Which place is cheaper, Kathmandu or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Athens or Kathmandu?
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 Kathmandu. 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 Kathmandu?
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.
Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital and largest city in the country of Nepal. Its metropolitan area forms one large urban area that includes the area of Patan to the south. As of 2011 there were 2.5 million residents in the Kathmandu metropolis and over 3 million in the entire metropolitan area. Kathmandu is likely to be your entry point into Nepal and is a great place to pick up supplies and arrange the details for any treks you hope to do. Many travelers rush through Kathmandu, turned off by the pollution and crowds, but to skip Kathmandu is to miss a major cultural, financial, and influential part of what defines the country of Nepal. The city itself is quite fun to explore if you allow it enough time and an open mind.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Nepal, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Nepal.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €127Kathmandu €53
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €127, while the average daily cost in Kathmandu is €53. 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 Kathmandu in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Kathmandu €38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Kathmandu €76
Compare Hotels in Athens and Kathmandu
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Kathmandu? 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 Kathmandu Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Kathmandu €6.50
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
- One way Private Transfer Athens City Center to / from Piraeus Port: $20
- Athens Hotels To Piraeus Port-Hotels Luxury Transfer Services: $22
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port and Hotels to Athens: $22
- Private transfer between Athens hotels and Piraeus Port: $22
- From Athens Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Rafina Port: $23
- Athens Private Transfer: Piraeus Cruise Port to Central Athens : $24
- Athens Private Transfer Service: Athens Hotel To / From Piraeus Port : $25
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City Center: $25
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City: $26
- Private Transfer from Athens City to Piraeus Port: $26
- Piraeus Port: Private One-Way Transfer to Athens City Center: $26
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kathmandu
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Kathmandu:
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Taxi Ride€1.41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour with Transfers: $1,999
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara Hotels: $244
- Private Transfer: Kathmandu to Chitwan Hotels: $210
- 3-Day Chitwan Safari Tour with Hotel Transfers: $192
- Kathmandu to Pokhara Transfer by Luxury Private Car: $180
- From Kathmandu To Ramechhap Airport - Private Transfer: $171
- From Bungee Jump over Bhotekosi River & Transfer: $160
- Kathmandu to Pokhara: One Way Private Transfer: $156
- Everest Mountain Flight with Private Transfers: $155
- From One-Way Private Transfer to Pokhara: $148
- One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
- Pokhara: One way transfer To or From Kathmandu: $117
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Kathmandu?
Prices for flights to both Kathmandu 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 €37Kathmandu €7.77
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: $51
- Middle-eastern Cuisine Cooking Class with Meal: $52
- Street Food Tour with Local Guide and 7 Tastings: $57
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $60
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Class with Meal: $63
- Alternative, truly authentic food tour in secret Athens: $63
- Oriental Kitchen Cooking Classes in Athina: $64
- Street Food Tour with 7 Tastings: $64
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert€1.26
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Dinner for Two€2.81
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Momo Making & Cooking class in Thamel with Pickup: $8.56
- Half Day cooking class in Kathmandu by Local Chefs & Pickup: $9.34
- Best Half-Day Nepali Cooking Class & Hotel Pickup: $9.50
- Best Half day cooking class in Thamel Kathmandu with Pickup: $10
- Dinner with Cultural Show Kathmandu : $12
- Cultural Dinner Show with Traditional Dance: $17
- Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel, Kathmandu with Pickup: $19
- Nepali and Newari Cooking Class with Optional …: $22
- Food Tour In Kathmandu With Walking Local Market: $23
- Half Day Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Visit: $23
- Cooking Class in Thamel Kathmandu by Local Chef with pickup: $25
- Cooking Class with Special Day Celebration in Thamel: $27
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Kathmandu €7.52
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Meouzo Online City Tour: $3.19
- Self-guided First Discovery Walk and Reading Tour: $3.20
- Exclusive Self-Guided Audio Tour into Byzantine Gems: $4.58
- A Neoclassical Capital: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- Neighborhood of the Gods Smarthphone GPS APP Audio Walking Tour: $6.00
- 360 Virtual tour of Ancient Athens: $6.00
- Herakleidon Museum of Ancient Greek Technology: Entry Ticket: $6.39
- Ancient Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.93
- Ancient Agora of Athens Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.99
- Traditional Greek Food: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Athens: $6.99
- Greece: Tourist eSIM Data Plan: $7.11
- Ancient Agora: Audiovisual self-guided tour with 3D models: $7.45
Typical Entertainment Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Monkey Temple for Two€1.41
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two€3.51
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Swayambhunath Stupa€1.41
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- 4 Days Kathmandu Nagarkot Tour : $235
- Hire Tour Guide Nepal : $81
- Manakamana Darshan- Day Tour: $199
- One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $117
- Private Kathmandu Day Tour: $70
- Two Days Sightseeing in Kathmandu Tour UNESCO Heritage sites: $150
- "Unleash the Adventure: Conquer the Annapurna Circuit Trek": $1,288
- 1 Day Cycling Tour in Kathmandu: $311
- 1 Day Everest base camp helicopter tour: $2,141
- 1 Day Kathmandu Shopping Tour Experience: $100
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour from Pokhara or Kathmandu: $141
- 1-Day Bungee Jumping Tour from Kathmandu: $160
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Kathmandu €5.40
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
- The NightCrawlers | Athens Pub Crawl: $26
- Athens Speakeasy & Alternative Bar Crawl: Discover Hidden Gems: $38
- Greek Wine Tasting Experience with a Sommelier: $43
- Old Town Athens Wine Tasting: $52
- Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $52
- Greek food and wine tasting: $53
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $53
- Wine Tasting with a Sommelier under the Acropolis: $59
- Wine Tasting and Storytelling in a Historical Square in Athina: $60
- Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store : $61
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Kathmandu, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Kathmandu much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Kathmandu is in Asia, 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 Kathmandu would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Kathmandu Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Kathmandu?
Kathmandu has a larger population, and is about 98% larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Kathmandu, 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.