Should you visit Mykonos or Athens?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Mykonos and Athens. 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.
Mykonos
Mykonos, a Greek Island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, is part of the Cyclades group. Mykonos is one of the most touristy islands in the Aegean Sea and is famous for its whitewashed buildings that climb up the hill along with historic windmills, stunning hillside views, and fantastic seafood restaurants. Because of its popularity, Mykonos comes with a hefty tourist markup. Many passengers arrive here as part of a cruise, so during the day its small streets can become crowded with tourists and its harbor fills with large ships. August and July are the most popular times to visit, so if you're hoping to avoid to crowds it's best to come a few months earlier.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Athens or Mykonos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mykonos is €119, while the average daily cost in Athens is €103. 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 Mykonos and Athens in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €118 for a double occupancy room in Mykonos.
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.
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Mykonos is €19 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.
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.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Mykonos
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Mykonos:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mykonos
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Mykonos:
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Kalo Livadi area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Kalafatis area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Ftelia area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Elia area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Paraga area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Paradise area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Tagoo area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Super Paradise area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Ano Mera area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Agios Sostis area up to 6 customers:
$121
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Glastros area up to 6 customers:
$98
-
Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Vryssi area up to 6 customers:
$98
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:
-
Ultra - Private Transfer from Athens City Centre to Piraeus Cruise Port:
$9.41
-
Ultra - Athens Private Airport Transfer from City Centre to Athens Airport ATH:
$9.41
-
Mercedes Luxury Private Transfer Athens - Piraeus:
$16
-
Athens Port Private Transfer:
$16
-
Private Luxury Transfer from Athens - Piraeus:
$17
-
Athens Private Transfer Service: Athens Hotel to Piraeus Port:
$19
-
Athens Airport Shuttle Bus Transfer:
$21
-
Athens Private Transfer: Piraeus Cruise Port to Central Athens:
$22
-
Athens Private Transfer: Central Athens to Piraeus Cruise Port:
$22
-
Athens hotels to Piraeus port Private departure transfer:
$22
-
Piraeus port to Athens hotels Private arrival transfer:
$22
-
Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Athens Airport:
$24
Is it cheaper to fly into Mykonos or Athens?
Prices for flights to both Athens and Mykonos 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
In Mykonos travelers spend around €38 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.
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.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Mykonos €38
Athens €30
Typical Food prices in Mykonos
Some typical examples of dining costs in Mykonos are as follows:
-
Two Ice cream Cones
€4.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mykonos
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Mykonos.
-
Traditional Lunch or Dinner at the Mykonian Spiti:
$74
-
Mykonos Cooking Class:
$159
Typical Food prices in Athens
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:
-
Ice cream
€3.00
-
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:
-
Online 1hr Cooking Class: Santorini Tomato Fritters:
$6.22
-
Greek Meatballs Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Withlocals the 10 Tastings: Athens Private Food Tour with a Local:
$42
-
Online Cooking Class: Greek mini cheese pies:
$45
-
Street Culture & Food Tour:
$56
-
Afternoon Food Tour:
$56
-
Athens walking and tasting food tour.:
$60
-
4-Hour Cooking Class with Market Visit:
$69
-
Homemade Gyros cooking class and dinner in Athens for private groups:
$75
-
The Classic Food Tour:
$76
-
Taste of Half-Day Small Group Food Tour:
$77
-
Greek Phyllo and Pie Cooking Class in Athens:
$77
Entertainment
Mykonos's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €18 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.
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.
Tours and Activities in Mykonos
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Mykonos are as follows:
-
Best of Mykonos island, 4 hours private tour:
$281
-
Delos Tour 3 to 5 customers:
$505
-
Delos Tour 6 to 10 customers:
$329
-
From 6.5-Hour Cruise to Delos and Rhenia:
$100
-
Mykonos Shore Excursion: City & Island Tour:
$250
-
Mykonos Walking Tour:
$40
-
Discover Authentic Mykonos Tour:
$51
-
Full-Day Catamaran Cruise with Fresh Lunch:
$318
-
Full-Day Sightseeing Tour with Lunch:
$159
-
Half-Day City Walking Tour and Island Bus Tour:
$44
-
Little Venice Sunset Cruise:
$57
-
South Coast Beach Hopping Boat Tour with BBQ Lunch:
$139
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
-
Athens virtual History, Philosophy and Democracy Tour:
$6.22
-
Skip the Line: Frissiras Museum Entrance Ticket:
$7.46
-
Skip the Line: War Museum of Athens Entrance Ticket:
$7.46
-
Skip the Line: Temple of Olympian Zeus Entrance Ticket:
$8.09
-
Skip the Line: Roman Agora of Athens Entrance Ticket:
$8.71
-
Athens Museum of Cycladic Art Admission Ticket:
$8.71
-
Skip the Line: Admission Ticket for Acropolis Museum:
$9.33
-
Temple of Olympian Zeus: Self-Guided Audio Tour on your Phone (without ticket):
$9.94
-
Skip the Line: Ancient Agora of Athens and Temple of Hephaestus Entrance Ticket:
$11
-
Benaki Museum of Islamic Art Entrance Ticket:
$11
-
Athens Museum of Illusions Ticket:
$11
-
Self-Guided City Experience:
$12
Alcohol
The average person spends about €16 on alcoholic beverages in Mykonos per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
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.
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
-
Athens Walking Tour with Food and Wine Tasting:
$37
-
Virtual Greek Wine Tasting:
$87
-
Athens Food and Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
-
Wine tasting tour:
$131
-
Wine Tasting and Athens Trikke Combo Tour:
$133
-
The Best Winery & Tasting Tour in Nemea.Enjoy a unique all day wine tasting tour:
$140
-
Private Wine Tasting Experience of Greek Awarded Wines in Athens:
$148
-
Premium Wine Tour in Peloponnese -Ancient Corinthos, Nemea - the Land of Myth:
$148
-
Athens Private Wine Tasting Tour - Dionysian Grapes:
$149
-
Ancient Corinth & Nemea Wine Tasting (up to 15 in a Luxurious Mercedes Minibus):
$151
-
Greek Private Wine Tasting:
$166
-
Mercedes Private Full-Day Tour, Nafplio, Corinth Canal and Wine Tasting:
$168
When comparing the travel costs between Mykonos and Athens, we can see that Mykonos 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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