Should you visit Athens or Rhodes?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Athens and Rhodes. 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. So, let's dig into it.
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.
Rhodes
Rhodes Island is one of the largest and most visited islands in Greece both because of its diversity of sights and its wonderful climate. On the island are some beautiful beaches, well preserved historic sights, and lovely towns. Rhodes City is the capital city on the island of Rhodes and is famous as the former site of the Colossus. Colossus is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe. Today Rhodes City has an interesting old town that is surrounded by the medieval wall. Inside you'll find countless souvenir shops and restaurants that cater to tourists. Cruise ships also frequent the island, so it's best visited during the off season when the crowds may be slightly less. You will also find that prices drop when the crowds are thinner and the cruise ships are scarce.
Which city is cheaper, Rhodes or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €103, while the average daily cost in Rhodes is €108. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Athens and Rhodes in more detail.
Accommodation
For a normal double-occupancy room in Athens, €102 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Athens, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €51, such as in a hostel.
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €92 for a double occupancy room in Rhodes.
Food
In Athens travelers spend around €30 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
While meal prices in Rhodes can vary, the average travelers spends about €38 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Rhodes should cost around €15 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Rhodes is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Athens €30
Rhodes €38
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:
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Online 1hr Cooking Class: Santorini Tomato Fritters:
$6.22
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Greek Meatballs Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
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Withlocals the 10 Tastings: Athens Private Food Tour with a Local:
$42
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Online Cooking Class: Greek mini cheese pies:
$45
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Street Culture & Food Tour:
$56
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Afternoon Food Tour:
$56
-
Athens walking and tasting food tour.:
$60
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4-Hour Cooking Class with Market Visit:
$69
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Homemade Gyros cooking class and dinner in Athens for private groups:
$75
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The Classic Food Tour:
$76
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Taste of Half-Day Small Group Food Tour:
$77
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Greek Phyllo and Pie Cooking Class in Athens:
$77
Typical Food prices in Rhodes
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rhodes:
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Coffee
€1.95
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Dinner for Two
€23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rhodes
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rhodes.
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Sunset Catamaran Cruise with Dinner:
$68
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All Inclusive 3-Hour Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$68
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Rhodes Town Night Tour with Dinner and Cruise:
$112
Local Transportation
Athens's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €22 per person, per day on transportation in Athens.
The average price of local transportation around Rhodes is €39 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens
Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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ATHENS AIRPORT to ATHENS or vice versa PRIVATE LUXURY TRANSFERS:
$62
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Airport Transfer:
$77
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Airport Transfer/ Athens Greece:
$59
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Airport pick up taxi and minivans transfers ,tours and trips:
$60
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Airport transfer:
$156
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Ancient Olympia Taxi Transfer from Athens:
$539
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Arrival Private Transfer Luxury Van Athens Rafina Port to Athens City:
$100
-
Athens & Sounio Taxi Multiple Destination Transfer:
$311
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Athens Airport Departure Private Transfer. Depart in Style!:
$62
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Athens Airport Departure Transfer (Athens Hotels to Athens Airport):
$66
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Athens Airport Departure Transfer: Athens Hotels to Athens Airport Shuttle Bus:
$34
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Athens Airport Private Departure Transfer:
$28
Typical Local Transportation prices in Rhodes
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Rhodes:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rhodes
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rhodes:
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Diagoras Airport Private Hotel Transfer:
$45
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Rhodes Private Departure Transfer:
$28
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Diagoras Airport Private Hotel Transfer:
$25
-
Rhodes Private Departure Transfer to Rhodes Airport:
$22
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Private Airport Transfer: from Rhodes to Rhodes Airport (RHO):
$19
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Rhodes?
Prices for flights to both Rhodes 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.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Athens can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €28 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Rhodes's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €15 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
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Athens virtual History, Philosophy and Democracy Tour:
$6.22
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Skip the Line: Frissiras Museum Entrance Ticket:
$7.46
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Skip the Line: War Museum of Athens Entrance Ticket:
$7.46
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Skip the Line: Temple of Olympian Zeus Entrance Ticket:
$8.09
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Skip the Line: Roman Agora of Athens Entrance Ticket:
$8.71
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Athens Museum of Cycladic Art Admission Ticket:
$8.71
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Skip the Line: Admission Ticket for Acropolis Museum:
$9.33
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Temple of Olympian Zeus: Self-Guided Audio Tour on your Phone (without ticket):
$9.94
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Skip the Line: Ancient Agora of Athens and Temple of Hephaestus Entrance Ticket:
$11
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Benaki Museum of Islamic Art Entrance Ticket:
$11
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Athens Museum of Illusions Ticket:
$11
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Self-Guided City Experience:
$12
Tours and Activities in Rhodes
Here are a few actual costs in Rhodes for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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From Rhodes Town: Private Yacht Cruise with Lunch:
$1,586
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Hike around Rhodes in a 8 day tour! (Walking holidays):
$1,369
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Lindos: Full-Day Private Sailing Cruise:
$1,020
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Lindos: Lindos Village and Acropolis Guided Walking Tour:
$227
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Private Tour in The Jewish Quarter & Grand Master's Palace:
$408
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Private Tour: Lindos Acropolis and Village:
$683
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Private Tour: Lindos and Rhodes Old Town Day Trip:
$1,131
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Rhodes Family Adventure Week:
$1,630
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Rhodes Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour Bus:
$14
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Rhodes North: Off-Road Adventure:
$102
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Rhodes Private Tours:
$995
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Rhodes Shore Excursion: Private Lindos Tour:
$683
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Athens, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €18.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Rhodes may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €9.71 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
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Athens Walking Tour with Food and Wine Tasting:
$37
-
Virtual Greek Wine Tasting:
$87
-
Athens Food and Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
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Wine tasting tour:
$131
-
Wine Tasting and Athens Trikke Combo Tour:
$133
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The Best Winery & Tasting Tour in Nemea.Enjoy a unique all day wine tasting tour:
$140
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Private Wine Tasting Experience of Greek Awarded Wines in Athens:
$148
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Premium Wine Tour in Peloponnese -Ancient Corinthos, Nemea - the Land of Myth:
$148
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Athens Private Wine Tasting Tour - Dionysian Grapes:
$149
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Ancient Corinth & Nemea Wine Tasting (up to 15 in a Luxurious Mercedes Minibus):
$151
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Greek Private Wine Tasting:
$166
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Mercedes Private Full-Day Tour, Nafplio, Corinth Canal and Wine Tasting:
$168
Sample the Local Flavors in Rhodes
Also in Rhodes, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Private Greek Food & Wine Tasting Experience in Rhodes Town:
$510
When comparing the travel costs between Athens and Rhodes, we can see that Rhodes is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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