Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Birjand and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Birjand: $531 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Birjand, Iran
Athens, Greece
Birjand
🇮🇷 Iran
$531
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in Birjand versus $1,779 in Athens.

  • Birjand $531
  • Athens $1,779

Estimated couple costs with rent: $842 in Birjand versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Birjand $842
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,154 in Birjand versus $3,663 in Athens.

  • Birjand $1,154
  • Athens $3,663

Living in Birjand costs roughly 70% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Birjand is 61% below, Athens is 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Birjand
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.96 $2.96
$16.83 €14.99
-82.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.89 $15.89
$66.0 €58.8
-75.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.89 $3.89
$11.21 €9.99
-65.30%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.72 $0.72
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 $1.11
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.10 $1.10
$4.08 €3.64
-73.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 $0.52
$2.77 €2.47
-81.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$0.54 €0.48
88.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.70 €5.08
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.26 €5.58
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Birjand
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.65 $0.65
$1.84 €1.64
-64.67%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 $0.51
$1.43 €1.27
-64.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 $2.08
$2.67 €2.38
-22.10%
Eggs
$1.20 $1.20
$4.95 €4.41
-75.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.36 $4.36
$15.09 €13.45
-71.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.33 $3.33
$10.99 €9.79
-69.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.18 $10.18
$19.77 €17.61
-48.51%
Apples (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$2.12 €1.89
-51.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.98 €1.76
-17.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.82 $0.82
$1.33 €1.19
-38.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.60 $0.60
$2.16 €1.92
-72.22%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 $0.55
$1.06 €0.94
-48.11%
Onion (1kg)
$0.51 $0.51
$1.15 €1.02
-55.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 $0.57
$1.08 €0.97
-47.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 $0.24
$0.85 €0.75
-71.76%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.81 $0.81
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 $0.51
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 $1.35
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 $2.46
$5.46 €4.86
-54.95%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.03 €8.93
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.04 €1.82
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.38 €2.12
-
🚌 Getting Around
Birjand
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 $0.17
$1.35 €1.20
-87.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.63 $9.63
$30.52 €27.19
-68.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.42 $0.42
$3.81 €3.39
-88.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$1.03 €0.92
-71.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$16.49 €14.68
-83.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.08 $0.08
$2.34 €2.09
-96.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.1K $50.1K
$27.8K €24.7K
80.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.2K $46.2K
$26.6K €23.7K
73.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Birjand
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$13.20 $13.20
$202 €180
-93.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.52 $1.52
$26.81 €23.88
-94.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$4.02 $4.02
$30.49 €27.16
-86.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Birjand
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.86 $18.86
$54.1 €48.17
-65.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.64 $13.64
$27.40 €24.41
-50.22%
Cinema Ticket
$2.03 $2.03
$10.44 €9.30
-80.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Birjand
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 $106
$568 €506
-81.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,419 $2,419
$15.2K €13.5K
-84.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Birjand
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.11 $23.11
$90.7 €80.8
-74.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.81 $27.81
$39.32 €35.03
-29.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.7 $97.7
$105 €93.7
-7.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 $72.0
$129 €115
-44.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Birjand
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$296 $296
$742 €661
-60.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$209 $209
$648 €578
-67.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 $783
$1,271 €1,132
-38.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 $361
$1,122 €999
-67.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,165 $1,165
$3,999 €3,562
-70.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$537 $537
$3,281 €2,923
-83.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Birjand
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,245 €1,109
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
4.44
447.30%

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

Last update for Birjand: November 2, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Birjand
$209
Athens
$648 210% $439
Groceries & Markets
Birjand
$114
Athens
$316 177% $202
Clothing & Footwear
Birjand
$99
Athens
$164 65% $65
Eating Out
Birjand
$55
Athens
$272 397% $217
Sport & Entertainment
Birjand
$23
Athens
$75 227% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Birjand
$19
Athens
$260 1286% $241
Getting Around
Birjand
$12
Athens
$45 269% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $296 in Birjand and $742 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16 in Birjand vs $66 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $114 vs $316 per month, with Birjand cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Birjand
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
03:03 3:03 AM
01:33 1:33 AM
1 h 30 min behind Birjand
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
203,636
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
USD USD
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Birjand Athens 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Birjand
  • Athens

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Birjand vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Birjand or Athens?
Birjand wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Birjand the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Birjand and in Athens?
You’d need roughly $796 in Birjand and $2,669 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 Birjand compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $296 in Birjand versus $742 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Birjand and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Birjand – a meal for two runs $16 versus $66 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Birjand compared to Athens?
All in, you’ll spend $531 per month in Birjand versus $1,779 in Athens – Birjand is about 70% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Birjand or in Athens?
At $531 in Birjand versus $1,779 in Athens, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Birjand but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Birjand the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Birjand or Athens?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Birjand gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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