Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hella and Athens

For one person, living costs are similar in Hella and in Athens: $1,722 and $1,775 a month, rent and utilities included.

Hella
🇮🇸 Iceland
$1,722
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,722 in Hella versus $1,775 in Athens.

  • Hella $1,722
  • Athens $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,928 in Hella versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Hella $2,928
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,135 in Hella versus $3,666 in Athens.

  • Hella $4,135
  • Athens $3,666

Living in Hella costs roughly 3% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hella 28% above, Athens 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hella
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$31.26 ISK 3,791
$16.69 €14.84
87.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123 ISK 14.9K
$67.8 €60.3
80.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$27.14 ISK 3,291
$11.14 €9.91
143.63%
Cappuccino
$6.93 ISK 841
$4.03 €3.58
71.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 ISK 407
$2.77 €2.46
21.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ISK 373
$0.55 €0.49
458.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.71 ISK 1,663
$5.74 €5.10
138.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.32 ISK 1,495
$5.45 €4.85
126.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hella
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 ISK 247
$1.82 €1.62
12.09%
White Bread (500g)
$4.26 ISK 516
$1.38 €1.23
208.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.58 ISK 434
$2.80 €2.49
27.86%
Eggs
$6.99 ISK 848
$4.83 €4.30
44.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.00 ISK 2,668
$15.05 €13.39
46.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$24.51 ISK 2,973
$10.63 €9.45
130.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.04 ISK 4,978
$18.43 €16.39
122.68%
Apples (1kg)
$3.35 ISK 406
$2.20 €1.96
52.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.86 ISK 347
$1.90 €1.69
50.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.13 ISK 379
$1.37 €1.22
128.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.62 ISK 803
$2.10 €1.87
215.24%
Potato (1kg)
$3.81 ISK 463
$1.08 €0.96
252.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 ISK 208
$1.12 €1.00
52.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.78 ISK 458
$1.12 €1.00
237.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ISK 215
$0.88 €0.79
101.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.79 ISK 1,672
$5.48 €4.88
151.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.61 ISK 2,863
$10.13 €9.01
133.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.71 ISK 449
$2.13 €1.89
74.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ISK 425
$2.25 €2.00
55.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Hella
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.36 €1.21
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.89 €26.59
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.61 ISK 802
$4.45 €3.96
48.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.76 ISK 335
$1.02 €0.90
170.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$81.2 ISK 9,844
$16.92 €15.05
379.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 ISK 253
$2.25 €2.00
-7.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.2K ISK 6.2M
$28.0K €24.9K
82.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$54.1K ISK 6.6M
$28.2K €25.1K
91.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hella
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ISK 11.5K
$205 €182
-53.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.16 ISK 4,022
$26.65 €23.71
24.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.7 ISK 10.6K
$30.38 €27.02
188.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hella
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$54.5 €48.47
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.88 €23.02
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.67 ISK 2,386
$10.42 €9.27
88.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hella
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,198 ISK 145.2K
$569 €506
110.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.7K ISK 3.1M
$12.6K €11.2K
103.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hella
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$147 ISK 17.8K
$88.7 €78.9
65.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.0 ISK 8,130
$40.46 €35.99
65.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$183 ISK 22.2K
$105 €93.3
74.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$253 ISK 30.7K
$121 €108
108.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hella
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$741 €659
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$655 €582
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,300 €1,156
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,148 €1,021
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,014 €3,570
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,460 €3,078
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hella
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,242 €1,105
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.81
4.48
96.65%

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

Last update for Hella: October 11, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Hella
$620
Athens
$310 50% $310
Eating Out
Hella
$534
Athens
$268 49.8% $265
Clothing & Footwear
Hella
$292
Athens
$160 45.3% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hella
$216
Athens
$262 21.1% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Hella
$39 *
Athens
$75 91.5% $36
Getting Around
Hella
$20 *
Athens
$45 120% $24
Accommodation & Living
Hella
- *
Athens
$655

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $123 in Hella vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $620 vs $310 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇸 Hella
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
03:16 3:16 AM
06:16 6:16 AM
3 h ahead of Hella
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
900
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hella Athens 4,080 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hella
  • 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
Hella vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hella or Athens?
Hella wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hella the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hella and in Athens?
You'd need roughly $2,583 in Hella and $2,662 in Athens to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do childcare costs compare in Hella and in Athens?
Childcare runs $1,198 in Hella versus $569 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 Hella and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Hella – a meal for two runs $123 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Hella or in Athens?
At $1,722 in Hella versus $1,775 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hella but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Hella the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hella or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Hella delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,722 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hella hard to pass up.
How safe is Hella compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Hella 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 Hella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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