Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gjilan and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Gjilan: $774 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gjilan
🇽🇰 Kosovo
$774
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,806
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Gjilan versus $1,806 in Athens.

  • Gjilan $774
  • Athens $1,806

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,140 in Gjilan versus $2,731 in Athens.

  • Gjilan $1,140
  • Athens $2,731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,507 in Gjilan versus $3,656 in Athens.

  • Gjilan $1,507
  • Athens $3,656

Living in Gjilan costs roughly 57% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gjilan is 42% below, Athens is 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.13 €3.69
$16.66 €14.87
-75.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.81 €20.35
$66.2 €59.1
-65.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.77 €5.15
$11.06 €9.87
-47.83%
Cappuccino
$1.36 €1.21
$4.14 €3.69
-67.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 €0.97
$2.80 €2.50
-61.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.78
$0.57 €0.51
54.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.66 €1.48
$5.64 €5.03
-70.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$5.46 €4.87
-75.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.96 €1.75
-36.22%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 €0.41
$1.41 €1.26
-67.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 €1.15
$2.83 €2.53
-54.42%
Eggs
$1.86 €1.66
$5.04 €4.50
-63.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.81 €6.97
$15.35 €13.70
-49.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.67 €5.95
$10.34 €9.23
-35.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.67 €11.31
$18.97 €16.93
-33.21%
Apples (1kg)
$1.57 €1.40
$2.17 €1.93
-27.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$1.91 €1.70
-17.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.69 €1.51
$1.38 €1.23
22.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.65 €1.47
$2.20 €1.96
-25.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 €0.85
$1.10 €0.98
-12.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 €0.77
$1.13 €1.00
-23.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 €0.75
$1.10 €0.99
-23.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 €0.44
$0.83 €0.74
-40.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.41 €3.04
$5.60 €4.99
-39.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.69 €5.07
$10.19 €9.09
-44.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 €0.89
$2.18 €1.95
-54.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 €1.13
$2.45 €2.19
-48.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.58 €0.52
$1.38 €1.23
-57.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.87 €27.55
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.19 €1.96
$4.37 €3.90
-49.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 €0.52
$1.04 €0.93
-43.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 €2.95
$17.11 €15.27
-80.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 €1.28
$2.31 €2.07
-38.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K €19.8K
$28.0K €25.0K
-20.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K €22.9K
$28.0K €25.0K
-8.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$107 €95.2
$210 €187
-49.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.27 €10.06
$26.70 €23.83
-57.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.50 €20.97
$30.13 €26.89
-22.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.87 €17.73
$54.6 €48.72
-63.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.03 €23.23
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.57 €4.08
$10.78 €9.62
-57.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$166 €148
$575 €513
-71.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,466 €1,308
$13.1K €11.7K
-88.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.41 €37.85
$93.2 €83.1
-54.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.57 €28.17
$40.68 €36.30
-22.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.2 €56.4
$104 €92.9
-39.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.9 €71.3
$128 €115
-37.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$278 €248
$756 €674
-63.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$228 €204
$652 €582
-65.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$479 €428
$1,294 €1,154
-62.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$360 €321
$1,163 €1,038
-69.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$911 €813
$4,008 €3,577
-77.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$700 €624
$3,452 €3,081
-79.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gjilan
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$441 €394
$1,243 €1,110
-64.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.5
4.48
0.45%

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

Last update for Gjilan: 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
Gjilan
$228
Athens
$652 186% $424
Groceries & Markets
Gjilan
$190
Athens
$315 66% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gjilan
$141
Athens
$267 88.5% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Gjilan
$98
Athens
$165 68.7% $67
Eating Out
Gjilan
$85
Athens
$269 215% $183
Sport & Entertainment
Gjilan
$29
Athens
$76 163% $47
Getting Around
Gjilan
$7.5 *
Athens
$46 516% $38

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Gjilan and $756 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens 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: $23.00 in Gjilan vs $66.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $315 per month, with Gjilan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇽🇰 Gjilan
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
07:01 7:01 AM
08:01 8:01 AM
1 h ahead of Gjilan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,239
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
  • Gjilan Athens 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Gjilan
  • 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
Gjilan vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gjilan or Athens?
Gjilan wins on cost – living expenses run 133% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gjilan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gjilan or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 182% 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 Gjilan compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $278 in Gjilan versus $756 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gjilan and in Athens?
Childcare runs $166 in Gjilan versus $575 in Athens. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Gjilan and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Gjilan – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $66.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Gjilan or in Athens?
At $774 in Gjilan versus $1,806 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gjilan or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Gjilan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $774 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gjilan hard to pass up.
How safe is Gjilan compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Gjilan 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 Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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