Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballerup and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $2,158 in Ballerup, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ballerup
🇩🇰 Denmark
$2,158
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,158 in Ballerup versus $1,775 in Athens.

  • Ballerup $2,158
  • Athens $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,441 in Ballerup versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Ballerup $3,441
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,724 in Ballerup versus $3,666 in Athens.

  • Ballerup $4,724
  • Athens $3,666

Living in Ballerup is roughly 22% more expensive than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ballerup 60% above, Athens 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.73 DKK 151
$16.69 €14.84
36.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$118 DKK 788
$67.8 €60.3
74.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.86 DKK 98.8
$11.14 €9.91
33.39%
Cappuccino
$7.21 DKK 47.95
$4.03 €3.58
78.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.24 DKK 28.21
$2.77 €2.46
53.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 DKK 23.15
$0.55 €0.49
532.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.80 DKK 58.5
$5.74 €5.10
53.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.56 DKK 50.3
$5.45 €4.85
38.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.99 DKK 13.23
$1.82 €1.62
9.34%
White Bread (500g)
$3.76 DKK 24.99
$1.38 €1.23
172.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.40 DKK 15.95
$2.80 €2.49
-14.29%
Eggs
$4.78 DKK 31.80
$4.83 €4.30
-1.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.75 DKK 105
$15.05 €13.39
4.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.53 DKK 76.7
$10.63 €9.45
8.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.08 DKK 120
$18.43 €16.39
-1.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 DKK 21.55
$2.20 €1.96
47.27%
Banana (1kg)
$3.11 DKK 20.67
$1.90 €1.69
63.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 DKK 25.47
$1.37 €1.22
179.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.06 DKK 33.63
$2.10 €1.87
140.95%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 DKK 15.53
$1.08 €0.96
116.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 DKK 13.34
$1.12 €1.00
79.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.04 DKK 13.54
$1.12 €1.00
82.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 DKK 8.92
$0.88 €0.79
52.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.46 DKK 62.9
$5.48 €4.88
72.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.18 DKK 67.7
$10.13 €9.01
0.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 DKK 12.45
$2.13 €1.89
-12.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 DKK 16.45
$2.25 €2.00
9.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.79 DKK 25.22
$1.36 €1.21
178.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$81.9 DKK 544
$29.89 €26.59
173.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.87 DKK 39.02
$4.45 €3.96
31.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.68 DKK 11.17
$1.02 €0.90
64.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$62.4 DKK 415
$16.92 €15.05
268.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.54 DKK 16.92
$2.25 €2.00
12.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.9K DKK 338.2K
$28.0K €24.9K
81.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$52.9K DKK 351.9K
$28.2K €25.1K
87.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$184 DKK 1,223
$205 €182
-10.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.49 DKK 76.4
$26.65 €23.71
-56.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.96 DKK 252
$30.38 €27.02
24.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.81 DKK 271
$54.5 €48.47
-25.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.75 DKK 185
$25.88 €23.02
7.23%
Cinema Ticket
$19.75 DKK 131
$10.42 €9.27
89.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$718 DKK 4,773
$569 €506
26.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,842 DKK 38.9K
$12.6K €11.2K
-53.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107 DKK 713
$88.7 €78.9
20.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.73 DKK 311
$40.46 €35.99
15.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 DKK 843
$105 €93.3
20.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$193 DKK 1,283
$121 €108
59.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 DKK 5,888
$741 €659
19.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$726 DKK 4,828
$655 €582
10.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,630 DKK 10.8K
$1,300 €1,156
25.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 DKK 8,477
$1,148 €1,021
11.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,825 DKK 32.1K
$4,014 €3,570
20.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,451 DKK 22.9K
$3,460 €3,078
-0.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ballerup
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,893 DKK 39.2K
$1,242 €1,105
374.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.67
4.48
-18.08%

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

Last update for Ballerup: October 12, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ballerup
$726
Athens
$655 9.8% $71
Eating Out
Ballerup
$403
Athens
$268 33.5% $135
Groceries & Markets
Ballerup
$391
Athens
$310 20.6% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ballerup
$233
Athens
$262 12.1% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Ballerup
$213
Athens
$160 25% $53
Getting Around
Ballerup
$111
Athens
$45 59.7% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Ballerup
$80
Athens
$75 6.2% $5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Ballerup and $741 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballerup pays 374% 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: $118 in Ballerup vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $310 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇰 Ballerup
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
10:27 10:27 AM
11:27 11:27 AM
1 h ahead of Ballerup
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
39,087
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to DKK – Danish Krone Converter

Danish Krone exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 DKK (1 DKK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.48 DKK (1 DKK = 0.134 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ballerup Athens 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ballerup
  • 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
Ballerup vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ballerup or Athens?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Ballerup. 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 Ballerup or in Athens?
Average pay runs 374% higher in Ballerup, 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 Ballerup compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $885 in Ballerup versus $741 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Ballerup and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $118 in Ballerup. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Ballerup compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $2,158 per month in Ballerup versus $1,775 in Athens – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Ballerup or in Athens?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $2,158 in Ballerup, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Ballerup. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ballerup or Athens?
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 Ballerup compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Ballerup 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 22% less than in Ballerup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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