Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Greece and the United States

For one person, living is cheaper in Greece: $1,543 a month against $2,701 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇬🇷 Greece
$1,543
/mo nomad
🇺🇸 United States
$2,701
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Greece and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Greece and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,543 in Greece versus $2,701 in the United States.

  • Greece $1,543
  • United States $2,701

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,346 in Greece versus $3,980 in the United States.

  • Greece $2,346
  • United States $3,980

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,149 in Greece versus $5,258 in the United States.

  • Greece $3,149
  • United States $5,258

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $980 to $5,162, compared to $1,027–$2,113 in Greece. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Greece costs about 43% less than in the United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Greece 14% above, the United States 100% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Greece
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.82
$19.92 $19.92
-16.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.1 €48.97
$81.0 $81.0
-32.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.01 €9.79
$12.07 $12.07
-8.78%
Cappuccino
$3.80 €3.38
$5.55 $5.55
-31.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.25
$2.67 $2.67
-5.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 €0.56
$2.09 $2.09
-69.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.07
$5.96 $5.96
-4.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.60 €4.98
$7.76 $7.76
-27.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Greece
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 €1.52
$1.05 $1.05
62.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.27
$3.55 $3.55
-59.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.63 €2.34
$4.64 $4.64
-43.32%
Eggs
$4.66 €4.14
$4.18 $4.18
11.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.96 €12.42
$12.76 $12.76
9.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.28 €9.14
$12.63 $12.63
-18.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.42 €13.72
$17.22 $17.22
-10.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$5.15 $5.15
-59.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 €1.83
$1.64 $1.64
25.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 €1.33
$4.46 $4.46
-66.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$4.98 $4.98
-56.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 €1.08
$2.84 $2.84
-57.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 €1.02
$3.09 $3.09
-62.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.97
$2.19 $2.19
-49.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.76
$2.27 $2.27
-62.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.24 €4.66
$10.61 $10.61
-50.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.10 €8.10
$14.71 $14.71
-38.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.10 $2.10
-9.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.46
$3.82 $3.82
-27.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Greece
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.35 $2.35
-41.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.96 €30.20
$64.1 $64.1
-46.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 €3.86
$3.57 $3.57
21.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.85 $1.85
-37.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.62 €14.79
$30.19 $30.19
-44.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.07 $1.07
103.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$35.3K $35.3K
-20.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K €24.4K
$25.9K $25.9K
5.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greece
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 €192
$217 $217
-0.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.54 €21.83
$61.4 $61.4
-60.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.78 €28.27
$74.4 $74.4
-57.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Greece
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.41 €43.95
$45.08 $45.08
9.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.46 €19.97
$23.07 $23.07
-2.64%
Cinema Ticket
$9.61 €8.55
$14.79 $14.79
-35.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Greece
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$440 €391
$1,480 $1,480
-70.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,954 €8,854
$25.5K $25.5K
-60.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Greece
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 €78.1
$53.0 $53.0
65.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.51 €35.15
$42.75 $42.75
-7.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 €83.5
$94.3 $94.3
-0.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 €104
$115 $115
1.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Greece
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$547 €487
$1,678 $1,678
-67.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 €393
$1,313 $1,313
-66.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$897 €798
$2,649 $2,649
-66.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$758 €674
$2,183 $2,183
-65.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,995 €2,664
$3,374 $3,374
-11.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,392 €2,128
$2,661 $2,661
-10.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Greece
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,111 €988
$4,404 $4,404
-74.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.54
6.55
-30.69%

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

Last update for Greece: October 11, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Greece
$442
United States
$1.3K 197% $871
Groceries & Markets
Greece
$293
United States
$411 40.1% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greece
$272
United States
$352 29.4% $80
Eating Out
Greece
$264
United States
$327 23.6% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Greece
$152
United States
$137 9.7% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Greece
$69
United States
$75 8.8% $6
Getting Around
Greece
$50
United States
$86 74.1% $37

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $504 in Greece, $1,609 in the United States. Capital cities: $741 in Athens vs $2,730 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $1,079 in Greece, $4,533 in the United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 219% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 42% more in the United States.

Public transport is 48% more expensive in Greece.

Salaries are 320% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Greece
🇺🇸 United States
🕒 Local time
12:17 12:17 PM
05:17 5:17 AM
7 h behind Greece
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,482,487
340,110,988
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Greece United States 9,170 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Greece
  • United States

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
Greece vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Greece compare to the cost in the United States?
At $1,543 per month in Greece and $2,701 in the United States, there's a 75% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Is rent more expensive in Greece or in the United States?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,609 in the United States and $504 in Greece. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Can you live in both Greece and the United States on $2,000 per month?
In Greece, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Greece or the United States?
It depends on what you're after: Greece wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Greece vs other spots: cost of living compared

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