Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Silves and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Silves: $1,629 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Athens despite lower rent and utilities.

Silves
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,629
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,629 in Silves versus $1,775 in Athens.

  • Silves $1,629
  • Athens $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,393 in Silves versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Silves $2,393
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,157 in Silves versus $3,666 in Athens.

  • Silves $3,157
  • Athens $3,666

Living in Silves 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: Silves 21% above, Athens 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Silves
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.54 €12.04
$16.69 €14.84
-18.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.10 €41.90
$67.8 €60.3
-30.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.30 €8.28
$11.14 €9.91
-16.52%
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.71
$4.03 €3.58
-52.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$2.77 €2.46
-30.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 €1.29
$0.55 €0.49
163.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.82 €2.51
$5.74 €5.10
-50.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 €3.04
$5.45 €4.85
-37.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Silves
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 €0.98
$1.82 €1.62
-39.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 €1.30
$1.38 €1.23
6.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 €1.40
$2.80 €2.49
-43.93%
Eggs
$3.39 €3.02
$4.83 €4.30
-29.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.90 €10.58
$15.05 €13.39
-20.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.31 €6.50
$10.63 €9.45
-31.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.47 €12.87
$18.43 €16.39
-21.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.20 €1.96
2.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.90 €1.69
-29.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.37 €1.22
29.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 €2.29
$2.10 €1.87
22.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.08 €0.96
68.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.12 €1.00
70.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.12 €1.00
33.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 €0.70
$0.88 €0.79
-10.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.98 €5.32
$5.48 €4.88
9.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.48 €3.98
$10.13 €9.01
-55.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.09
$2.13 €1.89
-42.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.25 €2.00
-6.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Silves
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.36 €1.21
67.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.98 €37.35
$29.89 €26.59
40.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.80 €3.38
$4.45 €3.96
-14.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.02 €0.90
12.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.40 €16.36
$16.92 €15.05
8.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 €1.84
$2.25 €2.00
-8.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K €30.2K
$28.0K €24.9K
20.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0K €30.3K
$28.2K €25.1K
20.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Silves
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 €106
$205 €182
-41.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.84 €17.65
$26.65 €23.71
-25.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.39 €32.36
$30.38 €27.02
19.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Silves
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.12 €35.69
$54.5 €48.47
-26.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.69 €13.07
$25.88 €23.02
-43.24%
Cinema Ticket
$8.33 €7.41
$10.42 €9.27
-20.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Silves
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$419 €372
$569 €506
-26.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K €10.0K
$12.6K €11.2K
-10.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Silves
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.9 €70.2
$88.7 €78.9
-11.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.89 €32.81
$40.46 €35.99
-8.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.4 €75.1
$105 €93.3
-19.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 €93.0
$121 €108
-13.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Silves
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$944 €840
$741 €659
27.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$761 €676
$655 €582
16.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,546 €1,375
$1,300 €1,156
18.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,194 €1,062
$1,148 €1,021
3.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,242 €2,884
$4,014 €3,570
-19.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 €1,993
$3,460 €3,078
-35.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Silves
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$948 €843
$1,242 €1,105
-23.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.67
4.48
-18.08%

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

Last update for Silves: 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
Silves
$761
Athens
$655 13.9% $106
Groceries & Markets
Silves
$244
Athens
$310 27% $66
Eating Out
Silves
$194
Athens
$268 38.4% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Silves
$176
Athens
$262 48.7% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Silves
$137
Athens
$160 16.6% $23
Getting Around
Silves
$61
Athens
$45 26.1% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Silves
$57
Athens
$75 32.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Silves and $741 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 31% 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: $47.00 in Silves vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $310 per month, with Silves cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Silves
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
03:38 3:38 AM
05:38 5:38 AM
2 h ahead of Silves
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,776
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
  • Silves Athens 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Silves
  • 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
Silves vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Silves or Athens?
Silves wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Silves the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Silves or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 31% 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 Silves compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $944 in Silves 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 Silves and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Silves – 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 Silves compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $1,629 per month in Silves 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 Silves or in Athens?
At $1,629 in Silves versus $1,775 in Athens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Silves but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Silves the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Silves or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Silves delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,629 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Silves hard to pass up.
How safe is Silves compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Silves 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 Silves 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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