Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazar-i-Sharif and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $290 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Athens, Greece
Mazar-i-Sharif
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
$290
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $290 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,779 in Athens.

  • Mazar-i-Sharif $290
  • Athens $1,779

Estimated couple costs with rent: $460 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Mazar-i-Sharif $460
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $629 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $3,663 in Athens.

  • Mazar-i-Sharif $629
  • Athens $3,663

Living in Mazar-i-Sharif costs roughly 84% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mazar-i-Sharif is 79% below, Athens is 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.30 ؋149
$16.83 €14.99
-86.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.53 ؋1,010
$66.0 €58.8
-76.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.05 ؋263
$11.21 €9.98
-63.87%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.90 ؋514
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.85 ؋510
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.18 ؋76.8
$4.08 €3.64
-71.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ؋37.69
$2.77 €2.47
-79.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ؋19.48
$0.54 €0.48
-44.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.70 €5.07
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.26 €5.58
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.64 ؋41.35
$1.84 €1.64
-65.22%
White Bread (500g)
$0.18 ؋11.90
$1.43 €1.27
-87.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.10 ؋137
$2.67 €2.38
-21.35%
Eggs
$1.61 ؋104
$4.95 €4.41
-67.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.65 ؋498
$15.09 €13.44
-49.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.39 ؋221
$10.99 €9.79
-69.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.29 ؋409
$19.77 €17.60
-68.18%
Apples (1kg)
$0.56 ؋36.14
$2.12 €1.89
-73.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.13 ؋73.2
$1.98 €1.76
-42.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.81 ؋52.7
$1.33 €1.18
-39.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.65 ؋42.18
$2.16 €1.92
-69.91%
Potato (1kg)
$0.48 ؋30.97
$1.06 €0.94
-54.72%
Onion (1kg)
$0.39 ؋25.10
$1.15 €1.02
-66.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 ؋34.09
$1.08 €0.96
-51.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32 ؋20.95
$0.85 €0.75
-62.35%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.90 ؋123
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.57 ؋102
$5.46 €4.86
-71.25%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.03 €8.93
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.04 €1.82
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.38 €2.12
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ؋48.58
$1.35 €1.20
-44.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.52 €27.18
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.81 €3.39
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.03 €0.92
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.55 ؋101
$16.49 €14.68
-90.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 ؋98.3
$2.34 €2.09
-35.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$9,767 ؋635.0K
$27.8K €24.7K
-64.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.6K €23.7K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.3 ؋5,221
$202 €180
-60.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.25 ؋1,122
$26.81 €23.87
-35.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$30.49 €27.14
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$11.61 ؋755
$54.1 €48.14
-78.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.89 ؋253
$27.40 €24.40
-85.80%
Cinema Ticket
$4.69 ؋305
$10.44 €9.30
-55.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$77.0 ؋5,006
$568 €505
-86.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$15.2K €13.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.23 ؋860
$90.7 €80.7
-85.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$39.32 €35.01
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$105 €93.7
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.44 ؋1,199
$129 €115
-85.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$742 €661
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$648 €577
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,271 €1,132
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,122 €999
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,999 €3,561
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,281 €2,921
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mazar-i-Sharif
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$231 ؋15.0K
$1,245 €1,109
-81.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.44
-

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

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: November 1, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mazar-i-Sharif
–
Athens
$648
Groceries & Markets
Mazar-i-Sharif
–
Athens
$316
Eating Out
Mazar-i-Sharif
–
Athens
$272
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mazar-i-Sharif
–
Athens
$260
Clothing & Footwear
Mazar-i-Sharif
–
Athens
$164
Sport & Entertainment
Mazar-i-Sharif
–
Athens
$75
Getting Around
Mazar-i-Sharif
–
Athens
$45

Cost Breakdown

Athens pays about 5.4 times 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: $16 in Mazar-i-Sharif vs $66 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $316 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
11:45 11:45 AM
09:15 9:15 AM
2 h 30 min behind Mazar-i-Sharif
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
300,600
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to AFN – Afghanistan Afghani Converter

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 65.02 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.99 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mazar-i-Sharif Athens 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mazar-i-Sharif
  • 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
Mazar-i-Sharif vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mazar-i-Sharif or Athens?
Mazar-i-Sharif wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Mazar-i-Sharif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mazar-i-Sharif or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 81% lower in Mazar-i-Sharif. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do childcare costs compare in Mazar-i-Sharif and in Athens?
Childcare runs $77 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $568 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 Mazar-i-Sharif and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif – a meal for two runs $16 versus $66 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mazar-i-Sharif or in Athens?
At $290 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,779 in Athens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mazar-i-Sharif but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Mazar-i-Sharif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Mazar-i-Sharif or Athens?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Mazar-i-Sharif or to Athens?
It comes down to priorities – Mazar-i-Sharif wins on affordability, Athens on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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