In many respects, Athens is cheaper than most major European cities. But for its own residents, stuck with low wages, it is anything but.
Rents are especially onerous for Athenians. With an average net monthly salary of €1,158, they face average monthly rentals of €640 in central city districts, or 55% of their salary.
Other cities are even more expensive in that respect. A one-bedroom rental in central Lisbon costs €1,430 and the average monthly salary is €1,432. A similar flat in central London rents for €2,677, or 70% of the average monthly salary. Similarly, more expensive than Athens are rentals in Rome (65% of average salary) and Madrid (64%).
But there are also cities with higher rents where salaries are high enough to make renting more affοrdable: examples are Vienna, where rents average 38% of salaries, and Paris and Berlin (45%).
Dining is also relatively expensive for Athenians: An average meal, at €15, costs the same as in Paris, Berlin, Rome and Lisbon, and only slightly lower in Vienna, where salaries are significantly higher. Only London (€23.40) is decidedly more expensive, but the average salary there is 3.3 times Athens’.
