Cost of Living Comparison Between Nikaia and Athens Cost of Living Comparison Between Nikaia and Athens

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,403 in Nikaia versus $1,740 in Athens.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,107 in Nikaia versus $2,669 in Athens.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,810 in Nikaia versus $3,598 in Athens.

Living in Nikaia costs roughly 19% less than in Athens, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nikaia 5% above, Athens 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 €9.84

$17.18 €14.65

-32.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 €47.36

$62.5 €53.3

-11.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 €7.55

$10.34 €8.82

-14.41%

Cappuccino

$3.71 €3.16

$4.36 €3.72

-14.91%

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

$1.60 €1.36

$2.41 €2.06

-33.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 €0.50

$0.62 €0.53

-4.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 €3.96

$5.94 €5.07

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €3.84

$5.92 €5.05

-23.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.85 €1.57

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.41 €1.20

-7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 €1.91

$2.91 €2.48

-23.02%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.65

$4.96 €4.23

-13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 €9.74

$15.13 €12.91

-24.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 €7.73

$10.88 €9.28

-16.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 €12.07

$15.17 €12.94

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 €1.90

$2.29 €1.95

-2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$2.17 €1.85

9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.58 €1.35

8.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 €1.97

$2.28 €1.94

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 €1.08

$1.38 €1.18

-7.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 €1.00

$1.17 €0.99

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 €1.01

$1.28 €1.09

-7.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.01 €0.87

0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 €4.71

$5.50 €4.70

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.32 €5.39

$11.20 €9.56

-43.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.02

$2.00 €1.71

18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.50

$2.98 €2.54

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.40 €1.19

-49.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.07 €26.50

$35.21 €30.04

-11.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$4.51 €3.85

-8.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.76 €10.03

$17.32 €14.78

-32.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.80

$2.06 €1.76

2.43%

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

$28.4K €24.2K

$28.6K €24.4K

-0.80%

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

$25.1K €21.4K

$30.4K €25.9K

-17.33%

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

$215 €183

$213 €182

0.73%

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

$21.73 €18.54

$27.70 €23.63

-21.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.30 €29.26

$35.80 €30.53

-4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.61 €40.61

$55.4 €47.22

-14.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.61 €22.70

$25.86 €22.06

2.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 €8.02

$10.25 €8.74

-8.20%

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

$559 €477

$552 €471

1.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,837

$11.1K €9,440

-6.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 €55.1

$93.6 €79.8

-30.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 €27.85

$47.79 €40.76

-31.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 €59.0

$103 €87.4

-32.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €102

$121 €104

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 €424

$640 €546

-22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 €335

$569 €485

-30.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 €661

$1,166 €995

-33.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 €537

$1,018 €868

-38.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,795 €2,384

$4,244 €3,620

-34.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 €1,955

$3,498 €2,984

-34.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,370 €1,169

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.99

-11.42%

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

Last update for Nikaia: April 20, 2026

Last update for Athens: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Nikaia and $640 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56 in Nikaia vs $63 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $314 per month, with Nikaia cheaper across the board.

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

Nikaia vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nikaia wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nikaia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,105 in Nikaia and $2,611 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $497 in Nikaia versus $640 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nikaia – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $63.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,403 per month in Nikaia versus $1,740 in Athens – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,403 in Nikaia versus $1,740 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nikaia but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Nikaia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nikaia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,403 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nikaia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nikaia 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 Nikaia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.