Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonn and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,806 a month against $2,336 in Bonn, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bonn
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,336
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,336 in Bonn versus $1,806 in Athens.

  • Bonn $2,336
  • Athens $1,806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,461 in Bonn versus $2,731 in Athens.

  • Bonn $3,461
  • Athens $2,731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,587 in Bonn versus $3,656 in Athens.

  • Bonn $4,587
  • Athens $3,656

Living in Bonn is roughly 29% more expensive than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bonn 74% above, Athens 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bonn
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.70
$16.66 €14.87
5.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.1 €70.6
$66.2 €59.1
19.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.36 €11.03
$11.06 €9.87
11.75%
Cappuccino
$4.35 €3.88
$4.14 €3.69
5.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 €2.84
$2.80 €2.50
13.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 €2.13
$0.57 €0.51
319.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.65 €5.05
$5.64 €5.03
0.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 €3.70
$5.46 €4.87
-23.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bonn
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 €1.31
$1.96 €1.75
-25.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 €2.54
$1.41 €1.26
102.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.98 €3.55
$2.83 €2.53
40.64%
Eggs
$4.10 €3.66
$5.04 €4.50
-18.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.89 €12.40
$15.35 €13.70
-9.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.40 €9.29
$10.34 €9.23
0.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.56 €23.70
$18.97 €16.93
40.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.51 €3.13
$2.17 €1.93
61.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.65 €2.37
$1.91 €1.70
38.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.38 €1.23
68.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.30 €4.73
$2.20 €1.96
140.91%
Potato (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.10 €0.98
98.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.13 €1.00
45.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.10 €0.99
50.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$0.83 €0.74
59.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.93 €8.87
$5.60 €4.99
77.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 €5.55
$10.19 €9.09
-38.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$2.18 €1.95
-41.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.45 €2.19
-24.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Bonn
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.48 €3.99
$1.38 €1.23
224.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.2 €62.7
$30.87 €27.55
127.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 €2.68
$4.37 €3.90
-31.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 €1.75
$1.04 €0.93
88.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.31 €27.94
$17.11 €15.27
82.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 €2.08
$2.31 €2.07
0.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.5K
$28.0K €25.0K
18.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.1K €34.0K
$28.0K €25.0K
36.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonn
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$332 €296
$210 €187
58.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.96 €22.27
$26.70 €23.83
-6.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.45 €35.21
$30.13 €26.89
30.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bonn
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.00 €39.26
$54.6 €48.72
-19.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.12 €29.55
$26.03 €23.23
27.24%
Cinema Ticket
$15.79 €14.09
$10.78 €9.62
46.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bonn
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$548 €489
$575 €513
-4.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.8K €12.3K
$13.1K €11.7K
5.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bonn
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.5 €67.4
$93.2 €83.1
-18.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.26 €34.14
$40.68 €36.30
-5.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.6
$104 €92.9
1.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €104
$128 €115
-9.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bonn
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,038 €926
$756 €674
37.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$917 €818
$652 €582
40.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 €1,920
$1,294 €1,154
66.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,645 €1,468
$1,163 €1,038
41.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,282 €5,606
$4,008 €3,577
56.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,528 €4,041
$3,452 €3,081
31.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bonn
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,508 €3,130
$1,243 €1,110
182.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
4.48
-11.61%

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

Last update for Bonn: 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
Bonn
$917
Athens
$652 28.8% $264
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonn
$396
Athens
$267 32.7% $130
Groceries & Markets
Bonn
$373
Athens
$315 15.6% $58
Eating Out
Bonn
$289
Athens
$269 7% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Bonn
$151
Athens
$165 9% $14
Getting Around
Bonn
$101
Athens
$46 54.5% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Bonn
$76
Athens
$76 0.8% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,038 in Bonn and $756 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bonn pays 182% 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: $79.0 in Bonn vs $66.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $315 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Bonn
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
09:10 9:10 AM
10:10 10:10 AM
1 h ahead of Bonn
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
335,913
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
  • Bonn Athens 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bonn
  • 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
Bonn vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bonn or Athens?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Bonn. 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 Bonn or in Athens?
Average pay runs 182% higher in Bonn, 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 Bonn compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,038 in Bonn 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 Bonn and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $79.0 in Bonn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Bonn compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $2,336 per month in Bonn versus $1,806 in Athens – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Bonn or in Athens?
At $1,806 in Athens versus $2,336 in Bonn, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Bonn. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bonn 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 Bonn compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Bonn 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 29% less than in Bonn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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