Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rennes and Athens

For one person, living costs are similar in Rennes and in Athens: $1,722 and $1,771 a month, rent and utilities included.

Rennes
🇫🇷 France
$1,722
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,722 in Rennes versus $1,771 in Athens.

  • Rennes $1,722
  • Athens $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,694 in Rennes versus $2,736 in Athens.

  • Rennes $2,694
  • Athens $2,736

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Rennes versus $3,701 in Athens.

  • Rennes $3,666
  • Athens $3,701

Living in Rennes costs roughly 3% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rennes 27% above, Athens 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rennes
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.73 €13.10
$16.83 €14.97
-12.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2 €60.7
$68.2 €60.7
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.30 €11.83
$11.43 €10.17
16.36%
Cappuccino
$3.53 €3.14
$4.06 €3.61
-13.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.31
$2.74 €2.44
-5.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 €1.85
$0.53 €0.47
292.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.93 €7.06
$5.69 €5.06
39.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71 €5.08
$5.68 €5.06
0.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rennes
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.85 €1.64
-35.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.44 €1.28
37.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.33 €2.96
$2.82 €2.51
18.09%
Eggs
$3.68 €3.28
$4.86 €4.32
-24.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.15 €15.25
$15.27 €13.58
12.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.44 €11.95
$10.36 €9.21
29.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.62 €21.01
$19.10 €16.99
23.66%
Apples (1kg)
$3.27 €2.91
$2.22 €1.98
47.30%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.92 €1.71
4.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.50 €2.22
$1.41 €1.25
77.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.30 €2.94
$2.04 €1.82
61.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.05 €0.93
126.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.17 €1.04
23.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.38
$1.08 €0.96
43.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.80
$0.84 €0.75
7.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.25 €11.78
$5.49 €4.89
141.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.89 €6.13
$10.17 €9.05
-32.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.41 €3.03
$2.13 €1.90
60.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 €3.10
$2.28 €2.03
52.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Rennes
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.37 €1.22
36.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.2 €50.8
$29.71 €26.43
92.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.78 €7.81
$4.39 €3.90
100.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 €1.08
$1.00 €0.89
21.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.98 €29.34
$16.63 €14.79
98.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.38 €2.11
-9.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K €30.9K
$28.4K €25.3K
22.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €33.4K
$27.2K €24.2K
38.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rennes
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 €139
$203 €181
-23.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.30 €11.83
$26.79 €23.83
-50.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.84 €27.43
$30.16 €26.82
2.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rennes
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.83 €36.31
$53.7 €47.74
-23.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.48 €11.11
$26.40 €23.48
-52.73%
Cinema Ticket
$13.65 €12.14
$10.59 €9.42
28.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rennes
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$904 €805
$566 €504
59.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,919 €8,823
$12.9K €11.4K
-22.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rennes
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.3 €75.9
$89.1 €79.3
-4.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.5 €50.3
$40.48 €36.01
39.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 €100.0
$104 €92.3
8.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 €92.3
$124 €111
-16.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rennes
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$789 €702
$729 €648
8.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$574 €511
$647 €576
-11.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,361 €1,210
$1,328 €1,181
2.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,048 €932
$1,169 €1,040
-10.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,353 €5,651
$4,024 €3,579
57.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,149 €2,801
$3,483 €3,098
-9.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rennes
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,873 €2,555
$1,240 €1,103
131.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.91
4.48
-12.72%

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

Last update for Rennes: October 18, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rennes
$574
Athens
$647 12.7% $73
Groceries & Markets
Rennes
$369
Athens
$312 15.3% $57
Eating Out
Rennes
$270
Athens
$271 0.3% $0.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rennes
$200
Athens
$260 29.9% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Rennes
$161
Athens
$161 0.1% $0.2
Getting Around
Rennes
$79
Athens
$45 43.9% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Rennes
$68
Athens
$75 9.9% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Rennes and $729 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rennes pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Rennes vs $68.0 in Athens. Groceries flip the comparison at $369 vs $312, with Athens cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Rennes
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
15:15 3:15 PM
16:15 4:15 PM
1 h ahead of Rennes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
225,081
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rennes Athens 2,340 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Rennes
  • 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
Rennes vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rennes or Athens?
Rennes wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rennes the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Rennes or in Athens?
Average pay runs 132% higher in Rennes, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Rennes compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $789 in Rennes versus $729 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Rennes and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Rennes – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Rennes compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $1,722 per month in Rennes versus $1,771 in Athens – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Rennes or in Athens?
At $1,722 in Rennes versus $1,771 in Athens, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rennes but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Rennes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Rennes or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Rennes delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,722 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rennes hard to pass up.
How safe is Rennes compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Rennes 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 Rennes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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