Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Taraz: $625 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Taraz, Kazakhstan
Athens, Greece
Taraz
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$625
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $625 in Taraz versus $1,779 in Athens.

  • Taraz $625
  • Athens $1,779

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,000 in Taraz versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Taraz $1,000
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,374 in Taraz versus $3,663 in Athens.

  • Taraz $1,374
  • Athens $3,663

Living in Taraz costs roughly 65% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taraz is 54% below, Athens is 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taraz
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.87 ₸4,015
$16.83 €14.98
-47.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.34 ₸10.1K
$66.0 €58.7
-66.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.51 ₸2,947
$11.21 €9.98
-41.93%
Cappuccino
$1.58 ₸714
$4.08 €3.63
-61.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ₸381
$2.77 €2.47
-69.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₸194
$0.54 €0.48
-20.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.13 ₸509
$5.70 €5.07
-80.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ₸815
$6.26 €5.57
-71.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taraz
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 ₸514
$1.84 €1.64
-38.04%
White Bread (500g)
$0.44 ₸197
$1.43 €1.27
-69.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 ₸607
$2.67 €2.38
-49.81%
Eggs
$1.65 ₸747
$4.95 €4.41
-66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 ₸4,539
$15.09 €13.43
-33.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.29 ₸2,393
$10.99 €9.78
-51.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.62 ₸3,898
$19.77 €17.59
-56.40%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ₸548
$2.12 €1.89
-42.92%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 ₸958
$1.98 €1.76
7.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 ₸1,153
$1.33 €1.18
91.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 ₸613
$2.16 €1.92
-37.50%
Potato (1kg)
$0.51 ₸229
$1.06 €0.94
-51.89%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 ₸184
$1.15 €1.02
-64.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 ₸410
$1.08 €0.96
-15.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ₸366
$0.85 €0.75
-4.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.48 ₸1,122
$5.46 €4.86
-54.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.37 ₸1,977
$10.03 €8.92
-56.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 ₸466
$2.04 €1.82
-49.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 ₸709
$2.38 €2.12
-34.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Taraz
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 ₸89.4
$1.35 €1.20
-85.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.52 €27.16
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 ₸382
$3.81 €3.39
-77.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 ₸168
$1.03 €0.92
-64.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.92 ₸1,772
$16.49 €14.67
-76.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.68 ₸310
$2.34 €2.09
-70.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K ₸12.7M
$27.8K €24.7K
1.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K ₸12.4M
$26.6K €23.7K
2.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taraz
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.45 ₸21.0K
$202 €180
-77.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.77 ₸3,966
$26.81 €23.85
-67.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.66 ₸3,918
$30.49 €27.13
-71.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taraz
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.64 ₸16.6K
$54.1 €48.12
-32.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.40 €24.39
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.31 ₸1,952
$10.44 €9.29
-58.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taraz
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$57.2 ₸25.9K
$568 €505
-89.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$15.2K €13.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taraz
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.06 ₸11.8K
$90.7 €80.7
-71.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.42 ₸15.1K
$39.32 €34.99
-15.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 ₸49.0K
$105 €93.6
2.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.9 ₸23.5K
$129 €115
-59.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taraz
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$261 ₸118.0K
$742 €660
-64.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$111 ₸50.4K
$648 €577
-82.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$449 ₸203.3K
$1,271 €1,131
-64.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$201 ₸91.0K
$1,122 €998
-82.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$843 ₸381.4K
$3,999 €3,559
-78.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$600 ₸271.5K
$3,281 €2,920
-81.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taraz
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$271 ₸122.7K
$1,245 €1,108
-78.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17.83
4.44
301.58%

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

Last update for Taraz: October 31, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Taraz
$179
Athens
$316 77.2% $138
Eating Out
Taraz
$124
Athens
$272 119% $148
Accommodation & Living
Taraz
$111
Athens
$648 482% $537
Clothing & Footwear
Taraz
$99
Athens
$164 65.7% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taraz
$64
Athens
$260 306% $196
Sport & Entertainment
Taraz
$45
Athens
$75 65.6% $30
Getting Around
Taraz
$3.5 *
Athens
$45 1186% $41

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 $261 in Taraz and $742 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays about 4.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $22 in Taraz vs $66 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $316 per month, with Taraz cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Taraz
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
00:58 12:58 AM
21:58 9:58 PM
3 h behind Taraz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
431,160
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Taraz Athens 4,010 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Taraz
  • 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
Taraz vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Taraz or Athens?
Taraz wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Taraz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Taraz or in Athens?
On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Taraz. 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 Taraz compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Taraz versus $742 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Taraz and in Athens?
Childcare runs $57 in Taraz versus $568 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 Taraz and in Athens?
Dining out is cheaper in Taraz – a meal for two runs $22 versus $66 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Taraz or in Athens?
At $625 in Taraz versus $1,779 in Athens, a $800 budget is realistic in Taraz but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Taraz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Taraz 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 Taraz compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Taraz and Athens are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Taraz or to Athens?
It comes down to priorities – Taraz wins on affordability, Athens on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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