Cost of Living Comparison Between Ponta Delgada and Atenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Ponta Delgada and Atenas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,745 per month in Ponta Delgada vs $1,438 in Atenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,449 per month in Ponta Delgada vs $2,463 in Atenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,153 per month in Ponta Delgada vs $3,488 in Atenas, rent included.

Ponta Delgada costs about 21% more than Atenas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ponta Delgada and Atenas sit above the global median – Ponta Delgada by 27%, Atenas by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.18 €12.23

$9.93 ₡4,445

42.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.87 €40.40

$56.3 ₡25.2K

-16.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 €9.67

$11.51 ₡5,152

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$1.84 €1.58

$3.83 ₡1,714

-51.96%

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

$1.93 €1.66

$2.61 ₡1,167

-26.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.87 ₡835

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 €2.80

$3.39 ₡1,515

-4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 €3.33

$4.44 ₡1,987

-13.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 €0.86

$2.34 ₡1,046

-57.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.49

$3.13 ₡1,400

-44.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 €1.54

$2.24 ₡1,003

-20.54%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.74

$3.51 ₡1,569

-9.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 €14.91

$10.55 ₡4,721

63.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.90 €10.26

$9.64 ₡4,313

23.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 €15.17

$10.19 ₡4,559

72.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.33 ₡1,937

-43.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.64 ₡736

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.68 ₡1,199

-18.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 €2.74

$2.44 ₡1,092

30.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 €1.39

$3.65 ₡1,635

-55.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.65 ₡1,187

-33.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.09 ₡486

167.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.94

$3.13 ₡1,400

-65.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 €4.46

$5.82 ₡2,605

-11.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 €5.25

$18.60 ₡8,326

-67.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.74 ₡1,228

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.75

$2.56 ₡1,147

24.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.54

$2.14 ₡959

-16.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 €50.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 €5.02

$2.47 ₡1,106

135.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.59 ₡711

-7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 €4.88

$8.54 ₡3,821

-33.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.53 ₡684

32.68%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$21.7K ₡9.7M

62.57%

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

$42.1K €36.3K

$34.3K ₡15.4M

22.80%

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

$148 €127

$95.9 ₡42.9K

53.88%

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

$19.26 €16.60

$35.80 ₡16.0K

-46.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.95 €37.89

$52.8 ₡23.6K

-16.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.86 €29.18

$48.73 ₡21.8K

-30.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 €17.83

$10.91 ₡4,882

89.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 €8.53

$8.44 ₡3,777

17.30%

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

$294 €254

$995 ₡445.2K

-70.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,078 €6,101

$6,540 ₡2.9M

8.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 €42.86

$70.7 ₡31.6K

-29.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.50 €30.60

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-36.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 €60.5

$128 ₡57.3K

-45.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €119

$130 ₡58.4K

5.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 €1,071

$613 ₡274.4K

102.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 €620

$446 ₡199.5K

61.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 €1,255

$1,524 ₡682.2K

-4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$962 €830

$1,244 ₡556.9K

-22.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,185 €3,607

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,101 €2,673

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,461 €1,259

$1,323 ₡592.0K

10.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.71

8.78

-57.74%

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

Last update for Ponta Delgada: September 7, 2026

Last update for Atenas: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,243 in Ponta Delgada versus $613 in Atenas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Ponta Delgada, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Ponta Delgada versus $56.0 in Atenas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $357 – making Ponta Delgada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ponta Delgada vs Atenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ponta Delgada is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,617 per month in Ponta Delgada and $2,157 in Atenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Atenas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Ponta Delgada and $56.0 in Atenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Ponta Delgada – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Atenas, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Ponta Delgada at $1,745. In Atenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ponta Delgada it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Atenas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Atenas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ponta Delgada makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.