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 3-Day Tours from Athens, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Athens, 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 €52
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €127, while the average daily cost in Kathmandu is €52. 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 €37
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Kathmandu €74
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 €6.37
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
- Luxurious Private Transfers Athens Airport from to Athens center: $20
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port and Hotels to Athens: $22
- Athens Hotels To Piraeus Port-Hotels Luxury Transfer Services: $22
- Santorini: Private Airport and Port Transfer Service: $25
- Athens Private Transfer Service: Athens Hotel To / From Piraeus Port : $25
- Private Transfer from Athens City Center to Piraeus Port: $25
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City: $26
- Private Transfer from Athens City to Piraeus Port: $26
- Mercedes Private Transfer Athens - Piraeus: $27
- Athens hotels to Piraeus port Private departure transfer: $27
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€1.38
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kathmandu
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Kathmandu:
- Private Transfer to Bardia NationalPark from Kathmandu or Pokhara: $274
- 3-Day Chitwan Safari Tour with Hotel Transfers, Kathmandu: $195
- 3-Day Chitwan Safari Tour with Hotel Transfers: $167
- Private Transfer to Syabrubesi from Kathmandu or Pokhara: $162
- Everest Mountain Flight with Private Transfers: $155
- Yoga Experience Day Trip with Private Transfer From Kathmandu: $152
- Private cycle tour from Nagarkot to Bhaktapur via Changu Narayan with transfers: $151
- From One-Way Private Transfer to Pokhara: $148
- 1-Way Car Transfer: Kathmandu to Pokhara: $132
- One-Way Flight Transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara: $130
- Private Sunrise or Sunset Tour of Nagarkot with return transfers from Kathmandu: $129
- Private Transfer to Besisahar from Kathmandu or Pokhara: $127
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 €7.61
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 Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $47
- Athens walking and tasting food tour.: $54
- Athens Street Food Tour: Explore City's Iconic Eateries: $55
- Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $61
- Greek Spirits & Meze, Food Tour in Athens: $63
- Street Food Tour with 7 Tastings: $65
- Eat like an Athenian food tour of Athens: $65
- Greek Traditional Vegan Cooking Classes in Athina: $65
- Street Food Tour - Sample the Food the Locals Love: $65
- Light Lunch Tasting & Cooking Demo: $67
- Athens Street Food Tour: Taste the best streed food: $68
Typical Food Prices in Kathmandu
Some typical examples of dining costs in Kathmandu are as follows:
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Dessert€1.24
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Dinner for Two€2.75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kathmandu
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Kathmandu.
- Nepali Cooking Class & Momo Making with Pickup: $7.50
- Momo Making & Cooking class in Thamel with Pickup: $8.55
- Half Day cooking class in Kathmandu by Local Chefs & Pickup: $9.33
- Best Half day cooking class in Thamel Kathmandu with Pickup: $10
- Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel, Kathmandu with Pickup: $12
- Cultural Dinner Show with Traditional Dance: $17
- Cooking Class in Nepal: $20
- Nepali cooking class and Homestay experience : $22
- Momo, Dhalbhat & Thukpa Cooking Class, Nepal: $25
- Private Half -Day Cooking Class with Meals: $27
- Private Nepali Cooking Class (Dal Bhat and MoMo): $27
- Nepali Cooking Classes: $30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Kathmandu €7.36
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Self Guided Tour In Athens With 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.30
- Acropolis Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.75
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Athens: $6.62
- Athens Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.63
- The Best of Piraeus: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $6.99
- Neighborhood of the Gods Smarthphone GPS APP Audio Walking Tour: $7.50
- Athens Olympic Museum ticket: $7.73
- Traditional Greek Food: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Athens: $7.99
- On the prowl- Cats of Athens Plaka, Self-Guided audio tour on your Phone: $8.83
- Temple of Olympian Zeus: Self-Guided Audio Tour on your Phone (without ticket): $8.83
- Acropolis Self-Guided Audiovisual Tour with 3D Models: $8.83
- Private Self-Guided Audio City-Tour in Athens: $8.84
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€1.38
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Patan Durbar Square Entrance for Two€3.44
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Swayambhunath Stupa€1.38
Tours and Activities in Kathmandu
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Kathmandu are as follows:
- 1 Nights 2 Days Private Nagarkot Tour Package from Kathmandu: $150
- 4-Hour Private Car Sunrise tour over Mount Everest in Nagarkot: $129
- One Day Tour inside Chitwan National Park: $116
- Private Full Day Tour In Kathmandu City: $115
- 1 Day Cycling Tour in Kathmandu: $311
- 1 Day Rock Climbing Tour near Kathmandu Valley: $190
- 1 Day Valley Rim Biking Tour in Kathmandu: $160
- 1 Day Volunteer Tour at Orphanage in Kathmandu: $272
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour from Kathmandu: $155
- 1 Night 2 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour from Pokhara or Kathmandu: $141
- 1 day Kathmandu World Heritage guided tour group join : $65
- 10 Days Nepal Adventure Tour from Kathmandu: $1,026
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Kathmandu €5.29
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- Polykala Distillery showroom. A125 years of history along with liqueur tasting.: $15
- Greek Wine Tasting: $23
- Organic and Vegan Indigenous Wine Tasting Private Experience: $44
- Athens Wine Tasting: $44
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $54
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $54
- Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $54
- 1 Hour Private Four Greek Wine Tasting and Food Pairing in Athens: $55
- Wine Tasting and Storytelling in a Historical Square in Athina: $61
- Private Wine Tasting near Acropolis: $72
- Santorini Wine Tasting and Wine Museum: $110
- Ancient Corinth & Nemea Wine Tasting (up to 15 in a Luxurious Mercedes Minibus): $145
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.