Greece
How much does a trip to Athens cost?
Plan €1765 for 7 nights in Athens, return flight from London included, or €484 travelling cheap. On the ground that works out at €245 per person per day.
Athens - estimate transport, lodging, and meals before you book.
- From
- €63/day
- vs. London
- 97%
- Best month
- Sep
Your trip to Athens
Set the length, the number of travellers and the comfort level: the figures recompute here.
€1,765
per person, flight included
- on the ground
- €1,715
- flight from London
- €50
- per person per day, on the ground
- €245
InstantTripCost estimate
Full 7-night budget breakdown
Per-person estimate including flights from London, split across the six expense categories.
per person · Comfort
| Category | Budget | Comfort | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | €43 | €50 | €75 |
| Hotel | €105 | €812 | €1323 |
| Food | €231 | €525 | €1176 |
| Transport | €56 | €126 | €315 |
| Activities | €28 | €126 | €378 |
| Misc | €21 | €126 | €385 |
| 7-night total | €484 | €1765 | €3652 |
Flight from London (annual median).
Unit prices
comfort
Enough to check the total yourself, line by line, at the comfort level you picked.
- €11
- Breakfast
- €21
- Lunch
- €43
- Dinner
- €6
- City ride
- €18
- Site admission
- €245
- A full day
Orders of magnitude derived from our measured ranges, not surveyed venue by venue. Prices vary by neighbourhood and season.
Why go
Why visit Athens
Athens stands out as a solid value-for-money destination for international travelers, with 643k inhabitants and an urban character that reveals itself in a matter of days.
Athens's climate stays temperate year-round, peaking in comfort during September (18-25 °C) - the most desirable and therefore the most expensive window.
Real budget
What a trip to Athens actually costs
Let's break it down. Lodging: a hostel dorm or entry-level hotel runs around €15 per night, a well-rated 3-star around €116, and 4 to 5-star around €189. Food: around €11 a day eating local, €25 mixing canteens and restaurants, €56 if you sit down for dinner every evening.
Local transport: roughly €8 a day on public transit, €18 adding a few taxi rides. Activities: about €22 a day at a normal sightseeing pace, €45 if you stack paid entries and day trips.
On a 5-to-7-day trip, lodging accounts for roughly 35-45 % of total budget, food 15-20 %, flights 20-30 % depending on the booking window, with the remainder split between local transport, activities, and miscellaneous (visa, insurance, tipping, SIM card). A Athens trip that goes over budget is almost always because the hotel is oversized for the rest, rarely because of activities.
Seasonality
When to go and what it costs
The best price-weather compromise is September: temperatures in the 18-25 °C sweet spot, crowds still manageable, and airfares near the annual median. If budget is the priority, September delivers the cheapest flight of the year (€27 round-trip from London in median), at the cost of generally less pleasant weather.
Money saving
How to cut the Athens budget
The single most profitable lever in Athens is the date. Shifting departure to a shoulder-season month recovers up to 54 % on the flight alone. Booking timing comes next: the 6-to-8-weeks-out window consistently beats both last-minute and booking a year ahead for hotel rates.
On lodging, moving 1 or 2 metro stops out of the hyper-center often halves the bill at equal comfort, with no real commute penalty. As for activities, one standout experience per day is enough. Stacking 3 or 4 paid tickets daily inflates the budget without making the trip noticeably better.
Practical info
Language, currency, and logistics in Athens
Language: Modern Greek, Demotic Greek, Greek, English is understood in most hotels and restaurants in tourist areas. Currency: Euro (€) - plan €50-100 in cash for the first days and use a fee-free card for the rest.
The three tiers
What a budget traveller, a comfort traveller and a premium traveller typically spend.
Budget
€56
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €15
- Meal
- €11
- Transit / day
- €8
Comfort
€209
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €116
- Meal
- €25
- Transit / day
- €18
Luxury
€402
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €189
- Meal
- €56
- Transit / day
- €45
Weather & best time to visit
Average temperatures and conditions by month in Athens.
Best month to visitSeptember
Where to sleep in Athens
The hotels we measured
Accommodation picks by price range.
Sparta Team Hotel
Hotel, standard (5.4/10) from 2,203 reviews.
Zeus Hostel
Hostel, decent (7.3/10) from 2,287 reviews.
Pella Inn Hostel
Hotel, decent (7.9/10) from 3,879 reviews.
Galaxy Hotel
Hotel, standard (6.8/10) from 88 reviews.
Dunlin Hotel
Hotel, well rated (8.1/10) from 2,730 reviews.
Chic Hotel
Hotel, well rated (8.3/10) from 679 reviews.
Nikis 20 Suites
Hotel, well rated (8.3/10) from 798 reviews.
Green Oasis II in the center of Athens
Hotel, not yet rated.
Luwian Athens Boutique Hotel
Hotel, rated excellent (9/10) from 3,452 reviews.
All observed hotels in Athens
24 properties, nightly rate for a 2-night stay arriving 15 October 2026.
| Hotel | Category | Rating | From / night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparta Team Hotel | Budget | ★ 5.4 | €10 |
| Zeus Hostel | Budget | ★ 7.3 | €11 |
| Pella Inn Hostel | Budget | ★ 7.9 | €12 |
| White Bunk Bed in dorm 5' from metro | Budget | ★ 4.3 | €13 |
| Kefi Hub | Budget | ★ 8.2 | €13 |
| Κρεβάτια σε κοιτώνα 5' from metro | Budget | ★ 6.1 | €14 |
| Wooden bunk bed in a dorm 5' from metro | Budget | ★ 8.2 | €14 |
| Bunk bed in dorm 5' from metro | Budget | ★ 2.5 | €14 |
| Galaxy Hotel | Mid-range | ★ 6.8 | €63 |
| Dunlin Hotel | Mid-range | ★ 8.1 | €66 |
| Nikis 20 Suites | Luxury | ★ 8.3 | €67 |
| Green Oasis II in the center of Athens | Luxury | ★ 0 | €70 |
| Chic Hotel | Mid-range | ★ 8.3 | €72 |
| Dorian Inn - Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western | Mid-range | ★ 8.2 | €82 |
| Luwian Athens Boutique Hotel | Luxury | ★ 9 | €82 |
| Hotel London | Mid-range | ★ 8 | €84 |
| Omiros Hotel | Mid-range | ★ 7.7 | €88 |
| Regal Hotel Mitropoleos | Luxury | ★ 8.8 | €96 |
| Hotel @Syngrou Fix | Mid-range | ★ 8.6 | €101 |
| FALIREON HOTEL | Mid-range | ★ 8.4 | €105 |
| Hellenic Vibes Smart Hotel | Luxury | ★ 9.2 | €118 |
| Anasa Hotel Athens | Luxury | ★ 8.8 | €118 |
| Athens Cypria Hotel | Luxury | ★ 8.6 | €128 |
| Astor Hotel Athens | Luxury | ★ 8.5 | €138 |
Things to do in Athens
Recommended activities and tours.
Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis of Athens (Ancient Greek: ἡ Ἀκρόπολις τῶν Ἀθηνῶν, romanized: hē Akropolis tōn Athēnōn; Modern Greek: Ακρόπολη Αθηνών, romanized: Akrópoli Athinón) is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece, and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word Acropolis is from Greek ἄκρον (akron) 'highest point, extremity' and πόλις (polis) 'city'.
Tourist attraction
National Archaeological Museum of Athens
The National Archaeological Museum (Greek: Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο, romanized: Ethnikó Archaiologikó Mouseío) in Athens houses some of the most important artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity. It is considered one of the greatest museums in the world and contains the richest collection of Greek Antiquity artifacts worldwide.
National museum
Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum (Greek: Μουσείο Ακρόπολης, Mouseio Akropolis) is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece.
Museum
Parthenon
The Parthenon (; Ancient Greek: Παρθενών, romanised: Parthenōn [par.tʰe.nɔ̌ːn]; Greek: Παρθενώνας, romanised: Parthenónas [parθeˈnonas]) is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, that was dedicated to the goddess Athena. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points of classical Greek art, and the Parthenon is considered an enduring symbol of ancient Greece, Western civilisation, and democracy.
Tourist attraction
Platonic Academy
The Academy (Ancient Greek: Ἀκαδημία, romanized: Akadēmia) was founded by Plato in ca. 387 BC in Athens. Aristotle studied there for twenty years (367 BC - 347 BC) before founding his own school, the Lyceum.
Archaeological site
Erechtheion
The Erechtheion (, latinized as Erechtheum ; Ancient Greek: Ἐρέχθειον, Modern Greek: Ερέχθειο) or Temple of Athena Polias is an ancient Greek Ionic temple, on the north side of the Acropolis, Athens, that was primarily dedicated to the goddess Athena. The iconic Ionic building, which housed the statue of Athena Polias, has in modern scholarship been called the Erechtheion (the sanctuary of Erechtheus or Poseidon), in the belief that it encompassed two buildings mentioned by the Greek-Roman geographer Pausanias: the Temple of Athena Polias; and the Erechtheion.
Archaeological site
Panathenaic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium (Greek: Παναθηναϊκό Στάδιο, romanized: Panathinaïkó Stádio, [panaθinai̯ˈko ˈstaðio]) or Kallimarmaro (Καλλιμάρμαρο [kaliˈmaɾmaɾo], lit. 'beautiful marble') is a multi-purpose stadium in Athens, Greece. One of the main historic attractions of Athens, it is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.
Tourist attraction
Lyceum
The Lyceum (, Ancient Greek: Λύκειον, romanized: Lykeion /lý.keː.on/) was a temple in Athens dedicated to Apollo Lyceus (). It was best known for the Peripatetic school of philosophy founded there by Aristotle in 334 BC.
Archaeological site
Benaki Museum
The Benaki Museum, established and endowed in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, is housed in the Benakis family mansion in Athens, Greece. The museum houses Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the modern times, an extensive collection of Asian art, hosts periodic exhibitions and maintains a state-of-the-art restoration and conservation workshop.
Art museum
Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square (Greek: Πλατεία Συντάγματος, pronounced [plaˈtia sinˈdaɣmatos], "Constitution Square") is the central square of Athens, Greece. The square is named after the Constitution that Otto, the first King of Greece, was obliged to grant after a popular and military uprising on 3 September 1843.
Square
Places referenced on Wikidata. Admission prices vary by season - check each venue's official site.
Paying less in Athens
What moves the needle
What each decision takes off the €1775 total, strongest lever first.
- − €1274
Travel cheap rather than mid-range
Hostel or entry-level hotel, local canteens, public transport. Accommodation is where the gap opens up.
- − €490
Stay five nights instead of seven
Two fewer nights also removes two days of meals, transport and sightseeing.
- − €406
Travel as a pair
The room is shared, nothing else is. Travellers themselves name this as the strongest lever.
Differences computed from our own measurements, for a 7-night mid-range stay, excluding flights.
FAQ
FAQ - Athens
- How much should I budget for a trip to Athens?
- For a 7-day trip to Athens, expect roughly €484 - €3652 per person depending on your travel style, flights included. The budget profile (hostels, local food, public transit) sits at the lower end ; mid-range comfort sits in the middle ; luxury (premium hotel, fine dining) approaches the top.
- When is the best time to visit Athens?
- The best value is in September, with pleasant temperatures and usually cheaper flights than during peak tourist season. This window combines moderate crowds and lower airfare.
- How do I get around in Athens?
- Local transport (metro, bus, taxi) costs an average of €8 - €45 per day depending on your style. Public transit stays the cheapest option ; a day or weekly pass usually pays off after just two rides per day.
- How can I do Athens on a budget?
- For a cheap trip to Athens, target around €63 - €245 per day per person excluding flights: a hostel or budget hotel, meals at local eateries, public transit, and 1-2 free activities per day. Across a week, plan to land below the lower bound of the global range.
- What's the budget for a weekend in Athens?
- For a 3-day / 2-night weekend in Athens, plan around €240 - €795 per person, flights included. Booking 6 to 8 weeks ahead and flying out Thursday evening / back Sunday evening cuts the total by 10-20 % on average.
- Is Athens an expensive or affordable destination?
- At 78 % of our reference index, Athens ranks among the moderately priced destinations we track. In practice, a daily budget close to our average, 22 % below it.
- How many days do you need in Athens?
- Plan 4 days for the essentials. A full week lets you add the surroundings without rushing, for roughly €735 more per person. Beyond ten days the cost grows linearly: each extra night adds about €245, lodging and daily spending included.
- Do you need a car in Athens?
- Our estimates assume public transport, which covers the centre and its near surroundings. Rental, fuel, parking and tolls are not included: if your route leaves the served area, add them as a separate line.
- How much cash should you bring to Athens?
- Bring €50 to €100 for the first days, until you see where cards work. When paying or withdrawing, decline the conversion into your home currency that terminals offer: it applies its own rate, consistently worse than your bank's.
At a glance
Wikidata, Wikipedia and Open-Meteo data
- Population
- 643k
- Area
- 39 km²
- Elevation
- 74 m
- Language
- Modern Greek, Demotic Greek, Greek
- Currency
- €
- Time zone
- Eastern European Time
- Founded
- -7000
- Avg. July temp.
- 28°
- Avg. Jan. temp.
- 8°
- Rainy days / year
- 58
inhabitants
Euro
22° - 33°
5° - 12°
About
Athens in brief
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica region and is the southernmost capital on the European mainland. With its urban area's population numbering over 3.6 million, it is the eighth-largest urban area in the European Union (EU). The Municipality of Athens, which constitutes a small administrative unit of the entire urban area, had a population of 643,452 in 2021, within its official limits, and a land area of 38.96 square kilometres.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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