For one person, living is cheaper in Sale: $635 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most 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 Sale and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $635 in Sale versus $1,775 in Athens.
Sale $635
Athens $1,775
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,044 in Sale versus $2,721 in Athens.
Sale $1,044
Athens $2,721
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,453 in Sale versus $3,666 in Athens.
Sale $1,453
Athens $3,666
🌍
Living in Sale costs roughly 64% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Sale is 53% below, Athens is 31% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sale
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.63MAD 35.42
$16.69€14.84
-78.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.82MAD 174
$67.8€60.3
-73.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.19MAD 70.1
$11.14€9.91
-35.46%
Cappuccino
$1.76MAD 17.20
$4.03€3.58
-56.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60MAD 5.81
$2.77€2.46
-78.34%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32MAD 3.16
$0.55€0.49
-41.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.63MAD 25.63
$5.74€5.10
-54.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05MAD 29.76
$5.45€4.85
-44.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sale
Athens
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.90MAD 8.77
$1.82€1.62
-50.55%
White Bread(500g)
$0.65MAD 6.36
$1.38€1.23
-52.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.90MAD 18.57
$2.80€2.49
-32.14%
Eggs
$1.86MAD 18.10
$4.83€4.30
-61.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.31MAD 110
$15.05€13.39
-24.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.89MAD 67.2
$10.63€9.45
-35.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.38MAD 121
$18.43€16.39
-32.83%
Apples(1kg)
$1.34MAD 13.05
$2.20€1.96
-39.09%
Banana(1kg)
$1.18MAD 11.48
$1.90€1.69
-37.89%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.84MAD 8.23
$1.37€1.22
-38.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.90MAD 8.76
$2.10€1.87
-57.14%
Potato(1kg)
$0.68MAD 6.62
$1.08€0.96
-37.04%
Onion(1kg)
$0.73MAD 7.15
$1.12€1.00
-34.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.47MAD 4.58
$1.12€1.00
-58.04%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62MAD 6.03
$0.88€0.79
-29.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.75MAD 36.51
$5.48€4.88
-31.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.74MAD 46.23
$10.13€9.01
-53.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23MAD 21.75
$2.13€1.89
4.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13MAD 20.81
$2.25€2.00
-5.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Sale
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.55MAD 5.32
$1.36€1.21
-59.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.03MAD 225
$29.89€26.59
-22.95%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.69MAD 6.78
$4.45€3.96
-84.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.50MAD 4.85
$1.02€0.90
-50.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.03MAD 39.30
$16.92€15.05
-76.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.48MAD 14.46
$2.25€2.00
-34.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0KMAD 301.9K
$28.0K€24.9K
10.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8KMAD 300.4K
$28.2K€25.1K
9.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sale
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$37.71MAD 368
$205€182
-81.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.53MAD 103
$26.65€23.71
-60.49%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.93MAD 399
$30.38€27.02
34.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sale
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.62MAD 162
$54.5€48.47
-69.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.69MAD 397
$25.88€23.02
57.23%
Cinema Ticket
$5.29MAD 51.6
$10.42€9.27
-49.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sale
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$104MAD 1,010
$569€506
-81.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,903MAD 57.6K
$12.6K€11.2K
-53.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sale
Athens
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.27MAD 315
$88.7€78.9
-63.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.59MAD 454
$40.46€35.99
15.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.9MAD 701
$105€93.3
-31.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.4MAD 648
$121€108
-45.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sale
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$208MAD 2,025
$741€659
-71.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$102MAD 994
$655€582
-84.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$356MAD 3,473
$1,300€1,156
-72.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$260MAD 2,532
$1,148€1,021
-77.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,126MAD 11.0K
$4,014€3,570
-71.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$838MAD 8,167
$3,460€3,078
-75.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sale
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$516MAD 5,033
$1,242€1,105
-58.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
4.48
11.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sale: October 12, 2026
Last update for Athens: October 10, 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sale
$195 30.8%
Athens
$310 17.5% ↑ 58.9%$115
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sale
$102 16.1%
Athens
$655 36.9% ↑ 542%$553
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sale
$98 15.4%
Athens
$160 9% ↑ 63.6%$62
🍽Eating Out
Sale
$95 14.9%
Athens
$268 15.1% ↑ 183%$173
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sale
$89 14.1%
Athens
$262 14.7% ↑ 193%$172
🚌Getting Around
Sale
$28 4.5%
Athens
$45 2.5% ↑ 58.1%$16
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sale
$27 4.3%
Athens
$75 4.2% ↑ 177%$48
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sale
$452 31.1%
Athens
$726 19.8% ↑ 60.8%$275
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sale
$260 17.9%
Athens
$1.1K 31.3% ↑ 342%$888
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sale
$217 15%
Athens
$355 9.7% ↑ 63.6%$138
🍽Eating Out
Sale
$272 18.7%
Athens
$879 24% ↑ 224%$608
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sale
$100 6.9%
Athens
$288 7.9% ↑ 189%$189
🚌Getting Around
Sale
$58 4%
Athens
$92 2.5% ↑ 59.8%$35
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sale
$95 6.6%
Athens
$177 4.8% ↑ 85.6%$81
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Sale and $741 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays 141% 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: $18.00 in Sale vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $310 per month, with Sale 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
Sale vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sale or Athens?
Sale wins on cost – living expenses run 180% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sale the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Sale or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 141% 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 Sale compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $208 in Sale versus $741 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Sale and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Sale – a meal for two runs $18.00 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 Sale compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $635 per month in Sale versus $1,775 in Athens – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Sale or in Athens?
At $635 in Sale versus $1,775 in Athens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sale but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Sale the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sale or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Sale delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $635 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sale hard to pass up.
How safe is Sale compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Sale 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 Sale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.