Living in Athens on about $2,300 a month, a tram ride from the sea
What it costs, how safe it is, how hot summer gets, and whether Athens works for retirees and remote workers moving from the U.S.
- 643,452
- Population (2021)
- $2,300/mo
- Monthly budget · single
- 66°F / 19°C
- Avg temperature
Plan on roughly $2,300 a month for one person in Athens, with most single budgets landing between $1,900 and $2,700 (2026 figures, in U.S. dollars). A couple should budget about $3,300, and a family of four about $4,900. A one-bedroom apartment near the center rents for around $1,000 a month, and closer to $750 once you move out of the core.
For that you get a big, loud, lived-in capital. Koukaki and Pangrati are the neighborhoods where you can run errands on foot, Glyfada is the beach suburb on the coast, and the metro runs all the way to the airport.
Athens suits people who like street life, eat out often and don't mind heat: July and August average highs sit near 94F. It's a harder fit if you want quiet, or if rising rents would stretch your budget past the point of comfort.
Reviewed and updated October 8, 2026 · 3 min read
At a glance
$2,300
Monthly budget · single person
$1,000/mo 1-bed rent, center
60/100
Safety index
$30
Internet / month
66°Fannual average
Jan 50° · Aug 85°
Climate
643,452
Population (2021)
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Cost of living
What it costs to live in Athens
Single person
$1,900–$2,700/mo
about 25% below Austin, TX
Couple
$2,700–$3,900/mo
about 30% below Austin, TX
Family of four
$4,000–$5,800/mo
about 40% below Austin, TX
Compared with Austin, TX (Expatsi estimate, 2026).
- $12 −40%
- Inexpensive meal
- $800–$1,200/mo −49%
- 1-bed rent, center
- $600–$900/mo −44%
- 1-bed rent, outside
- $30/mo −54%
- Internet
- $35/mo −15%
- Transit pass
- $325/sq ft −50%
- Buy price, center
Expatsi estimates, updated Oct 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Daily life
How Athens lives
- A+ grade, 96th percentile among the cities we track
- Dining & cafésstandout
- A+ grade, 99th percentile among the cities we track
- Arts & culturestandout
- A- grade, 83rd percentile among the cities we track
- Parks & outdoorsstrong
- A grade, 86th percentile among the cities we track
- Schools & educationstandout
- A+ grade, 98th percentile among the cities we track
- Healthcare accessstandout
- B- grade, 37th percentile among the cities we track
- Bike infrastructuretypical
- A grade, 94th percentile among the cities we track
- Public transitstandout
- B grade, moderate physical accessibility
- Accessibilitymoderate
Graded on OpenStreetMap amenity density relative to the 298 cities we track. Accessibility is the exception: it's graded against a fixed standard (terrain steepness and sidewalk surfaces), not a curve.
Climate
Weather through the year
Annual average 66°F (19°C) · 17 in of rain a year · Source: Meteostat station normals (16714, 1991-2020)
On the ground
Scenes from Athens
Getting around
Transport in Athens
You can live in central Athens without a car, and lots of people do. Budget about $35 a month for getting around.
The metro does most of the work. Line 3 crosses the center through Syntagma and Monastiraki, where you can switch to the other lines, and it continues east to the airport. Airport trains run less often than the ones serving the city, so leave yourself slack before a flight. Some Line 3 trains also run direct between the airport and the port of Piraeus, where the island ferries leave.
The tram is the slower, nicer way to the water. One line runs from Syntagma down to the coast at Pikrodafni, and a second follows the shore from Piraeus past Glyfada to Voula. The coastal line gained a new end stop at Akti Poseidonos in Piraeus in February 2026. Buses fill in the rest, including X-line express buses to the airport and Piraeus.
A car mostly earns its keep if you live in the outer suburbs or want regular weekend trips out of the city.
- 78/sq mi
- Transit stops
- 2.0/sq mi
- Bike infrastructure
- 98/sq mi
- Wheelchair-accessible places
Mapped features per square mile from OpenStreetMap.
Keep exploring
Places like Athens
Living here
Community, health and practical notes
Finding your people: The American Women's Organization of Greece has been part of Athens life for more than 75 years. It still runs community events and raises money for local Greek charities, and it's an easy first door to knock on. Beyond that, expect to build your circle the local way: through neighbors, a regular café and a Greek class.
Healthcare: If you live here on a pensioner residence permit, Greece lets non-EU retirees join the public health system, EOPYY. Contributions are 8.5% of your pension income. You need an AMKA (the Greek social security number) and no other public coverage, two months of contributions are due before your coverage is certified, and prescriptions carry a 25% copay. Rules like these change, so confirm them with a Greek accountant before you count on them. Everyone else should plan on private health insurance.
Working remotely: Home internet runs about $30 a month. The bigger adjustment is the clock: Athens is seven hours ahead of New York for most of the year, so a 10 a.m. Eastern meeting lands at 5 p.m. your time, and a West Coast afternoon call can run past midnight. If you're employed by a U.S. company, look at the Greece digital nomad visa.
Limited mobility: Stick to the metro and the tram where you can. Every station on Lines 2 and 3 has elevators down to the platforms, and most Line 1 stations are accessible, though not all, so check the ones you'll use. The trams are low-floor, and so are newer buses, but some older buses on quieter routes still have steps. Even the Acropolis has had a wheelchair lift on its north slope since 2020. Visit any apartment in person before signing, since building entrances and elevators in older blocks vary a lot.
Retiring here: Athens works for retirees who want a real city, good transit and a single budget of about $2,300 a month. The main thing to test is the summer, so spend a July here before you commit. Read our Greece retirement visa guide, the full guide to moving to Greece, and our retirement visa hub.
Housing
Renting and buying
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $800–$1,200/mo
- 1-bed rent (outside center)
- $600–$900/mo
- Buy price (center)
- $325/sq ft
- Buy price (outside center)
- $214/sq ft
Expatsi estimates, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Which Athens neighborhoods are walkable?
Koukaki and Pangrati are two central neighborhoods where daily errands are easy on foot, both close to the Acropolis and the city center. If you'd rather live by the sea, Glyfada is the beach suburb on the south coast, connected to the center by tram.
How much does it cost to buy an apartment in Athens?
Apartments in central Athens average about $3,500 per square meter, or roughly $325 per square foot. Outside the center the average drops to about $2,300 per square meter, roughly $214 per square foot.
How hot does Athens get in summer?
July and August are the hottest months, with average highs near 94F and average lows around 75F. Winters are mild: January averages highs near 56F and lows near 45F. Athens gets about 17 inches of rain a year, most of it between November and February.
Do you need a car in Athens?
Not if you live in or near the center. The metro reaches the airport and the port of Piraeus, the tram runs to the beaches along the coast, and a monthly transit budget is about $35. A car is more useful in the outer suburbs or for weekend trips.
Is Athens safe for Americans?
Athens scores 60 out of 100 on our safety index, with a crime index of 40, so it sits in the moderate range for a capital city. Normal big-city habits apply: watch your phone and wallet in crowds and on busy metro trains.
Can I retire in Athens?
Yes. Greece has a retirement visa for people living on pensions or other passive income, and Athens is a popular base because you can live there without a car. Non-EU pensioners on a pensioner residence permit can join the Greek public health system by paying contributions of 8.5% of their pension income.
How much does it cost to live in Athens per month?
A single person should budget about $2,300 a month in Athens, with most landing between $1,900 and $2,700 (2026 figures in U.S. dollars). A couple needs about $3,300 and a family of four about $4,900. Rent is the biggest piece: a one-bedroom near the center averages around $1,000 a month.
See how Athens fits your life
Take the free Expatsi Test and compare Greece to over 100 countries on what actually matters: cost, healthcare, climate, and safety. About five minutes.
Why not you?