Which place is cheaper, Athens or Naxos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Naxos or Athens?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Naxos or Athens? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Naxos or Athens?
Naxos
Naxos, the largest island in the Cyclades, is a gem waiting to be discovered. Its blend of stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture make it a perfect destination for all types of travelers. Naxos offers long and flat beaches with clear, turquoise water along with inland mountains full of agriculture and ancient ruins. It has a reputation of being one of the more family-friendly islands for all of these qualities.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Greece, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Greece, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Greece, and The Best Adventure Tours to Greece.
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Naxos Prices
Greece PricesAthens Prices
Greece Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayNaxos €221Athens €154
The average daily cost (per person) in Naxos is €221, while the average daily cost in Athens is €154. 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 Naxos and Athens in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personNaxos €75Athens €63
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomNaxos €150Athens €126
Compare Hotels in Naxos and Athens
Looking for a hotel in Naxos or Athens? 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: Naxos Hotel Prices and Athens Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Naxos €52Athens €27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Naxos
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Naxos:
- Brunch at Melanes Café with Free Transfer and Nature Walk: $72
- Private Transfer in Naxos: $67
- Naxos Private Transfer: $44
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:
- Ferry Transfer from Athens to Aegina Island: $16
- Mykonos Super Paradise Beach Transfers: $18
- One way Private Transfer Athens City Center to / from Piraeus Port: $23
- Piraeus Port To Athens City Center Private Arrival Transfer: $24
- Santorini Airport Private Transfer: $25
- Athens Airport (ATH) Private Transfer to Athens Hotels/Piraeus: $26
- Athens city to Piraeus port Private transfer: $27
- Santorini: Private Airport and Port Transfer Service: $27
- Athens Airport Private Transfer to Piraeus Port with Meet & Greet: $28
- Piraeus port to Athens city Private transfer: $29
- Private Transfer from Athens City Center to Piraeus Port: $29
- Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City Center: $29
Is it cheaper to fly into Naxos or Athens?
Prices for flights to both Athens and Naxos 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 dayNaxos €107Athens €64
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Naxos
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Naxos.
- Kourounochori, Naxos : Gregory's Traditional Cooking Class : $102
- Naxos Town Food Tour : $106
- Naxos Perivoli Farm Experience & Wood-fire Cooking Class: $114
- Naxos:Half-day cooking class at Basiliko : $116
- Cooking Experience Live Music and Traditional Dance in Naxos: $120
- Walking Tour and Cooking Class on Naxos with Local Market Visit: $126
- Naxos Town Evening Food Tour with Wine Tasting & 6 food Stops : $142
- Naxos Old Town Private Food Tour with Dinner and Pickup: $168
- Naxos Old Town Tour with Wine Tasting and Dinner: $191
- Couples' Private Naxos Food Tour with Greek Myths: $227
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: $30
- Street Food Tour - Sample the Food the Locals Love: $71
- Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $78
- Athens's original vegan food tour: $78
- Small Group, Delicious Athens Food Tour: $81
- Get a Taste of Athens Food Tour: $82
- Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $82
- Athens, Greek food tour including market visit: $83
- Eat like an Athenian food tour of Athens: $83
- Athens Walking Food Tour with Visit to Varvakios Central Market: $83
- Athens Evening Food Tour: $88
- Greek Cooking Class by Poseidon’s Temple in Sounio with Antonia: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Naxos €40Athens €36
Tours and Activities in Naxos
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Naxos are as follows:
- Essence of Naxos Tour: $36
- All-Inclusive Catamaran Day Cruise: $179
- Catamaran Sailing Cruise with Lunch and Drinks in Naxos: $132
- Cruise to Koufonisia and Rina's Cave: $102
- Cruises to Delos-Mykonos, Santorini and Koufonisi by Alexander : $84
- Daily Cruise - Koufonissia & Rina Cave: $96
- Delos and Mykonos One Day Cruise from Naxos: $90
- Discover Inland Private Village Tour from Your Hotel: $210
- Experience Marble Carving: $96
- Explore Rina's Cave and Koufonisia Cruise From Naxos: $90
- Family Treasure Hunt Adventure in Naxos Town: $66
- Full Day or Half Day Naxos Sightseeing Ride: $268
Tours and Activities in Athens
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.
- Self Guided Walking Tour in Athens Hidden Gems: $3.59
- A Neoclassical Capital: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
- Athens Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $6.01
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Athens: $7.20
- Self-Guided Greece Grand Tour with Audio Guide: $7.69
- The Best of Piraeus: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
- South Slope Acropolis Self-Guided 3D Audio Tour (No Ticket): $8.40
- Athens Interactive City Tour: $8.42
- Temple of Olympian Zeus: Self-Guided Audio Tour on your Phone (without ticket): $9.61
- Acropolis of Athens Self-Guided Tour with 3D & Audio (No Ticket): $9.61
- Private Self-Guided Audio City-Tour in Athens: $9.62
- Athens Olympic Museum ticket: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayNaxos €30Athens €23
Sample the Local Flavors in Naxos
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Naxos:
- Citron Tasting and Distillery 1-Hour Guided Tour in Naxos: $72
- Wine Tasting and Tour in Saint Anna Winery in Naxos: $72
Sample the Local Flavors in Athens
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:
- The Original Athens Pub Crawl: $11
- Greek Honey Tasting Experience at our Old Distillery: $14
- Saturday Night Pub Crawl for Professionals in Athens, Greece: $25
- Experience Ouzo Tasting at Athens Oldest Distillery: $26
- Athens Ultimate Bar Crawl: $48
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $59
- Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $59
- Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $59
- Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store : $67
- Greek food and wine tasting: $71
- Noble Greeks Acropolis Wine Tasting with Private Sommelier: $72
- Athens by Night Walking and Wine Tasting Experience: $84
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Naxos and Athens, we can see that Naxos is more expensive. And not only is Athens much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Athens would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Athens 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 Naxos would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Naxos than you might in Athens.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Naxos Expensive? and Is Athens Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Naxos or Athens?
Athens has a larger population, and is about 100 times larger than the population of Naxos. When comparing the sizes of Naxos and Athens, 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.