Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Greece Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Greece

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,686 in Spain versus $1,491 in Greece.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Spain versus $2,270 in Greece.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Spain versus $3,048 in Greece.

Living in Spain is roughly 13% more expensive than in Greece on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Spain 23% above, Greece 9% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $959 to $2,683, compared to $1,080$2,205 in Greece. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Greece
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.13 €14.93
$17.47 €15.22
-1.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 €49.86
$58.5 €51.0
-2.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.60 €10.11
$11.32 €9.87
2.47%
Cappuccino
$2.40 €2.09
$3.90 €3.40
-38.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.38
$2.56 €2.23
6.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.65
$0.61 €0.53
209.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.57 €3.11
$5.62 €4.90
-36.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 €3.45
$5.74 €5.00
-31.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Greece
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.09
$1.77 €1.55
-28.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.34
$1.45 €1.26
6.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 €1.42
$2.73 €2.38
-40.29%
Eggs
$3.44 €3.00
$4.71 €4.10
-26.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.56
$14.12 €12.30
2.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.89 €7.75
$10.67 €9.30
-16.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.49 €14.37
$16.06 €13.99
2.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.17
$2.19 €1.91
13.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.85
$2.06 €1.80
3.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 €1.94
$1.54 €1.34
44.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.22
$2.14 €1.86
18.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$1.21 €1.05
49.59%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.74
$1.14 €0.99
75.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$1.13 €0.98
19.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.66
$0.86 €0.75
-11.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 €6.02
$5.61 €4.89
23.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.72 €4.98
$9.35 €8.15
-38.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.15
$2.03 €1.77
-34.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.86
$3.00 €2.61
-29.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Greece
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 €1.49
$1.41 €1.23
21.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.14 €30.61
$34.37 €29.95
2.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.66 €4.06
$4.59 €4.00
1.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 €1.35
$1.19 €1.04
29.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.59 €22.29
$17.42 €15.18
46.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 €1.54
$2.15 €1.87
-18.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €31.5K
$29.3K €25.5K
23.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K €26.3K
$27.8K €24.2K
8.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Greece
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$155 €135
$221 €192
-30.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.12 €15.78
$25.03 €21.80
-27.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.66 €28.45
$32.41 €28.23
0.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Greece
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.15 €40.20
$50.8 €44.24
-9.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65 €13.63
$24.00 €20.91
-34.79%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01 €8.72
$9.92 €8.65
0.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Greece
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$560 €488
$462 €403
21.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K €9,348
$10.1K €8,811
6.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Greece
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1 €75.9
$88.8 €77.3
-1.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.45 €33.49
$40.73 €35.48
-5.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 €80.1
$97.7 €85.1
-5.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.3
$121 €106
-10.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Greece
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,042 €908
$554 €483
88.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$814 €709
$456 €397
78.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 €1,418
$959 €836
69.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,246 €1,086
$786 €685
58.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,266 €3,716
$3,140 €2,735
35.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,607 €2,271
$2,415 €2,104
7.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Greece
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,046 €1,782
$1,165 €1,015
75.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.29
4.53
-27.37%

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

Last update for Spain: September 14, 2026

Last update for Greece: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $932 in Spain, $525 in Greece. Capital cities: $1,567 in Madrid vs $761 in Athens.

National salary averages: $2,029 in Spain, $1,106 in Greece. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 78% higher in Spain.

Public transport is 39% more expensive in Greece.

Salaries are 83% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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
Spain vs Greece: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Greece compare to the cost in Spain?
At $1,643 per month in Greece and $1,821 in Spain, there's a 11% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Greece vs Spain?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Greece: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Greece or in Spain?
Rent in Spain is consistently higher than in Greece across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Greece and Spain on $2,000 per month?
In Greece, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Greece or Spain?
It depends on what you're after: Greece wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Spain vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries