Which place is cheaper, Antananarivo or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Athens or Antananarivo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Antananarivo. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Athens or Antananarivo?
Athens
Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.
Antananarivo
Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar; it is also sometimes referred to as Tana. This city is the cultural and political center of Madagascar as a whole. There are multiple universities, museums, and other social venues in the city, as well as a national rugby team. This city has a very apparent French influence.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best Wildlife Tours to Madagascar, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Madagascar.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €127Antananarivo €66
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €127, while the average daily cost in Antananarivo is €66. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Athens and Antananarivo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Antananarivo €28
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Antananarivo €56
Compare Hotels in Athens and Antananarivo
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Antananarivo? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Athens Hotel Prices and Antananarivo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Antananarivo €13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
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Airport Bus for Two€6.40
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Metro€1.50
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Metro€2.00
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Metro from Airport to City Center€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Bus Transfer to/from Argos: $14
- Athens Hotels To Piraeus Port-Hotels Luxury Transfer Services: $22
- Private transfer between Athens hotels and Piraeus Port: $23
- From Athens Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Rafina Port: $24
- Athens Private Transfer: Central Athens to Piraeus Cruise Port: $24
- Mercedes Private Transfer Athens - Piraeus: $24
- Athens Private Transfer Service: Athens Hotel To / From Piraeus Port : $25
- Piraeus Port: Private One-Way Transfer to Athens City Center: $26
- Athens hotels to Piraeus port Private departure transfer: $27
- Piraeus Port Private First Class Vehicle Transfer: $27
- Airport Transfer/ Athens Greece: $28
- The Best Welcome Transfer Airport Services : $28
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Antananarivo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Antananarivo:
- Private Airport Transfert Ivato Antananarivo: $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Antananarivo?
Prices for flights to both Antananarivo and Athens change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayAthens €37Antananarivo €27
Typical Food Prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
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Ice cream€3.00
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Souvlaki€2.20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens
For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $24
- Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $26
- Street Food Tour Market & City Centre: $42
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $46
- Greek Street Food Tour: $52
- Athens Street Food Tour: Explore City's Iconic Eateries: $52
- Street Food Tour with Local Guide and 7 Tastings: $57
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $60
- Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $60
- Greek Spirits & Meze, Food Tour in Athens: $62
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Class with Meal: $64
- Alternative, truly authentic food tour in secret Athens: $64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Antananarivo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Antananarivo.
- Cooking And Cuisine Tasting From Tana-Malagasy Fine Foodie Madagascar Tour: $245
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Antananarivo €22
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Self-guided First Discovery Walk and Reading Tour: $3.23
- Self Guided Tour In Athens With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.26
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour into Byzantine Gems: $4.63
- Acropolis Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.70
- 360 Virtual tour of Ancient Athens: $6.00
- Herakleidon Museum of Ancient Greek Technology: Entry Ticket: $6.46
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Athens: $6.54
- Ancient Agora of Athens Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Ancient Agora of A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Ancient Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Ancient Agora: Audiovisual self-guided tour with 3D models: $7.52
- South Slope of the Acropolis audiovisual self-guided tour: $7.52
Tours and Activities in Antananarivo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Antananarivo are as follows:
- 3 days -Wildlife and Lemur discovery Tour to Andasibe: $861
- Antananarivo Like a Local: Customized Guided Tour: $25
- Private Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $30
- Antanavario: Private custom tour with a local guide: $24
- Day - Tour Ampefy: $145
- From 9 days unique adventure trip to Tulear: $1,991
- Full Day Private Tour in Antananarivo: $203
- Half-Day Private Tour in Lemur's Park: $150
- Lemur Day Tour at Andasibe Rainforest and Vakona Lodge Reserve: $299
- Madagascar Adventures on Tana, West, East, North, and South: $3,000
- Madagascar: Andasibe and Nosy Be Tour in one week: $2,240
- Private Ambohimanga and Ironwork Shop Tour from Antananarivo: $87
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Antananarivo €8.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- Liquer tasting in Polykala's Distillery Show Room in Athens: $17
- Greek Wine Tasting: $23
- Premium Wine Tastings: $36
- Greek Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier: $43
- 1 Hour Private Four Greek Wine Tasting and Food Pairing in Athens: $44
- Old Town Athens Wine Tasting: $53
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $54
- Greek food and wine tasting: $54
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $54
- Rare Greek Wine Tasting w/Sommelier by the Acropolis: $59
- Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store : $61
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $79
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Antananarivo, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Antananarivo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Antananarivo is in Africa, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Antananarivo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Antananarivo and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Antananarivo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Antananarivo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Antananarivo?
Antananarivo has a larger population, and is about 91% larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Antananarivo, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.