Athens vs Split: which is better to live in?

Cost of living: Athens or Split?

By our estimates, a comfortable mid-range life costs about €1,850 a month for one person in Athens and €1,950 in Split, rent included. For a couple it’s €2,800 vs €3,000, and for a family of four €4,000 vs €4,200.

Rent drives most of the gap: a one-bedroom in the center runs about €850 in Athens against €900 in Split, while a monthly transit pass costs €30 vs €35. Want to plug in your own lifestyle? Use the cost of living calculator.

Climate and weather

Winters average highs of about 14°C (57°F) in Athens and 11°C (52°F) in Split. In summer it’s roughly 33°C vs 30°C. Athens gets about 2,773 hours of sunshine a year and Split about 2,699.

Daily life

Athens is a capital / metropolis on the coast; Split is a mid-size city on the coast. Athens is the cheapest capital in this batch to live in comfortably, with real culture, an actual city rhythm and a metro that works. It rewards people who can handle noise, heat and paperwork. Our estimate is about €1,850 a month for a single person. Split is a walkable Dalmatian city with a Roman palace at its center, beaches inside the city and mountains behind it. It is the nomad favorite on Croatia's coast: about €1,950 a month for a single person in our estimate, and English works nearly everywhere. Summer crowds and housing seasonality are the trade-offs.

Living in Athens: the upsides and downsides

• Lowest single-person budget in the batch among capitals at about €1,850 a month (our estimate)
• Metro, tram and buses cover the center; a 90-minute ticket costs €1.20 on the operator's own page
• Daily life centers on neighborhood cafes, markets and beaches within tram reach
• Downside: Summer heat above 34 degrees C in July and August, and weak air-conditioning in older flats
• Downside: Slow paperwork and a Greek-language public sector

Living in Split: the upsides and downsides

• City beach at Bacvice and the Marjan forest park within walking distance
• Croatia ranks 2nd in EF's English index, and you can feel it in daily life
• Island ferries from the port, with the mountains above the city
• Downside: Summer rents and crowds: cruise ships and short-term lets squeeze housing
• Downside: Cooler, wetter winter than Cyprus or Malta

Visas and residency

Athens is in Greece and Split is in Croatia. The main routes for each:

• Greece Digital Nomad Visa and Residence Permit — Digital nomad visa, open, €3,500/mo income
• Greece Financially Independent Person Visa — Passive income visa, open, €2,000/mo income
• Greece Golden Visa (Residence by Investment) — Golden visa, open, €400,000 investment
• Croatia Digital Nomad Temporary Stay — Digital nomad visa, open, €3,623/mo income

Read the full guides: living in Athens and living in Split.