Lisbon vs Athens
The short answer
Athens is the cheaper trip, by roughly 13% a day — $70–130 against $80–150 mid-range per person. Both are at their best in Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct, so one trip can take in both.
Side by side
Mid-range, per person, in US dollars. Both guides were costed the same way — see how we work these out.
| 🇵🇹 Lisbon | 🇬🇷 Athens | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily budgetmid-range, per person | $80–150 | $70–130cheaper |
| Cheap meallocal staple | $11–16 | $4–8cheaper |
| Mid-range hotelper night | $85–160 | $70–130cheaper |
| Transit ridesingle trip | $1.90–2.10 | $1.30cheaper |
| Avg. monthly salarylocal, for context | ≈ $1,750 | ≈ $1,450 |
When to go
Filled months are the ones each guide recommends; hollow ones it warns off.
What you'd actually do
A few of each guide's picks, one per category before seconds — the full lists are on the guides themselves.
🇵🇹 Lisbon
Seven hills, yellow trams and tiled façades above a river the size of a sea. Western Europe's best-value capital, and one of the few where the historic centre is still somewhere people live.
- Jerónimos Monastery$$Landmarks
- Alfama$Neighbourhoods & views
- Pastéis de Belém$Restaurants & food
- Fado in Alfama$$Nightlife & music
- Belém Tower$$Landmarks
🇬🇷 Athens
Twenty-five centuries of history under a hill you can see from almost anywhere in the city. Scruffier and far more alive than the ruins suggest, and one of the cheapest capitals in the eurozone.
- The Acropolis$$$Ancient sites
- Acropolis Museum$$Museums
- Plaka$Neighbourhoods & views
- Varvakios Central Market$Food & nightlife
- Ancient Agora$$Ancient sites
Practicalities
| Lisbon | Athens | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Portuguese. English is widely spoken in the centre and by anyone under about 40 | Greek, in its own alphabet. English is widely spoken in the centre and by younger Greeks generally |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0), WEST (UTC+1) in summer — an hour behind most of Western Europe | EET (UTC+2), EEST (UTC+3) in summer |
| Power | 230V, Type F — the standard two-pin European plug | 230V, Type F — standard European two-pin |
| Tap water | Safe and perfectly drinkable everywhere | Safe and good in Athens. On many islands it is not — check locally |
| Emergency | 112 for everything | 112 general · 166 ambulance · 100 police |
The same in both:
- Currency
- Euro (€)