Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat and Athens
For one person, living is cheaper in Surat: $806 a month against $1,806 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Other living expenses 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 Surat and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Surat versus $1,806 in Athens.
Surat $806
Athens $1,806
Estimated couple costs with rent: $826 in Surat versus $2,731 in Athens.
Surat $826
Athens $2,731
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $847 in Surat versus $3,656 in Athens.
Surat $847
Athens $3,656
🌍
Living in Surat costs roughly 55% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Surat is 40% below, Athens is 35% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Surat
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.18₹307
$16.66€14.87
-80.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.40₹1,006
$66.2€59.1
-84.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.14₹304
$11.06€9.87
-71.61%
Cappuccino
$1.83₹177
$4.14€3.69
-55.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36₹34.38
$2.80€2.50
-87.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15₹14.56
$0.57€0.51
-73.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.92₹282
$5.64€5.03
-48.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19₹309
$5.46€4.87
-41.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surat
Athens
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.73₹70.9
$1.96€1.75
-62.76%
White Bread(500g)
$0.47₹45.50
$1.41€1.26
-66.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.66₹63.5
$2.83€2.53
-76.68%
Eggs
$0.95₹91.5
$5.04€4.50
-81.15%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.34₹420
$15.35€13.70
-71.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.73₹265
$10.34€9.23
-73.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$18.97€16.93
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.70₹164
$2.17€1.93
-21.66%
Banana(1kg)
$0.62₹59.6
$1.91€1.70
-67.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.80₹77.4
$1.38€1.23
-42.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.54₹52.2
$2.20€1.96
-75.45%
Potato(1kg)
$0.35₹33.56
$1.10€0.98
-68.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.43₹41.73
$1.13€1.00
-61.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.48₹46.59
$1.10€0.99
-56.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30₹28.89
$0.83€0.74
-63.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12₹495
$5.60€4.99
-8.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.60₹735
$10.19€9.09
-25.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86₹180
$2.18€1.95
-14.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01₹291
$2.45€2.19
22.86%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$6.06₹586
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Surat
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.22₹21.19
$1.38€1.23
-84.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$5.27₹510
$30.87€27.55
-82.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.59₹57.2
$4.37€3.90
-86.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.22₹21.32
$1.04€0.93
-78.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.07₹103
$17.11€15.27
-93.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.13₹110
$2.31€2.07
-51.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K₹1.2M
$28.0K€25.0K
-56.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.3K₹1.8M
$28.0K€25.0K
-34.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surat
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$36.72₹3,554
$210€187
-82.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.64₹353
$26.70€23.83
-86.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.44₹720
$30.13€26.89
-75.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surat
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.59₹1,799
$54.6€48.72
-65.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.16₹499
$26.03€23.23
-80.18%
Cinema Ticket
$2.88₹278
$10.78€9.62
-73.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surat
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$33.35₹3,227
$575€513
-94.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$891₹86.2K
$13.1K€11.7K
-93.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surat
Athens
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.51₹2,179
$93.2€83.1
-75.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.53₹2,374
$40.68€36.30
-39.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$40.90₹3,958
$104€92.9
-60.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.42₹3,137
$128€115
-74.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surat
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$216₹20.9K
$756€674
-71.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$499₹48.3K
$652€582
-23.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$375₹36.3K
$1,294€1,154
-71.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$201₹19.5K
$1,163€1,038
-82.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$660₹63.8K
$4,008€3,577
-83.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$309₹29.9K
$3,452€3,081
-91.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surat
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$313₹30.3K
$1,243€1,110
-74.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.17
4.48
104.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Surat: October 4, 2026
Last update for Athens: October 5, 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.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Surat
$499 61.3%
Athens
$652 36.5% ↑ 30.8%$154
🛒Groceries & Markets
Surat
$101 12.4%
Athens
$315 17.6% ↑ 211%$214
🍽Eating Out
Surat
$80 9.8%
Athens
$269 15% ↑ 237%$189
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Surat
$54 6.7%
Athens
$165 9.2% ↑ 204%$111
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surat
$48 5.9%
Athens
$267 14.9% ↑ 458%$219
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Surat
$24 3%
Athens
$76 4.3% ↑ 213%$52
🚌Getting Around
Surat
$7.8 1%
Athens
$46 2.6% ↑ 486%$38
🏠Accommodation & Living
Surat
$201 23.2%
Athens
$1.2K 31.4% ↑ 478%$962
🛒Groceries & Markets
Surat
$215 24.9%
Athens
$737 19.9% ↑ 242%$522
🍽Eating Out
Surat
$208 24%
Athens
$873 23.6% ↑ 320%$665
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Surat
$120 13.9%
Athens
$366 9.9% ↑ 204%$246
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surat
$51 5.9%
Athens
$293 7.9% ↑ 470%$242
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Surat
$54 6.2%
Athens
$178 4.8% ↑ 231%$124
🚌Getting Around
Surat
$16 1.9%
Athens
$95 2.6% ↑ 487%$79
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Surat and $756 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Athens pays 297% 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: $10.00 in Surat vs $66.0 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $315 per month, with Surat 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
Surat vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Surat or Athens?
Surat wins on cost – living expenses run 124% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Surat or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 297% 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 Surat compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $216 in Surat versus $756 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Surat and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Surat – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $66.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Surat compared to Athens?
All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Surat versus $1,806 in Athens – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Surat or in Athens?
At $806 in Surat versus $1,806 in Athens, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Surat but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Surat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Surat or Athens?
Both work as nomad bases, but Surat delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $806 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surat hard to pass up.
How safe is Surat compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Surat 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 Surat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.