Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Syros and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Syros: $1,533 a month against $1,759 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Syros, Greece
Athens, Greece
Syros
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,533
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,759
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,533 in Syros versus $1,759 in Athens.

  • Syros $1,533
  • Athens $1,759

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,316 in Syros versus $2,696 in Athens.

  • Syros $2,316
  • Athens $2,696

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,099 in Syros versus $3,632 in Athens.

  • Syros $3,099
  • Athens $3,632

Living in Syros costs roughly 13% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Syros 13% above, Athens 29% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Syros
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.82 €11.49
$17.05 €15.28
-24.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.1 €49.36
$65.8 €59.0
-16.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.08 €9.03
$10.96 €9.82
-8.03%
Cappuccino
$3.36 €3.01
$4.10 €3.68
-18.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.13
$2.83 €2.54
-15.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 €0.66
$0.59 €0.53
23.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.57 €4.99
$5.62 €5.04
-0.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.20 €4.66
$5.67 €5.08
-8.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Syros
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.60
$1.90 €1.70
-6.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.46 €1.31
-2.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$2.71 €2.42
-4.43%
Eggs
$4.52 €4.05
$5.04 €4.52
-10.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.50 €13.89
$15.08 €13.51
2.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.43 €9.35
$10.28 €9.21
1.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.96 €13.41
$19.40 €17.38
-22.89%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.12 €1.90
2.36%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 €1.84
$1.91 €1.71
7.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.34 €1.20
$1.41 €1.26
-4.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.58
$2.13 €1.91
-16.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 €1.06
$1.04 €0.94
14.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 €1.05
$1.13 €1.01
4.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 €0.80
$1.13 €1.01
-21.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 €0.63
$0.81 €0.73
-13.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.98 €4.46
$5.52 €4.94
-9.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.02 €7.19
$9.99 €8.95
-19.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.04 €1.83
9.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.68
$2.28 €2.05
31.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Syros
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.21
$1.31 €1.18
3.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.2 €47.70
$30.67 €27.48
73.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.44 €3.97
$4.37 €3.92
1.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.03 €0.92
6.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.48 €4.91
$17.05 €15.28
-67.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 €1.95
$2.34 €2.10
-6.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K €24.9K
$28.3K €25.3K
-1.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1K €21.6K
$26.8K €24.0K
-10.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Syros
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 €174
$200 €179
-3.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.45 €22.80
$25.17 €22.56
1.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.57 €24.71
$29.65 €26.57
-7.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Syros
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 €48.46
$50.4 €45.20
7.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.02 €22.42
$25.94 €23.24
-3.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01 €8.07
$10.52 €9.43
-14.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Syros
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$391 €350
$576 €516
-32.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,967 €3,555
$12.9K €11.6K
-69.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Syros
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.9 €79.7
$89.7 €80.4
-0.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.47 €24.62
$39.57 €35.46
-30.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.2 €75.4
$105 €94.5
-20.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.9 €74.3
$124 €111
-33.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Syros
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$577 €517
$740 €663
-22.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$501 €449
$643 €576
-22.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 €892
$1,305 €1,169
-23.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$828 €742
$1,121 €1,004
-26.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,662 €1,489
$4,011 €3,595
-58.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,567 €1,404
$3,284 €2,943
-52.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Syros
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$966 €865
$1,224 €1,097
-21.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.44
4.48
-0.89%

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

Last update for Syros: October 25, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Syros
$501
Athens
$643 28.3% $142
Groceries & Markets
Syros
$293
Athens
$312 6.6% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Syros
$247
Athens
$255 3.2% $7.8
Eating Out
Syros
$224
Athens
$272 21.3% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Syros
$128
Athens
$161 26.5% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Syros
$72
Athens
$71 0.9% $0.6
Getting Around
Syros
$69
Athens
$45 33.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $577 in Syros and $740 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 27% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $55 in Syros vs $66 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $312 per month, with Syros cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Syros
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
07:25 7:25 AM
07:25 7:25 AM
Same time as Syros
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,138
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 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Syros Athens 120 km
From you
  • Syros
  • 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
Syros vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Syros or Athens?
Syros wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Syros the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Syros or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Syros. 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 Syros compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $577 in Syros versus $740 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Syros and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Syros – a meal for two runs $55 versus $66 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Syros compared to Athens?
All in, you’ll spend $1,533 per month in Syros versus $1,759 in Athens – Syros is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Syros or in Athens?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Syros is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Syros or Athens?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Syros compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Syros and Athens are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Syros or to Athens?
It comes down to priorities – Syros wins on affordability, Athens on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Syros vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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