azores
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,594
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Azores 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 the Azores and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in the Azores versus $1,806 in Athens.

  • Azores $1,594
  • Athens $1,806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in the Azores versus $2,731 in Athens.

  • Azores $2,371
  • Athens $2,731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,148 in the Azores versus $3,656 in Athens.

  • Azores $3,148
  • Athens $3,656

Living in the Azores costs roughly 12% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Azores 19% above, Athens 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Azores
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.37 €10.15
$16.66 €14.87
-31.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.10 €42.03
$66.2 €59.1
-28.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.20 €8.21
$11.06 €9.87
-16.82%
Cappuccino
$2.16 €1.93
$4.14 €3.69
-47.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 €1.71
$2.80 €2.50
-31.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$0.57 €0.51
140.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 €2.02
$5.64 €5.03
-59.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 €3.09
$5.46 €4.87
-36.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Azores
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 €0.94
$1.96 €1.75
-45.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 €1.42
$1.41 €1.26
12.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 €1.44
$2.83 €2.53
-43.11%
Eggs
$3.12 €2.79
$5.04 €4.50
-38.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.26 €10.05
$15.35 €13.70
-26.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 €7.04
$10.34 €9.23
-23.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.31 €12.77
$18.97 €16.93
-24.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 €2.10
$2.17 €1.93
8.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.91 €1.70
-25.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.65
$1.38 €1.23
34.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.48 €2.21
$2.20 €1.96
12.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.10 €0.98
39.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.83 €1.64
$1.13 €1.00
61.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.63 €1.45
$1.10 €0.99
48.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 €0.71
$0.83 €0.74
-4.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.21 €5.55
$5.60 €4.99
10.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.10 €4.55
$10.19 €9.09
-49.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 €1.11
$2.18 €1.95
-43.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 €2.12
$2.45 €2.19
-3.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Azores
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.38 €1.23
65.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.69 €37.20
$30.87 €27.55
35.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 €3.65
$4.37 €3.90
-6.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 €0.73
$1.04 €0.93
-21.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.02 €15.19
$17.11 €15.27
-0.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.77
$2.31 €2.07
-13.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K €30.8K
$28.0K €25.0K
23.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.1K €35.7K
$28.0K €25.0K
42.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Azores
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 €120
$210 €187
-35.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.16 €18.89
$26.70 €23.83
-20.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.52 €37.94
$30.13 €26.89
41.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Azores
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.82 €40.00
$54.6 €48.72
-17.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.33 €15.46
$26.03 €23.23
-33.42%
Cinema Ticket
$8.36 €7.46
$10.78 €9.62
-22.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Azores
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$462 €412
$575 €513
-19.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,431 €7,524
$13.1K €11.7K
-35.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Azores
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.2 €65.3
$93.2 €83.1
-21.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.09 €33.99
$40.68 €36.30
-6.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.0 €82.1
$104 €92.9
-11.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.7 €83.6
$128 €115
-26.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Azores
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$918 €819
$756 €674
21.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$744 €664
$652 €582
14.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,498 €1,337
$1,294 €1,154
15.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,143 €1,020
$1,163 €1,038
-1.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,018 €2,693
$4,008 €3,577
-24.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,307 €2,059
$3,452 €3,081
-33.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Azores
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,243 €1,110
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.01
4.48
11.83%

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

Last update for the Azores: October 4, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Azores
$744
Athens
$652 12.3% $92
Groceries & Markets
Azores
$247
Athens
$315 27.4% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Azores
$198
Athens
$267 34.5% $68
Eating Out
Azores
$176
Athens
$269 52.8% $93
Clothing & Footwear
Azores
$134
Athens
$165 23.3% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Azores
$62
Athens
$76 23.8% $15
Getting Around
Azores
$59
Athens
$46 22.1% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $918 in the Azores and $756 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in the Azores vs $66.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $315 per month, with the Azores cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Azores
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
10:07 10:07 AM
13:07 1:07 PM
3 h ahead of the Azores
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
236,657
3,090,508 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
  • Azores Athens 4,290 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Azores
  • 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
Azores vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Azores or Athens?
Azores wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Azores the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in the Azores and in Athens?
You'd need roughly $2,391 in the Azores and $2,709 in Athens 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 the Azores compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $918 in the Azores 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 the Azores and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in the Azores – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $66.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in the Azores compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $1,594 per month in the Azores versus $1,806 in Athens – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in the Azores or in Athens?
At $1,594 in the Azores versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in the Azores but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Azores the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Azores or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Azores delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,594 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Azores hard to pass up.
How safe is Azores compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Azores 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 Azores gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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