As a family of 5, we find the costs for housing to be quite high in Athens if you want a decent 3-bedroom place, especially in the city center (around $2,700 by the data). Groceries are manageable with a little frugality – we spend maybe $500-600 per month by buying inexpensive produce, grains, etc. Utilities for our apartment run $300-400. The biggest struggle has been paying for our kids’ education with international school fees over $9,000 per child per year! Entertainment is pricey too if you want to go out often. But we make it work on a combined income of around $6,000 per month.

Athens has been quite affordable for me as a single millennial professional. I can get by comfortably on my $3,200 monthly salary. $1,200 goes to a nice 1-bed apartment just outside the center. Groceries, going out, and utilities are pretty reasonable – maybe $800 combined. I cook at home a good amount but can still grab $13 meals out regularly. The $30 transit pass makes getting around easy. My main splurges are fancy coffee drinks ($5 each) and frequent international travel which is luckily quite cheap from Athens. Healthcare is decent through my job too. Pretty content with the living costs here!

As a retired couple, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by how far our modest pension income of around $3,500 per month can go in Athens. We own our apartment outright which is a huge help. With no more commuting, our expenses are low – maybe $1,000 total for groceries, utilities, insurance, entertainment like movies/shows, etc. We don’t go too crazy but can still enjoy plenty of affordable meals out ($10-15 per person) and the occasional travel. For a relatively small city, Athens has a nice urban lifestyle at very manageable costs for retirees like us.

I just moved to Athens for a job after living in several major European capitals, and the cost of living here is such a relief! My rent for a modern 2-bed apartment just outside the center is only around $1,300. Compare that to over $3,000 I was paying in other cities. Groceries, utilities, mobile plan, transport – pretty much everything is far cheaper than my previous stops. The lower taxes mean I actually take home more of my salary too. My main complaints would be that eating out a lot or buying big ticket items like cars can get pricey fast. But overall Athens provides great value if you’re smart with spending.

As someone trying to make it as an artist in Athens with a pretty low income, the costs here can be really tough. Sure, rents for a basic studio can be found for $600-700, but that’s still over half of my $1,200 monthly earnings right there. Add in utilities, cell/internet, transportation to get around, and just basic groceries already put me in the red most months even while being extremely frugal. Healthcare is a constant worry with no insurance. Entertainment or little luxuries are rarely in the budget. Athens is livable on a shoestring, but just barely for me. I dream of making enough to live more comfortably someday.

As a bro working at a Athens startup while grinding to launch my own thing, I dig the relatively affordable lifestyle here compared to other startup hubs. My $2,800 salary may not be baller, but it lets me live pretty decently – $1,100 for a cool modern 1-bed, $400 for eating out/social life, $300 for transport, gym, etc. This city gives you leverage to keep operating costs low while still having enough disposable income to enjoy the nightlife, decent restaurants and everything. Only complaint is paying double for basics like American fast food or imported beers.

To be honest, I find the cost of living in Athens to be quite high, especially for certain standards of living. Yes, you can get by on the basics without going broke. But if you want a really nice place, heated/AC apartment in a central area, eat at good restaurants regularly, buy new cars/electronics, get premium healthcare, and afford extras like personal trainers or domestic help, the costs add up FAST here. I find myself spending upwards of $7,000 per month quite easily to maintain the comfortable lifestyle I’m accustomed to. It’s definitely not a cheap city if your expectations are high.

As someone nearing retirement age, I’m really worried that Athens could be too expensive for me to live comfortably and worry-free. Even if I can find an affordable rental for $800-900, food isn’t that cheap and healthcare costs seem high based on what everyone says. And I definitely couldn’t keep up my current middle-class lifestyle between housing, utilities, insurance, potential medical bills, leisure activities and everything else on just a $2,000 monthly pension income. I may have to move somewhere lower cost unfortunately despite having lived in Athens for decades.

For the typical Greek university student, the costs of living in Athens can be pretty manageable IF you have some financial support from family and embrace a simple lifestyle. Between a cheap rental (maybe $400 if splitting with roommates), low grocery costs if cooking at home, and using mass transit, I can get by on around $700-800 per month with my part-time job earnings. The struggle is saving for periodic needs like replacing laptops or travel home. Eating out frequently or wanting a more luxurious lifestyle would be really difficult though on our modest budgets.

As a digital nomad, Athens has been one of the most cost-effective places I’ve lived and worked from in Europe so far. I can rent a nice Airbnb or furnished apartment month-to-month for $1,000-1,200. Cheap mobile data, cafes with good WiFi, very affordable groceries and easy access to lots of historical sights and nature while based here. My monthly burn rate is only around $2,000 which lets me save a decent amount while still going out regularly. Public transport could be better, but the low costs give me flexibility to occasionally splurge on taxis and rideshares. Incredible value for digital nomads!