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 $1,614 per month in Ponta Delgada vs $1,317 in Atenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,333 per month in Ponta Delgada vs $2,246 in Atenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,052 per month in Ponta Delgada vs $3,175 in Atenas, rent included.

Ponta Delgada costs about 23% more than Atenas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ponta Delgada sits 20% above the global median, while Atenas is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.56 €9.95

$9.13 ₡4,172

26.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.02 €39.62

$51.1 ₡23.3K

-9.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 €8.49

$10.11 ₡4,621

-2.47%

Cappuccino

$1.89 €1.63

$3.75 ₡1,712

-49.60%

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

$1.82 €1.56

$2.04 ₡932

-10.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.58 ₡722

-13.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 €2.45

$3.04 ₡1,389

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.02

$4.62 ₡2,109

-24.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 €0.84

$2.03 ₡928

-52.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.88 ₡1,318

-40.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 €1.60

$2.02 ₡922

-8.42%

Eggs

$3.21 €2.76

$2.89 ₡1,319

11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.14 €14.75

$9.67 ₡4,419

77.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 €10.03

$8.71 ₡3,977

33.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.58 €15.13

$9.45 ₡4,319

86.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.04 ₡1,845

-39.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.46 ₡665

23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.40 ₡1,098

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 €2.82

$2.14 ₡977

52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$3.46 ₡1,581

-51.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.37 ₡1,084

-26.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 €2.59

$1.01 ₡462

197.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.91

$2.85 ₡1,304

-62.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 €4.02

$5.29 ₡2,416

-11.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 €5.26

$18.62 ₡8,507

-67.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.39 ₡1,094

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$2.33 ₡1,064

39.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.95 ₡889

1.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 €49.35

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 €5.10

$1.87 ₡854

216.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.77 ₡810

-24.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 €4.92

$7.97 ₡3,641

-28.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.42 ₡648

30.99%

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

$29.1K €25.0K

$37.3K ₡17.0M

-21.95%

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

$41.1K €35.4K

$32.2K ₡14.7M

27.56%

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

$150 €129

$94.9 ₡43.3K

58.39%

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

$19.04 €16.39

$26.36 ₡12.0K

-27.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.18 €26.84

$47.53 ₡21.7K

-34.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.04 €29.31

$40.43 ₡18.5K

-15.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 €17.10

$9.73 ₡4,447

104.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.53 €8.21

$8.57 ₡3,917

11.20%

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

$287 €247

$580 ₡264.9K

-50.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,959 €5,991

$6,059 ₡2.8M

14.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.22 €42.38

$62.1 ₡28.4K

-20.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 €30.26

$49.88 ₡22.8K

-29.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 €59.1

$121 ₡55.3K

-43.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €120

$107 ₡48.7K

30.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 €815

$545 ₡249.1K

73.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 €573

$404 ₡184.4K

65.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 €1,041

$1,362 ₡622.1K

-11.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$937 €807

$1,148 ₡524.7K

-18.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 €3,229

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,843 €2,447

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,454 €1,252

$1,306 ₡596.6K

11.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.02

10.17

-60.47%

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

Last update for Ponta Delgada: May 30, 2026

Last update for Atenas: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Ponta Delgada versus $545 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 11% 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 $46.00 in Ponta Delgada versus $51.0 in Atenas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $326 – 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 23%, 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 $2,421 per month in Ponta Delgada and $1,975 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 $46.00 in Ponta Delgada and $51.0 in Atenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $1,317, than in Ponta Delgada at $1,614. 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.