Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kollam and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Kollam: $284 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kollam
🇮🇳 India
$284
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $284 in Kollam versus $1,775 in Athens.

  • Kollam $284
  • Athens $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $448 in Kollam versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Kollam $448
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $613 in Kollam versus $3,666 in Athens.

  • Kollam $613
  • Athens $3,666

Living in Kollam costs roughly 84% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kollam is 79% below, Athens is 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kollam
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.04 ₹98.3
$16.69 €14.84
-93.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$6.43 ₹610
$67.8 €60.3
-90.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.21 ₹305
$11.14 €9.91
-71.18%
Cappuccino
$1.40 ₹133
$4.03 €3.58
-65.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₹34.41
$2.77 €2.46
-87.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11 ₹10.75
$0.55 €0.49
-80.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.33 ₹126
$5.74 €5.10
-76.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 ₹178
$5.45 €4.84
-65.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kollam
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.60 ₹57.1
$1.82 €1.62
-67.03%
White Bread (500g)
$0.49 ₹46.48
$1.38 €1.23
-64.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.50 ₹47.86
$2.80 €2.49
-82.14%
Eggs
$0.84 ₹79.3
$4.83 €4.30
-82.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.67 ₹349
$15.05 €13.39
-75.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.03 ₹193
$10.63 €9.45
-80.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$18.43 €16.39
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.59 ₹151
$2.20 €1.96
-27.73%
Banana (1kg)
$0.56 ₹53.1
$1.90 €1.69
-70.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 ₹69.6
$1.37 €1.22
-46.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.39 ₹37.32
$2.10 €1.87
-81.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.35 ₹32.80
$1.08 €0.96
-67.59%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 ₹36.16
$1.12 €1.00
-66.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.63 ₹60.1
$1.12 €1.00
-43.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.25 ₹23.57
$0.88 €0.79
-71.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.96 ₹471
$5.48 €4.88
-9.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.55 ₹242
$10.13 €9.01
-74.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 ₹190
$2.13 €1.89
-6.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 ₹263
$2.25 €2.00
23.11%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$3.32 ₹315
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kollam
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 ₹15.03
$1.36 €1.21
-88.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.00 ₹665
$29.89 €26.59
-76.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.83 ₹78.4
$4.45 €3.96
-81.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.30 ₹28.44
$1.02 €0.90
-70.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 ₹199
$16.92 €15.05
-87.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ₹105
$2.25 €2.00
-50.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$9,113 ₹865.3K
$28.0K €24.9K
-67.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.5K ₹1.6M
$28.2K €25.1K
-41.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kollam
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$32.54 ₹3,089
$205 €182
-84.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.04 ₹289
$26.65 €23.70
-88.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.20 ₹494
$30.38 €27.02
-82.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kollam
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.66 ₹1,297
$54.5 €48.46
-74.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.25 ₹973
$25.88 €23.02
-60.39%
Cinema Ticket
$1.54 ₹146
$10.42 €9.27
-85.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kollam
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$20.80 ₹1,975
$569 €506
-96.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,666 ₹253.2K
$12.6K €11.2K
-78.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kollam
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.55 ₹1,571
$88.7 €78.9
-81.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.17 ₹2,200
$40.46 €35.99
-42.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$25.79 ₹2,449
$105 €93.3
-75.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$24.53 ₹2,329
$121 €108
-79.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kollam
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$83.1 ₹7,893
$741 €659
-88.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$46.94 ₹4,457
$655 €582
-92.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$183 ₹17.4K
$1,300 €1,156
-85.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$117 ₹11.1K
$1,148 €1,021
-89.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$830 ₹78.8K
$4,014 €3,570
-79.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$441 ₹41.9K
$3,460 €3,078
-87.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kollam
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$513 ₹48.7K
$1,242 €1,105
-58.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.13
4.48
103.79%

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

Last update for Kollam: October 12, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kollam
$82
Athens
$310 280% $229
Eating Out
Kollam
$47
Athens
$268 471% $221
Accommodation & Living
Kollam
$47
Athens
$655 1295% $608
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kollam
$41
Athens
$262 542% $221
Clothing & Footwear
Kollam
$41
Athens
$160 295% $119
Sport & Entertainment
Kollam
$17
Athens
$75 350% $59
Getting Around
Kollam
$10
Athens
$45 351% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $83.1 in Kollam and $741 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 142% 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: $6.00 in Kollam vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $82.0 vs $310 per month, with Kollam cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Kollam
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
20:23 8:23 PM
17:53 5:53 PM
2 h 30 min behind Kollam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
367,107
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kollam Athens 6,180 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kollam
  • 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
Kollam vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kollam or Athens?
Kollam wins on cost – living expenses run 526% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kollam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Kollam or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 142% 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 Kollam compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $83.1 in Kollam 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 Kollam and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Kollam – a meal for two runs $6.00 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 Kollam compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $284 per month in Kollam versus $1,775 in Athens – a 526% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kollam or in Athens?
At $284 in Kollam versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kollam but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Kollam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kollam or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kollam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $284 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kollam hard to pass up.
How safe is Kollam compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Kollam 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 Kollam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 526% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Kollam vs other spots: cost of living compared

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