Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Athens
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Athens Living Index

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Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Athens

🇬🇷 Greece

$1,775

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $133 in Maharagama versus $1,775 in Athens.

Maharagama $133
Athens $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $250 in Maharagama versus $2,721 in Athens.

Maharagama $250
Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $367 in Maharagama versus $3,666 in Athens.

Maharagama $367
Athens $3,666

Living in Maharagama costs roughly 92% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maharagama is 90% below, Athens is 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 LKR 1,785

$16.69 €14.84

-67.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.20 LKR 6,690

$67.8 €60.3

-70.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 LKR 2,260

$11.14 €9.91

-38.78%

Cappuccino

$2.12 LKR 701

$4.03 €3.58

-47.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 196

$2.77 €2.46

-78.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LKR 94.8

$0.55 €0.49

-47.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €5.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.45 €4.85

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 LKR 307

$1.82 €1.62

-48.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 LKR 83.2

$1.38 €1.23

-81.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.49 LKR 162

$2.80 €2.49

-82.50%

Eggs

$1.49 LKR 494

$4.83 €4.30

-69.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €13.39

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 €9.45

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.43 €16.39

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 €1.96

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 €1.69

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 €1.22

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.87

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 €0.96

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 €1.00

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 €1.00

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 €4.88

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 €9.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €2.00

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 €1.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.89 €26.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 146

$4.45 €3.96

-90.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 LKR 155

$1.02 €0.90

-53.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.92 €15.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €2.00

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.0K €24.9K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.2K €25.1K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$205 €182

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.63 LKR 1,534

$26.65 €23.71

-82.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 LKR 4,510

$30.38 €27.02

-55.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 €48.47

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.88 €23.02

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 €9.27

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$569 €506

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K €11.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 €78.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.46 €35.99

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €93.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €108

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 €659

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 €582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 LKR 65.3K

$1,300 €1,156

-84.82%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 80.7K

$1,242 €1,105

-80.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

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

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Maharagama

–

Athens

$655 36.9%

Groceries & Markets

Maharagama

–

Athens

$310 17.5%

Eating Out

Maharagama

–

Athens

$268 15.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maharagama

–

Athens

$262 14.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Maharagama

–

Athens

$160 9%

Sport & Entertainment

Maharagama

–

Athens

$75 4.2%

Getting Around

Maharagama

–

Athens

$45 2.5%

Cost Breakdown

Athens pays 410% 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: $20.00 in Maharagama vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $20.00 vs $310 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🇬🇷 Athens

🕒 Local time

11:32 11:32 AM

09:02 9:02 AM

2 h 30 min behind Maharagama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,400

3,090,508 Capital

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Maharagama Athens 6,610 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Maharagama
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

Maharagama vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maharagama wins on cost – living expenses run 1232% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Maharagama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 410% 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.

All in, you'll spend $133 per month in Maharagama versus $1,775 in Athens – a 1232% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1476% higher in Athens. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $133 in Maharagama versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maharagama but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Maharagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Maharagama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $133 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Maharagama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Maharagama 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.

Expats usually find Maharagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1232% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.