Cost of Living in Athens
Summary of cost of living in Athens, Greece:
- A family of four estimated monthly costs are 2,963.5$ (2,750.2€) without rent (using our estimator).
- A single person estimated monthly costs are 873.3$ (810.5€) without rent.
- Athens is 38.0% less expensive than New York (without rent, see our cost of living index).
- Rent in Athens is, on average, 83.0% lower than in New York.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.09 $ | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 53.88 $ | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 8.62 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 4.85 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 5.39 $ | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 3.60 $ | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 1.98 $ | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 0.54 $ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 7.12 $ | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 1.15 $ | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.15 $ | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.41 $ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.83 $ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 4.44 $ | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 5.96 $ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 0.85 $ | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.88 $ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 0.55 $ | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 0.90 $ | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 0.54 $ | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 0.49 $ | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 0.87 $ | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 0.83 $ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 8.03 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.63 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2.50 $ | |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 5.17 $ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.29 $ | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 32.33 $ | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 4.31 $ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 1.56 $ | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 16.16 $ | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 7.72 $ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 24,783.31 $ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 24,730.87 $ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 252.80 $ | |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) | 0.63 $ | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 33.35 $ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 47.53 $ | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 26.15 $ | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 9.16 $ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 477.04 $ | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 9,722.45 $ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 88.12 $ | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 36.57 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 89.44 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 107.33 $ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 547.17 $ | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 507.92 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 1,009.69 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 957.74 $ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 262.52 $ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 259.54 $ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 1,021.16 $ | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 4.31 |
Prices in Athens
This city had 5936 entries in the past 12 months by 702 different contributors.
Last update: June 2023
Last update: June 2023
Sources and References
Moving to Athens? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
Sign Up for Our Newsletter:
Nearby cities:| Cost of Living in Aegiali | 2.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Peristeri | 3.77 miles |
| Cost of Living in Aspropyrgos | 10.84 miles |
| Cost of Living in Corinth | 50.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Patras | 130.40 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kalamata | 152.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Agrinio | 171.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Pyrgos | 174.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in Farsala | 174.33 miles |
| Cost of Living in Larissa | 220.12 miles |
This page in other languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Athen
|
 PortuguêsCusto de Vida em Atenas
|
 ItalianoCosto della Vita a Atene
|
 FrançaisCoût de la Vie à Athènes
|
 EspañolCosto de Vida en Atenas
|
Average wage in Greece is €1176 which is 1092 after tax for 2023. Greeks are famous for crying about their financial situation because we are a low-trust society. Both my parents make 2.5 times more than the average wage and still cry.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_European_countries_by_average_wage
https://www.ot.gr/2023/01/17/oikonomia/ergani-pos-apotyponetai-i-eikona-ton-epixeiriseon-kai-ton-ergazomenon-to-2022/
Just see the minimum wages in Europe. Greece's minimum wage is 910 gross as of April 2023
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_European_countries_by_minimum_wage
It's all correct, it's really hard to get by in Athens with a regular job, at current regular costs.
For the last 25 years the relationship between Turks and Greeks is escalating to the worst. Turks are threatening, Greeks stand their ground. As I see here, there are many turk trolls trying to damage our country reputation.
You, objective reader: keep that in mind.
Tourism is very important in Greece where 1/6th of the population works in a seasonal basis but it's not our biggest source of income. Greece's biggest source of income is processed petroleum and shipping, in fact Greece is #1 in the shipping sector. The other bigger companies are our banks who have many subsidiaries over the Balkans. And our electricity providers that now thanks to the energy crisis worth billions.
I wrote bellow that you should not come to Greece if you want to work 9 to 5, well if you are working in the electricity/power plant sector or renewable energies, then you will make lots of cash.
Now, another misconception is "if the average wage is 1050 euros and average rent is 400 euros how do people get by", the answer is that Greece is within top 10 countries of home ownership, about 75% of Greeks own their house, and good chance is if you are in the remaining 25% you are probably crushing at your parents home lol.
Also we have a housing crisis ongoing, due to said homeowners refusing to rent their houses and instead putting them up for AirBNB usage, which has skyrocketed the rent costs, fun fun...
Sources:
https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DatasetCode=AV_AN_WAGE#
https://aftertax.gr/
Now salaries wary depend on the sector you work at, I would say that with 0 years of experience, expect to get paid around €760/month salary without a college degree, unless you are self-employed and work with commissions, my friend who is into the insurance sector 5 years now, makes ~€1800/month. With a college degree wages go up to €1500/month with 0 years of experience. My college educated parents (PhD) make around €2500/month after decades of experience, I make €800/month (I am an under-graduate).
These wages were more than enough to get by, but due to the recent inflation crisis, I struggle to get by with my bills on time. I also own my own two bedroom apartment, so I am better off that people of my age.
For everyone thinking about moving to Greece, you have to assess your situation, if you are self-employed, work from home or a retiree, then Greece will be a paradise for you, this is a Mediterranean country with a warm weather, no need for heating 10 out of the 12 months of the year and we are very customer friendly, you can order food from supermarkets or restaurants via online delivery often provided in English as well. Sklavenitis and Vasilopoulos do groceries deliveries and there are many food delivery companies such as efood, box, wolt, deliveras and so on.
52% of the Greek population speaks English at a conversational level and the vast majority of Greeks under 35 are very fluent in English, only behind Cyprus and Scandinavian countries. Additionally many places from museums to theatres are in English, as well as all traffic signs and so on.
BUT, if you are an employee working 9 to 5 at your average day job and just want to move to Greece because it has "cool history" and sunny weather, this country will be your nightmare, you will struggle to find a day job as a foreigner with our current 12% unemployment rate (which ironically is a historically low since the 2000s), the selfish attitude of Greeks will ruin your day, the traffic is a disaster, crime and safety is really mediocre, more on par with America than any western European country. There is little to no green to be found in the dystopian cement-favela called Athens, unless you move in well-off suburbs, but remember that the traffic sucks and will take away hours from your life, public transportation although much better than any US city outside New York maybe, is really inferior to most European capitals. There are constant delays and a yolo and 0 f's given attitude in this country.
And this is why I consider moving to western Europe once I graduate :) as hundreds of thousand of young Greeks have done.
This country really tests your nerves if you are a family man trying to get by on your daily life. Great place if you are self-employed or a retiree though.
This is my input on Greece, again I would also recommend staying away from Athens if you are here for a 9 to 5 job, go to a smaller city, your kids will thank you forever.
What you read is correct 700€ without rent is correct.People are only surviving due to living with family members but even then it's a stretch.You should rethink your plans of moving to Greece you will be greatly disappointed guaranteed.
Greeks have the highest ownership in EU
But Greeks burned their bridges with Americans and Europeans from other countries in Europe many times but now the party is over permanently. Very few Europeans visit Greece for obvious reasons,bad karma breeds bad karma throughout Greece.Greeks are arrogant and self serving.
Greeks aren't worthy to even breathe air.
The EU approved 26,309 Haiti refugees into Greece to arrive February 13 2022.The majority will be in Athens since it's the main artery for the government where processing will be done.We are leaving Greece permanently before the Haitians arrive.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_European_countries_by_average_wage
Also don’t listen to the anonymous (Turkish) comments about the Muslims and Syrians and all these refugees. They are contained and will soon be shipped out to their destination.
Cheers
He- she probably means to stay away due to the coronavirus situation, and you should! But dont spread misinformation!!
Hey, Kallithea has its own train station which is 11 minutes walk from your work.
The train station has stops on the following areas : Tauros, Thisio, Monastiraki, Omonoia, Viktoria, Attiki, Aghios Eleutherios, Aghios Nikolaos, Ano Patisia, Perissos and some more further away (The train in the green line). With 400-500/month you can find something good for yourself (450 without bills like internet, water, electricity). If you plan on using a car to get to work you can check other areas too. Use spiti24.gr to see some properties. Search mostly for " Athens-center" or "Athens-south" .
17675, Kallithea. This is my first experience.
Groceries or basic shopping costs are at least 200€ per month and person. Fruits, vegetables and raw ingredients are very common and affordable (though not super cheap, prices are not too different than what I've seen in other countries). Sadly there are very few options (less than in other countries) for "easy meals". If you don't like to cook too much (or you don't have too much time) you can spend a lot in food. Frozen pizzas cost over 4€ and that is if you're luck to find one.
Public transport is affordable with a 30€ monthly card, but it is the worst I've seen in Europe. Only the proper metro is fine, sadly there are only two lines. The "green like" (or train) is overcrowded, some buses are a disaster and so are the trolleybuses. They are not as frequent as they should be and crowd ness can reach extreme levels in some places and times.
The most common street food options are gyro (a brochette) and soulaki ("Greek durum")
The cheapest gyros cost 2€ per brochette (many would get two more though) or 3€ for a soulaki
If you want to sit down the cheapest restaurants cost 10€ per person
Clothes can be affordable if if you go for second hand shops. I've found used jeans for 5€ and used shirts for 1€
Anyway. The best about Athens is how apartment and public transport prices are still cheaper than in most European capitals, but they are often also worse. Maybe the minimum wage to survive in Athens without being homeless is 600€ per month, but that is living with a lot of frustration and poverty, no vices, no enjoyment, no dates, just going for the cheapest and saving absolutely nothing. I would not recommend anyone to move to Athens unless they offer you a wage over 1000€ per month (after taxes)
Electricity: approx 200 every two months, amazingly out of the total bill, around 80 euro is tax and the rest is my electricity consumption, mind boggling.
Grocery: 400 per month at least
Petrol: 80 to 100 per month without any day trips
Common charges: 80 to 100, its a complete rip off!
Car insurance: 140 every six months
If my employer wasn't paying for my accommodation (800/month) and medical expenses, it would be practically impossible to survive on anything less than 2000 euro per month. You are paying 24 pc vat on everything. If you plan to travel outside the city, be prepared to set aside at least 30 to 40 euro for toll tax with toll stations practically a
Located after every 50 to 80 km.
By the way- We can unite the world with kindness and acceptance!
I am Greek and I was born and lived abroad most of my life.
I can say one thing is that the new generation is totaly different, welcoming and not xenophobic at all.
Maybe some people tend to forget that Greece lived many wars and was occupied several times during it’s history, many countries that lived that are far more xenophobic then some Greeks can be.
We are proud yes, we don’t like to be offended, but this is not a greek thing it is a in all the Mediterenean countries, we do have a temper but we are uncivilised.
We have wormth of heart generosity ane kindness that most European countries lost.
We are not rude, the whole country suffered from the Economical crisis, people are simply tired, but they still smile!
There can be a lack of profesionalism compared to some European countries but if you compare that to Mediteranean countries it’s the same there.
Now, despite your income you will have a beautiful quality of life, you can be in one hour by bat on the first island and not for much, you can have nice hikes around Athens, not to mention the cultural scene that is quiet rich Local products are not overpriced, and are not expensive, try to buy local it’s quiet various and delicious.
Local tavernas with home made food are great.
I curently live in the Middle East, where everything is ovepriced, you have to go only to private clubs and beaches, and I would give everything I have to live in Greece!
Enjoy your stay and try to see positive things in our beautiful country.
Athens is a fairly safe city, of course depending on the area one lives.
Prices above are a general indication, fairly true at the moment.
#Dutch Citizen, Pride is not a problem with the Greeks, the problem is indifference in critical situations, and lack of respect or professional ( at least) responsibility to what one does or says, something that is very rare here in Greece. so in general, you have to live here to understand these.
Of course there is no comparacing to the ancent Greeks with these new ones, absolutelly not.