Which place is cheaper, Tel Aviv or Athens?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Athens or Tel Aviv?
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 Tel Aviv. 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 Tel Aviv?
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.
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is the second largest city in Israel and is situated on the Mediterranean coast 60 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It's a rapidly growing city and is one of the most modern and cosmopolitan cities in Israel. The official name is Tel Aviv-Yafo because the city has grown to include the ancient port city of Yafo. If you're looking for an embassy, you are likely to find it in Tel Aviv, despite Jerusalem being the official capital of Israel.
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 Luxury Tours to Israel, and The Best Budget Tours to Israel.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayAthens €127Tel Aviv €130
The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €127, while the average daily cost in Tel Aviv is €130. 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 Tel Aviv in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personAthens €63Tel Aviv €80
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomAthens €126Tel Aviv €160
Compare Hotels in Athens and Tel Aviv
Looking for a hotel in Athens or Tel Aviv? 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 Tel Aviv Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Athens €27Tel Aviv €8.13
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:
- Athens Airport To Piraeus Port / Hotel Private Luxury Transfer : $44
- Private Transfer from /to Athens International Airport: $32
- Transfer from Athens-Pireaus-Athens Airport to Corinth-Loutraki-Agioi Theodoroi: $218
- "Luxurious Transfer": $48
- A mini Embark / Disembark Tour In Athens With Transfers from airport / port.: $259
- AIRPORT TRANSFER in Athens : $28
- Accessible Private Transfer WAV from Athens Airport to Port Rafina: $43
- Airport Private Transfers: $79
- Airport Transfer/ Athens Greece: $28
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Car: $127
- Airport Transfer: Athens Airport ATH to Athens by Luxury Van: $113
- Airport Transfer: Athens to Athens Airport ATH by Business Car: $80
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tel Aviv
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tel Aviv are as follows:
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Local Bus to Central Bus Station€1.47
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Taxi to Airport€37
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tel Aviv
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tel Aviv:
- Tel Aviv Airport (TLV): Private Transfer to Tel Aviv: $455
- Private Transfers and Chauffeur Services: $300
- Private transfer service from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem: $298
- Tel Aviv Airport TLV to Haifa hotels - RoundTrip Private Transfer: $297
- Private Transfer from Tel Aviv Airport TLV to Cruise Port: $283
- Tel Aviv Airport TLV Private transfer to Tel Aviv in Luxury Van: $273
- Tel Aviv Private Transfer to Tel Aviv Airport TLV in Business Car: $273
- Private Transfer from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem: $247
- Private Transfer from Herzlia to Jerusalem: $247
- Private Haifa Transfer - from/to Tel Aviv City or (TLV) Airport : $239
- Tel Aviv Private Transfer To Dead Sea: $225
- transfer from bengurion airport to Jerusalem : $200
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Tel Aviv?
Prices for flights to both Tel Aviv 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 €37Tel Aviv €26
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
- Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $60
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $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
Typical Food Prices in Tel Aviv
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Tel Aviv:
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Dinner for Two€21
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Dinner for 2 at Vatroshka€121
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Lunch at Segev Sarona€32
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Aroma Iced Coffee€3.49
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Lunch at the airport€29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tel Aviv
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tel Aviv.
- Tel Aviv Food Tour of the Carmel Market: $49
- Carmel Market Food Tour: $49
- Tel Aviv Food Tour: The Magic of Carmel Market: $49
- Private Jaffa Flea Market Hapishpeshim Food Tour: $60
- 3 hours Levinsky Market Food Tour : $104
- The 10 Tastings of Tel Aviv With Locals: Private Food Tour : $230
- Private Food Tour to Carmel Market : $266
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Athens €36Tel Aviv €21
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
- South Slope of the Acropolis audiovisual self-guided tour: $7.52
- Ancient Agora: Audiovisual self-guided tour with 3D models: $7.52
Typical Entertainment Prices in Tel Aviv
Here are a few typical costs in Tel Aviv for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Masada tour from Tel Aviv€73
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Etzel museum€3.74
Tours and Activities in Tel Aviv
Here are a few actual costs in Tel Aviv for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Romantic Walking Tour In Tel Aviv for Couples: $240
- Self-guided Graffiti tour in Tel Aviv in your own time and your own pace: $24
- 1-Day Tour Jerusalem and the Dead Sea from Tel Aviv: $129
- All the Best of Tel Aviv Walking Tour: $28
- Best of Golan Heights Day Tour from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv: $190
- Best of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem: $189
- Best of Tel Aviv and Jaffa Walking Tour - 1 Day: $89
- Bethlehem and Jericho Day Biblical Tour from Tel Aviv: $190
- Bethlehem and Jerusalem Day Biblical Tour from Tel Aviv: $183
- Bethlehem and Jerusalem Day Tour from Tel Aviv: $99
- Bethlehem, Jerusalem Desert and Monasteries Tour from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv: $200
- Caesarea, Haifa, and Akko: Full-Day Tour: $99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayAthens €23Tel Aviv €20
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Tel Aviv
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Tel Aviv:
- Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour with Shots: $22
- Pub Crawl with Clubs, dance bars and free shots: $22
- Guided Pub Crawl Night Tour at Tel Aviv: $24
- Pub Crawl with 4 Stops and Free Shots: $30
- Tel Aviv Craft Beers Pub Crawl: $42
- Wine Tour North of Israel from Tel Aviv: $959
When comparing the travel costs between Athens and Tel Aviv, we can see that Tel Aviv 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. Even though Athens is in Europe and Tel Aviv is in Middle East, both of these destinations have relatively similar prices of travel. Generally, the levels of luxury and expenses are the same for these cities even though they are geographically far apart.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Tel Aviv Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Athens or Tel Aviv?
Athens has a larger population, and is about 93% larger than the population of Tel Aviv. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Tel Aviv, 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.