Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coimbra and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Coimbra: $1,540 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Coimbra
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,540
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,540 in Coimbra versus $1,806 in Athens.

  • Coimbra $1,540
  • Athens $1,806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,306 in Coimbra versus $2,731 in Athens.

  • Coimbra $2,306
  • Athens $2,731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,073 in Coimbra versus $3,656 in Athens.

  • Coimbra $3,073
  • Athens $3,656

Living in Coimbra costs roughly 15% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coimbra 15% above, Athens 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.49 €12.04
$16.66 €14.87
-19.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.04 €41.98
$66.2 €59.1
-28.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.91 €8.84
$11.06 €9.87
-10.40%
Cappuccino
$1.95 €1.74
$4.14 €3.69
-52.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.80 €2.50
-29.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 €1.42
$0.57 €0.51
178.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 €1.99
$5.64 €5.03
-60.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 €3.07
$5.46 €4.87
-37.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 €0.92
$1.96 €1.75
-47.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.41 €1.26
11.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 €1.53
$2.83 €2.53
-39.58%
Eggs
$3.26 €2.91
$5.04 €4.50
-35.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.90 €10.62
$15.35 €13.70
-22.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.58 €6.77
$10.34 €9.23
-26.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.25 €12.71
$18.97 €16.93
-24.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.05
$2.17 €1.93
5.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 €1.42
$1.91 €1.70
-16.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.38 €1.23
44.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.04 €2.71
$2.20 €1.96
38.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.63 €1.46
$1.10 €0.98
48.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$1.13 €1.00
82.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 €1.44
$1.10 €0.99
47.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.83 €0.74
-13.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.31 €5.63
$5.60 €4.99
12.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.90 €5.26
$10.19 €9.09
-42.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$2.18 €1.95
-41.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.94
$2.45 €2.19
-11.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.73
$1.38 €1.23
39.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.99 €30.33
$30.87 €27.55
10.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.44 €3.96
$4.37 €3.90
1.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.40 €1.25
$1.04 €0.93
34.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.25 €12.72
$17.11 €15.27
-16.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 €2.00
$2.31 €2.07
-3.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K €29.9K
$28.0K €25.0K
19.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.2K €34.1K
$28.0K €25.0K
36.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$137 €122
$210 €187
-34.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.05 €19.68
$26.70 €23.83
-17.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.09 €28.63
$30.13 €26.89
6.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.96 €39.23
$54.6 €48.72
-19.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.99 €10.70
$26.03 €23.23
-53.94%
Cinema Ticket
$8.60 €7.67
$10.78 €9.62
-20.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$721 €643
$575 €513
25.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K €9,570
$13.1K €11.7K
-18.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.3 €85.0
$93.2 €83.1
2.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.26 €33.25
$40.68 €36.30
-8.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.1 €84.0
$104 €92.9
-9.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €103
$128 €115
-9.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$873 €779
$756 €674
15.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$652 €582
$652 €582
-0.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 €1,348
$1,294 €1,154
16.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,040 €928
$1,163 €1,038
-10.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,737 €2,442
$4,008 €3,577
-31.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,222 €1,091
$3,452 €3,081
-64.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Coimbra
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,319 €1,177
$1,243 €1,110
6.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.83
4.48
-14.51%

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

Last update for Coimbra: 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
Coimbra
$652
Athens
$652 0.1% $0.6
Groceries & Markets
Coimbra
$253
Athens
$315 24.4% $62
Eating Out
Coimbra
$193
Athens
$269 39% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coimbra
$191
Athens
$267 39.7% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Coimbra
$154
Athens
$165 7% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Coimbra
$61
Athens
$76 24.5% $15
Getting Around
Coimbra
$53
Athens
$46 13.6% $7.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $873 in Coimbra and $756 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coimbra pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Coimbra vs $66.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $315 per month, with Coimbra cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Coimbra
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
06:05 6:05 AM
08:05 8:05 AM
2 h ahead of Coimbra
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
140,838
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
  • Coimbra Athens 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Coimbra
  • 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
Coimbra vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Coimbra or Athens?
Coimbra wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Coimbra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Coimbra or in Athens?
Average pay runs 6% higher in Coimbra, 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 Coimbra compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $873 in Coimbra 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 Coimbra and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Coimbra – 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 Coimbra compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $1,540 per month in Coimbra versus $1,806 in Athens – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Coimbra or in Athens?
At $1,540 in Coimbra versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Coimbra but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Coimbra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Coimbra or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Coimbra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,540 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Coimbra hard to pass up.
How safe is Coimbra compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Coimbra 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 Coimbra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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