For one person, living is cheaper in Fes: $675 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fes and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $675 in Fes versus $1,775 in Athens.
Fes $675
Athens $1,775
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Fes versus $2,721 in Athens.
Fes $1,042
Athens $2,721
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,408 in Fes versus $3,666 in Athens.
Fes $1,408
Athens $3,666
🌍
Living in Fes costs roughly 62% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Fes is 50% below, Athens is 31% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Fes
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04MAD 29.68
$16.69€14.84
-81.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.52MAD 307
$67.8€60.3
-53.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.09MAD 59.4
$11.14€9.91
-45.33%
Cappuccino
$1.31MAD 12.82
$4.03€3.58
-67.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54MAD 5.31
$2.77€2.46
-80.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38MAD 3.75
$0.55€0.49
-30.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.67MAD 35.81
$5.74€5.10
-36.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.20MAD 40.98
$5.45€4.85
-22.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fes
Athens
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.79MAD 7.72
$1.82€1.62
-56.59%
White Bread(500g)
$0.54MAD 5.26
$1.38€1.23
-60.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.74MAD 16.99
$2.80€2.49
-37.86%
Eggs
$1.87MAD 18.27
$4.83€4.30
-61.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.74MAD 95.0
$15.05€13.39
-35.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.44MAD 43.30
$10.63€9.45
-58.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.50MAD 92.6
$18.43€16.39
-48.45%
Apples(1kg)
$1.89MAD 18.46
$2.20€1.96
-14.09%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57MAD 15.31
$1.90€1.69
-17.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.08MAD 10.53
$1.37€1.22
-21.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.05MAD 10.21
$2.10€1.87
-50.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.91MAD 8.89
$1.08€0.96
-15.74%
Onion(1kg)
$1.05MAD 10.27
$1.12€1.00
-6.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.48MAD 4.70
$1.12€1.00
-57.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57MAD 5.51
$0.88€0.79
-35.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31MAD 41.98
$5.48€4.88
-21.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.52MAD 44.08
$10.13€9.01
-55.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67MAD 26.07
$2.13€1.89
25.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16MAD 30.85
$2.25€2.00
40.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Fes
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MAD 3.83
$1.36€1.21
-71.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.14MAD 98.9
$29.89€26.59
-66.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.64MAD 6.24
$4.45€3.96
-85.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.75MAD 7.28
$1.02€0.90
-26.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$16.92€15.05
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.44MAD 14.00
$2.25€2.00
-36.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9KMAD 339.9K
$28.0K€24.9K
24.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5KMAD 336.5K
$28.2K€25.1K
22.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fes
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$32.49MAD 317
$205€182
-84.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.33MAD 101
$26.65€23.71
-61.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.45MAD 346
$30.38€27.02
16.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fes
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$26.35MAD 257
$54.5€48.47
-51.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.30MAD 188
$25.88€23.02
-25.43%
Cinema Ticket
$5.03MAD 49.00
$10.42€9.27
-51.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fes
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$94.6MAD 922
$569€506
-83.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,313MAD 61.6K
$12.6K€11.2K
-49.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fes
Athens
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.29MAD 188
$88.7€78.9
-78.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4MAD 511
$40.46€35.99
29.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.8MAD 797
$105€93.3
-22.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.7MAD 552
$121€108
-53.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fes
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$313MAD 3,050
$741€659
-57.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$183MAD 1,782
$655€582
-72.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$539MAD 5,252
$1,300€1,156
-58.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$249MAD 2,431
$1,148€1,021
-78.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$724MAD 7,062
$4,014€3,570
-81.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$342MAD 3,333
$3,460€3,078
-90.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fes
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$483MAD 4,709
$1,242€1,105
-61.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
4.48
11.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Fes: October 13, 2026
Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Fes
$183 27.1%
Athens
$655 36.9% ↑ 258%$472
🛒Groceries & Markets
Fes
$178 26.4%
Athens
$310 17.5% ↑ 74%$132
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Fes
$95 14%
Athens
$160 9% ↑ 69.1%$65
🍽Eating Out
Fes
$89 13.2%
Athens
$268 15.1% ↑ 202%$179
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fes
$78 11.6%
Athens
$262 14.7% ↑ 234%$183
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Fes
$36 5.4%
Athens
$75 4.2% ↑ 107%$39
🚌Getting Around
Fes
$16 2.4%
Athens
$45 2.5% ↑ 179%$29
🏠Accommodation & Living
Fes
$249 17.7%
Athens
$1.1K 31.3% ↑ 360%$899
🛒Groceries & Markets
Fes
$409 29%
Athens
$726 19.8% ↑ 77.7%$318
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Fes
$210 14.9%
Athens
$355 9.7% ↑ 69.1%$145
🍽Eating Out
Fes
$326 23.2%
Athens
$879 24% ↑ 170%$553
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fes
$89 6.3%
Athens
$288 7.9% ↑ 225%$200
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Fes
$92 6.5%
Athens
$177 4.8% ↑ 91.7%$84
🚌Getting Around
Fes
$33 2.3%
Athens
$92 2.5% ↑ 181%$60
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Fes and $741 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays 157% 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: $32.00 in Fes vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $310 per month, with Fes cheaper across the board.
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
Fes vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fes or Athens?
Fes wins on cost – living expenses run 163% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fes the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Fes or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Athens. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Fes compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Fes 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 Fes and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Fes – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Fes compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $675 per month in Fes versus $1,775 in Athens – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Fes or in Athens?
At $675 in Fes versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fes but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Fes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fes or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Fes delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $675 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fes hard to pass up.
How safe is Fes compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Fes 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 Fes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.