Popular cities
Athens vs Lisbon cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐ท Athens
๐ต๐น Lisbon
At a glance
- Where Lisbon is clearly cheaper: Beer (50%โ), Entry ticket (50%โ), Coffee (43%โ)
- Where Athens is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (50%โ), Scooter rental (38%โ), Transit (37%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Lisbon is easier to travel (2.0 vs 2.2). Biggest gap: safety โ Athens 3 vs Lisbon 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Athens | Lisbon | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 13$15.1 | โฌ 12$14 | Lisbon โ8% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 4$4.65 | โฌ 4$4.65 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 30$34.9 | Athens โ17% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | โฌ 2$2.33 | Lisbon โ43% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | Lisbon โ50% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 10$11.6 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Lisbon โ10% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.6$0.7 | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | Athens โ25% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 7$8.14 | โฌ 7$8.14 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 5$5.81 | similar |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 1.2$1.4 | โฌ 1.9$2.21 | Athens โ37% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Athens โ38% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 100$116 | โฌ 140$163 | Athens โ29% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 650$756 | โฌ 1,300$1,512 | Athens โ50% |
| Laundry | โฌ 3$3.49 | โฌ 2.5$2.91 | Lisbon โ17% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | โฌ 15$17.4 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 13$15.1 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Athens โ13% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 40$46.5 | โฌ 50$58.1 | Athens โ20% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 45$52.3 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Lisbon โ11% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 30$34.9 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Lisbon โ50% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Athens or Lisbon?
Athens is 26% cheaper than Lisbon. Daily budget $222 vs $272; a month $3,419 vs $5,020.
Which is easier to travel, Athens or Lisbon?
Lisbon is easier: Lisbon 2.0/5 vs Athens 2.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Athens and Lisbon?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Athens is about $3,419 and Lisbon about $5,020 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.