For one person, living is cheaper in Nis: $1,033 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nis and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,033 in Nis versus $1,806 in Athens.
Nis $1,033
Athens $1,806
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,512 in Nis versus $2,731 in Athens.
Nis $1,512
Athens $2,731
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Nis versus $3,656 in Athens.
Nis $1,991
Athens $3,656
🌍
Living in Nis costs roughly 43% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Nis is 23% below, Athens is 35% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Nis
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.78RSD 917
$16.66€14.85
-47.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.92RSD 3,541
$66.2€59.0
-48.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.57RSD 999
$11.06€9.86
-13.47%
Cappuccino
$1.97RSD 206
$4.14€3.69
-52.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31RSD 242
$2.80€2.50
-17.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74RSD 182
$0.57€0.51
205.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.61RSD 377
$5.64€5.03
-35.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49RSD 469
$5.46€4.86
-17.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nis
Athens
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14RSD 120
$1.96€1.74
-41.84%
White Bread(500g)
$0.70RSD 73.2
$1.41€1.25
-50.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76RSD 184
$2.83€2.53
-37.81%
Eggs
$2.35RSD 246
$5.04€4.49
-53.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.65RSD 799
$15.35€13.68
-50.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.72RSD 597
$10.34€9.22
-44.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.59RSD 1,105
$18.97€16.92
-44.18%
Apples(1kg)
$1.11RSD 116
$2.17€1.93
-48.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68RSD 175
$1.91€1.70
-12.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50RSD 157
$1.38€1.23
8.70%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.17RSD 226
$2.20€1.96
-1.36%
Potato(1kg)
$0.78RSD 81.8
$1.10€0.98
-29.09%
Onion(1kg)
$0.72RSD 74.7
$1.13€1.00
-36.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.64RSD 66.6
$1.10€0.98
-41.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58RSD 60.6
$0.83€0.74
-30.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.42RSD 461
$5.60€4.99
-21.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.78RSD 604
$10.19€9.08
-43.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.72RSD 75.3
$2.18€1.95
-66.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29RSD 135
$2.45€2.18
-47.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Nis
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.38€1.23
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$30.87€27.52
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.84RSD 192
$4.37€3.90
-57.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.66RSD 68.8
$1.04€0.93
-36.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.29RSD 866
$17.11€15.26
-51.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89RSD 198
$2.31€2.06
-18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7KRSD 3.2M
$28.0K€24.9K
9.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0KRSD 2.5M
$28.0K€25.0K
-14.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nis
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$160RSD 16.8K
$210€187
-23.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.03RSD 1,987
$26.70€23.80
-28.73%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.20RSD 2,318
$30.13€26.86
-26.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nis
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$30.54RSD 3,188
$54.6€48.68
-44.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65RSD 1,634
$26.03€23.21
-39.88%
Cinema Ticket
$4.68RSD 489
$10.78€9.61
-56.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nis
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$252RSD 26.4K
$575€513
-56.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,989RSD 520.9K
$13.1K€11.7K
-61.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nis
Athens
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.4RSD 9,234
$93.2€83.1
-5.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.42RSD 3,906
$40.68€36.27
-8.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.3RSD 10.4K
$104€92.8
-4.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112RSD 11.7K
$128€114
-12.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nis
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$398RSD 41.5K
$756€674
-47.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$277RSD 28.9K
$652€582
-57.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$591RSD 61.7K
$1,294€1,153
-54.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$397RSD 41.5K
$1,163€1,037
-65.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,531RSD 264.2K
$4,008€3,574
-36.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,884RSD 196.7K
$3,452€3,078
-45.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nis
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$901RSD 94.0K
$1,243€1,109
-27.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.12
4.48
14.29%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Nis: October 6, 2026
Last update for Athens: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Nis
$277 27.1%
Athens
$652 36.5% ↑ 135%$375
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nis
$202 19.7%
Athens
$267 14.9% ↑ 32.2%$65
🛒Groceries & Markets
Nis
$182 17.8%
Athens
$315 17.6% ↑ 73.2%$133
🍽Eating Out
Nis
$166 16.2%
Athens
$269 15% ↑ 62%$103
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Nis
$152 14.8%
Athens
$165 9.2% ↑ 8.7%$13
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Nis
$40 3.9%
Athens
$76 4.3% ↑ 90.9%$36
🚌Getting Around
Nis
$5.1 * 0.5%
Athens
$46 2.6% ↑ 794%$41
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Nis
$397 20%
Athens
$1.2K 31.4% ↑ 193%$765
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nis
$221 11.1%
Athens
$293 7.9% ↑ 32.9%$73
🛒Groceries & Markets
Nis
$428 21.6%
Athens
$737 19.9% ↑ 72.1%$309
🍽Eating Out
Nis
$494 24.9%
Athens
$873 23.6% ↑ 76.6%$379
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Nis
$337 17%
Athens
$366 9.9% ↑ 8.7%$29
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Nis
$95 4.8%
Athens
$178 4.8% ↑ 86.8%$83
🚌Getting Around
Nis
$10 * 0.5%
Athens
$95 2.6% ↑ 822%$84
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Nis and $756 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays 38% 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: $34.00 in Nis vs $66.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $315 per month, with Nis cheaper across the board.
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
Nis vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nis or Athens?
Nis wins on cost – living expenses run 75% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nis the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Nis or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 38% 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 Nis compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $398 in Nis versus $756 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Nis and in Athens?
Childcare runs $252 in Nis versus $575 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 Nis and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Nis – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $66.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Nis or in Athens?
At $1,033 in Nis versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nis but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Nis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nis or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nis delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,033 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nis hard to pass up.
How safe is Nis compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Nis 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 Nis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.