Should you visit Athens or Vilnius?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Athens and Vilnius. 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.
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital and largest city in the country of Lithuania. It has a population of more than 500,000 residents and is located in the valley between the Neris River and the Vilnia River in the southeastern part of the country. Visitors come to the city for its beautiful Old Town, impressive architecture, and fascinating culture. In 2009 it was named the European Capital of Culture along with the city of Linz, in Austria.
Which city is cheaper, Vilnius 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 Vilnius is €76. 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 Vilnius 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 €68 for a double occupancy room in Vilnius.
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.
On average, meal and food prices in Vilnius cost around €32 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €13.
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Food
Meals for one day
Athens €30
Vilnius €32
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
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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 Vilnius
Some typical examples of dining costs in Vilnius are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vilnius
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vilnius.
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Vilnius - City of Contrasts - The Original City Tour by bicycle (bike+food tour):
$32
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National Dinner with Folk Show in Vilnius:
$49
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Dinner in local family:
$66
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Cooking Class in Vilnius:
$71
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Cooking Class:
$74
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Vilnius Dinner in the Darkness:
$115
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Dinner in the Dark Dining Experience in Riga:
$281
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 Vilnius is €6.64 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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Ultra - Private Transfer from Athens City Centre to Piraeus Cruise Port:
$9.41
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Ultra - Athens Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Athens Airport ATH:
$9.41
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Mercedes Luxury Private Transfer Athens - Piraeus:
$16
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Athens Port Private Transfer:
$16
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Private Luxury Transfer from Athens - Piraeus:
$17
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Athens Private Transfer Service: Athens Hotel to Piraeus Port:
$19
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Athens Airport Shuttle Bus Transfer:
$22
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Athens Private Transfer: Piraeus Cruise Port to Central Athens:
$22
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Athens Private Transfer: Central Athens to Piraeus Cruise Port:
$22
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Athens hotels to Piraeus port Private departure transfer:
$22
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Piraeus port to Athens hotels Private arrival transfer:
$22
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Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Athens Airport:
$24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vilnius
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vilnius:
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Private transfer: Vilnius Airport (VNO) to Vilnius:
$622
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Private transfer: Vilnius to Vilnius Airport (VNO):
$622
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Vilnius to Riga transfer with Sightseeing:
$347
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Private transfer from Vilnius to Riga or Riga International Airport:
$323
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Private transfer Vilnius - Riga:
$319
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Private Transfer Vilnius - Minsk:
$319
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Riga to Vilnius Private One-Way Transfers:
$283
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Private low cost transfer from Vilnius to Minsk:
$254
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Private Minivan Transfer from Vilnius to Riga:
$208
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Private transfer from Vilnius to Kaunas:
$118
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Luxury Car Transfers from Vilnius to VNO Airport Vilnius - Departure:
$92
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Luxury Car Transfers from VNO Vilnius Airport to Vilnius - Arrival:
$92
Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Vilnius?
Prices for flights to both Vilnius 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.
Vilnius's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €7.78 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
Typical Entertainment prices in Vilnius
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Vilnius are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Vilnius
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vilnius are as follows:
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10-Day Self-Driving Tour to Baltic States:
$912
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2-Hour Segway Tours in Vilnius:
$57
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2-Night Amber Spa Experience in Vilnius:
$956
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3 Hour Vilnius Food Walking Tour:
$83
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3-Hour Vilnius Food Insider Walking Tour and Tastings:
$96
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3.5-Hour Taste of Vilnius Beer Trail Tour:
$71
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6-Hour Trakai National Park Private Walking Tour from Vilnius:
$187
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8 Days Baltic Tour: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia:
$1,095
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9-Day Lithuania and Latvia Small-Group Tour from Vilnius:
$1,680
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Audio Tours to Curonian Spit UNESCO sand dunes:
$399
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Audio Tours to Geographical Center of Europe:
$96
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Audio Tours to Grutas Park Soviet Time Museum:
$239
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.
The average person spends about €5.10 on alcoholic beverages in Vilnius per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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
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Virtual Greek Wine Tasting:
$87
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Athens Food and Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
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Wine tasting tour:
$131
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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
Typical Alcohol prices in Vilnius
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Vilnius from other travelers:
Sample the Local Flavors in Vilnius
Also in Vilnius, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Vilnius, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Vilnius much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Vilnius would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vilnius 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 Vilnius.
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