Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Setubal and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Setubal: $1,634 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Athens despite lower rent and utilities.

Setubal
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,634
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,634 in Setubal versus $1,775 in Athens.

  • Setubal $1,634
  • Athens $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,343 in Setubal versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Setubal $2,343
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,052 in Setubal versus $3,666 in Athens.

  • Setubal $3,052
  • Athens $3,666

Living in Setubal costs roughly 8% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Setubal 21% above, Athens 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Setubal
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.33 €10.97
$16.69 €14.84
-26.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.13 €41.92
$67.8 €60.3
-30.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.15 €8.14
$11.14 €9.91
-17.86%
Cappuccino
$2.01 €1.79
$4.03 €3.58
-50.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.77 €2.46
-26.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 €1.35
$0.55 €0.49
176.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 €1.95
$5.74 €5.10
-61.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.94
$5.45 €4.85
-39.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Setubal
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 €0.95
$1.82 €1.62
-41.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.38 €1.23
7.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 €1.51
$2.80 €2.49
-39.29%
Eggs
$3.26 €2.90
$4.83 €4.30
-32.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.73 €10.43
$15.05 €13.39
-22.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.43 €6.61
$10.63 €9.45
-30.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.71 €13.08
$18.43 €16.39
-20.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 €2.05
$2.20 €1.96
5.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.90 €1.69
-27.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.76 €1.57
$1.37 €1.22
28.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.79 €2.48
$2.10 €1.87
32.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.08 €0.96
51.85%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.12 €1.00
80.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.12 €1.00
32.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.64
$0.88 €0.79
-18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.68 €5.05
$5.48 €4.88
3.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.35 €3.87
$10.13 €9.01
-57.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$2.13 €1.89
-56.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.25 €2.00
-3.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Setubal
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.33 €3.85
$1.36 €1.21
218.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.52 €40.49
$29.89 €26.59
52.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.70 €3.29
$4.45 €3.96
-16.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.02 €0.90
33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 €12.54
$16.92 €15.05
-16.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 €1.89
$2.25 €2.00
-5.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.1K
$28.0K €24.9K
20.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K €33.6K
$28.2K €25.1K
33.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Setubal
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$100 €89.2
$205 €182
-50.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.39 €18.14
$26.65 €23.71
-23.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.54 €28.95
$30.38 €27.02
7.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Setubal
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.94 €27.52
$54.5 €48.47
-43.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.90 €14.15
$25.88 €23.02
-38.56%
Cinema Ticket
$7.95 €7.08
$10.42 €9.27
-23.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Setubal
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 €511
$569 €506
0.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K €9,430
$12.6K €11.2K
-15.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Setubal
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8 €59.4
$88.7 €78.9
-24.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.46 €33.32
$40.46 €35.99
-7.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.3 €62.5
$105 €93.3
-33.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.9 €84.5
$121 €108
-21.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Setubal
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$993 €884
$741 €659
34.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$814 €724
$655 €582
24.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,586 €1,411
$1,300 €1,156
22.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,159 €1,031
$1,148 €1,021
0.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,100 €3,647
$4,014 €3,570
2.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,343 €2,084
$3,460 €3,078
-32.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Setubal
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,246 €1,109
$1,242 €1,105
0.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
4.48
-14.06%

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

Last update for Setubal: October 13, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Setubal
$814
Athens
$655 19.6% $159
Groceries & Markets
Setubal
$244
Athens
$310 27.4% $67
Eating Out
Setubal
$182
Athens
$268 47.3% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Setubal
$153
Athens
$262 70.7% $108
Clothing & Footwear
Setubal
$121
Athens
$160 31.9% $39
Getting Around
Setubal
$73
Athens
$45 38.8% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Setubal
$47
Athens
$75 60.8% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $993 in Setubal and $741 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setubal pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Setubal vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $310 per month, with Setubal cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Setubal
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
03:33 3:33 AM
05:33 5:33 AM
2 h ahead of Setubal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
123,519
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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Setubal Athens 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Setubal
  • 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
Setubal vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Setubal or Athens?
Setubal wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Setubal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Setubal or in Athens?
Average pay runs 0% higher in Setubal, 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 Setubal compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $993 in Setubal 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 Setubal and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Setubal – a meal for two runs $47.00 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 Setubal compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $1,634 per month in Setubal versus $1,775 in Athens – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Setubal or in Athens?
At $1,634 in Setubal versus $1,775 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Setubal but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Setubal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Setubal or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Setubal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Setubal hard to pass up.
How safe is Setubal compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Setubal 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 Setubal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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