Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Athens: $1,775 a month against $2,728 in Solothurn, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Solothurn
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$2,728
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,728 in Solothurn versus $1,775 in Athens.

  • Solothurn $2,728
  • Athens $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,408 in Solothurn versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Solothurn $4,408
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,088 in Solothurn versus $3,666 in Athens.

  • Solothurn $6,088
  • Athens $3,666

Living in Solothurn is roughly 54% more expensive than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solothurn 102% above, Athens 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.10 CHF 24.79
$16.69 €14.84
80.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$143 CHF 118
$67.8 €60.3
111.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.34 CHF 15.10
$11.14 €9.91
64.63%
Cappuccino
$6.40 CHF 5.27
$4.03 €3.58
58.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 CHF 4.53
$2.77 €2.46
98.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.11 CHF 4.21
$0.55 €0.49
829.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.42 CHF 5.28
$5.74 €5.10
11.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95 CHF 4.90
$5.45 €4.85
9.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.20 CHF 1.81
$1.82 €1.62
20.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.71 CHF 3.05
$1.38 €1.23
168.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.42 CHF 2.81
$2.80 €2.49
22.14%
Eggs
$8.35 CHF 6.88
$4.83 €4.30
72.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.38 CHF 18.43
$15.05 €13.39
48.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$26.23 CHF 21.61
$10.63 €9.45
146.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$62.0 CHF 51.1
$18.43 €16.39
236.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.80 CHF 2.30
$2.20 €1.96
27.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 CHF 1.16
$1.90 €1.69
-26.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.46 CHF 2.85
$1.37 €1.22
152.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.31 CHF 3.55
$2.10 €1.87
105.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.63 CHF 1.34
$1.08 €0.96
50.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 CHF 1.44
$1.12 €1.00
55.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.60 CHF 1.32
$1.12 €1.00
42.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 CHF 0.78
$0.88 €0.79
7.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.83 CHF 8.92
$5.48 €4.88
97.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.82 CHF 11.38
$10.13 €9.01
36.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 CHF 2.27
$2.13 €1.89
29.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 CHF 2.50
$2.25 €2.00
35.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.77 CHF 3.93
$1.36 €1.21
250.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.89 €26.59
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.21 CHF 6.76
$4.45 €3.96
84.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.66 CHF 3.84
$1.02 €0.90
356.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$87.2 CHF 71.8
$16.92 €15.05
415.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.26 CHF 1.86
$2.25 €2.00
0.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K CHF 24.6K
$28.0K €24.9K
6.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K CHF 29.5K
$28.2K €25.1K
26.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.7 CHF 79.6
$205 €182
-52.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.46 CHF 25.09
$26.65 €23.71
14.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.5 CHF 44.86
$30.38 €27.02
79.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$90.0 CHF 74.2
$54.5 €48.47
65.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.71 CHF 13.76
$25.88 €23.02
-35.43%
Cinema Ticket
$17.70 CHF 14.57
$10.42 €9.27
69.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,585 CHF 2,952
$569 €506
529.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.6K CHF 16.1K
$12.6K €11.2K
55.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$142 CHF 117
$88.7 €78.9
59.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.66 CHF 35.14
$40.46 €35.99
5.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$162 CHF 134
$105 €93.3
54.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$251 CHF 206
$121 €108
106.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 CHF 933
$741 €659
52.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,020 CHF 840
$655 €582
55.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,823 CHF 1,501
$1,300 €1,156
40.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,760 CHF 1,449
$1,148 €1,021
53.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,738 CHF 8,021
$4,014 €3,570
142.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,850 CHF 3,994
$3,460 €3,078
40.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Solothurn
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,725 CHF 5,538
$1,242 €1,105
441.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.07
4.48
-53.79%

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

Last update for Solothurn: October 11, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Solothurn
$1K
Athens
$655 35.9% $366
Groceries & Markets
Solothurn
$622
Athens
$310 50.1% $311
Eating Out
Solothurn
$459
Athens
$268 41.6% $191
Clothing & Footwear
Solothurn
$269
Athens
$160 40.5% $109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Solothurn
$182
Athens
$262 44.1% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Solothurn
$125
Athens
$75 39.9% $50
Getting Around
Solothurn
$51 *
Athens
$45 11.3% $5.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,132 in Solothurn and $741 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solothurn pays 441% 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: $143 in Solothurn vs $68.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $622 vs $310 per month, with Athens cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Solothurn
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
04:35 4:35 AM
05:35 5:35 AM
1 h ahead of Solothurn
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,599
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Solothurn Athens 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Solothurn
  • 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
Solothurn vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Solothurn or Athens?
Athens wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Solothurn. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Solothurn or in Athens?
Average pay runs 441% higher in Solothurn, 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 Solothurn compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,132 in Solothurn versus $741 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Solothurn and in Athens?
Childcare runs $3,585 in Solothurn versus $569 in Athens. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Solothurn and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Athens – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $143 in Solothurn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Solothurn or in Athens?
At $1,775 in Athens versus $2,728 in Solothurn, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athens but tight or insufficient in Solothurn. The gap between the two cities makes Athens the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Solothurn or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Athens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,775 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athens hard to pass up.
How safe is Solothurn compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Solothurn 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 Athens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Solothurn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Solothurn vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?