Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Athens vs Kyoto

Athens vs Kyoto

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Athens 18% cheaper Kyoto +141 Mbps Moderate / High

Athens

Constantinos Kollias/Unsplash

Kyoto

Andre Benz/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$3,076

Athens

$3,772

Kyoto

Internet

Mbps

217

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Athens

High

Kyoto

Air Quality

5/5

Athens

5/5

Kyoto

Healthcare

Moderate

Athens

Low

Kyoto

Population

665.0k

Athens

1.5m

Kyoto

Athens (Greece, Europe) and Kyoto (Japan, Asia) represent very different environments for digital nomads. This comparison covers cost, connectivity, safety, weather, and overall quality of life.

Cost of Living

The cost difference is noticeable: Athens at $3076/mo is 18% cheaper than Kyoto at $3772/mo, worth considering for extended stays.

For families, Athens costs $2923.20729739973/mo compared to Kyoto's $2588.69733454465/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Kyoto's 217 Mbps (global #0) — considerably faster than Athens's 76 Mbps (#111).

Quality of Life

Kyoto has a stronger safety profile than Athens, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Athens offers better healthcare infrastructure than Kyoto — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Athens is April (around 23 degrees, 0mm rain, score 475), while Kyoto peaks in June (30 degrees, 3mm rain, score 466). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AthensKyoto

Nomad$3,076/mo$3,772/mo

Expat$1,523/mo$1,903/mo

Local$835/mo$740/mo

Family$2,923/mo$2,589/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AthensKyoto

City Speed

76 Mbps#111

217 Mbps

Country Speed65 Mbps217 Mbps

Environment & Health

AthensKyoto

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateModerate

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity4977

Quality of Life

AthensKyoto

SafetyModerateHigh

HealthcareModerateLow

Monthly Weather Comparison

Athens

Kyoto

Jan

11°

0mm425

7°

0mm401

Feb

14°

0mm433

6°

1mm392

Mar

16°

0mm433

8°

1mm355

Apr

23°

0mm475

21°

0mm446

May

24°

0mm475

24°

0mm446

Jun

35°

0mm435

30°

3mm466

Jul

36°

0mm425

38°

2mm418

Aug

36°

0mm435

40°

1mm398

Sep

29°

0mm463

37°

0mm456

Oct

24°

0mm475

26°

0mm464

Nov

16°

0mm435

16°

0mm426

Dec

14°

1mm411

6°

0mm394

Who Should Choose Athens?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2923.20729739973/mo for families
Peak season in April — 23 degrees, score 475

Who Should Choose Kyoto?

Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 217 Mbps
High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2588.69733454465/mo for families
Peak season in June — 30 degrees, score 466

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Kyoto is the stronger pick. At $3772/mo it beats Athens's $3076/mo by 18%, and the 217 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Athens Kyoto

ItemAthensKyotoDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$12.64$6.33

50%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$52.69$44.67

15%

McMeal or equivalent combo$7.38$5.58

24%

Cappuccino (regular)$3.55$3.43

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$4.21$3.16

25%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$5.27$5.21

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.94$1.14

41%

Water (0.33L)$0.53$0.9

41%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.62$1.45

10%

White bread (500g)$1.15$1.66

31%

White rice (1kg)$2.31$3.6

36%

Eggs (12)$3.87$1.94

50%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$8.93$6.7

25%

Beef round (1kg)$11.64$13.9

16%

Local cheese (1kg)$10.75$15.39

30%

Apples (1kg)$1.96$4.76

59%

Bananas (1kg)$1.86$3.37

45%

Oranges (1kg)$1.21$6.33

81%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.99$4.47

55%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.1$2.08

47%

Onions (1kg)$0.99$2.9

66%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.92$1.36

32%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.9$0.86

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.38$8.19

10%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.52$1.89

20%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.32$2.23

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4.85$3.8

22%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1.26$1.71

26%

Monthly transport pass$31.61$84.78

63%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3.69$3.65

Taxi per 1km$0.84$2.38

65%

Taxi 1hr waiting$15.81$19.06

17%

Gasoline (1L)$2.27$1.25

45%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$23,182.39$21,591.04

Toyota Corolla (new)$23,864.69$17,372.1

27%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$265.12$131.48

50%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$32.2$31.64

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.49$0.15

69%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$39.75$58.35

32%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$25.03$14

44%

Cinema, 1 ticket$8.43$11.91

29%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$493.99$355.51

28%

International primary school/yr$9,490.51$10,051

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$78.73$48.64

38%

Summer dress (chain store)$35.24$26.77

24%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$82.86$60.96

26%

Men's leather business shoes$96.99$69.67

28%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$521.69$632.84

18%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$465.4$359.85

23%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$905.38$1,253.27

28%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$871.7$804.08

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,647.22$4,777.32

45%

Price per m², outside centre$2,564.55$5,039.29

49%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$960.36$1,968.01

51%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$4.14$1.48

64%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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