Athens vs Helsinki
On balanced weights, Athens comes out ahead: 60 against 53 out of 100, mostly on nice days and winter daylight. Your own weights, salary and household can change the answer; every figure below names its source.
Make it yours: compare Athens and Helsinki with your own numbers
The verdict on default settings
The lines that move the score most: nice days (Athens, +4.0 points); winter daylight (Athens, +3.8 points); sunshine (Athens, +3.1 points).
Balanced weights are the app's starting point, not a judgement: weights are set by you. Where a city lacks a figure, it gets the average score of the two on that line, so missing data neither helps nor hurts.
Line by line
| Line | Athens | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Money left each monthAfter tax, rent and everyday spending, what do you keep? | €3,201 take-home a month | €3,532 take-home a month |
| Cost of livingWhat does a month cost you there, rent included? | Add your rentWorld Development Indicators (country) | €2,683 a monthRents of dwellings (Statistics Finland table 15fc); World Development Indicators |
| Nice daysHow many days a year are dry, mostly clear and feel the way you like? | 97 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 23 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Winter daylightHow long is the shortest day of the year? | 9 h 31 min | 5 h 49 min |
| SunshineHow many hours of sunshine in a year? | 2,881 h a yearMeteostat climate normals | 1,890 h a yearWMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 |
| Dry daysHow many days a year does it rain? | 65 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 143 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Clean airHow much fine dust (PM2.5) is in the air over a year? | 12.6 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026) | 5.4 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026) |
| SafetyHow rare is violent death (homicides per 100,000 people a year)? | 0.8 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) | 1.0 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Long, healthy livesHow long do people live there? | 81.8 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) | 82.3 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Health costsWhat does your household pay for health care itself each month? | €50 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) | €58 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Childcare costsWhat does full-time childcare cost you each month, after public support? | no child of childcare age | no child of childcare age |
| Paid leave for parentsHow many weeks of fully paid leave do a mother and a father get between them? | 43 weeks (mother 37, father 6)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) | 51 weeks (mother 40, father 11)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) |
| HappinessHow do people there rate their own lives, 0 to 10? | 6.90 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country) | 7.80 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country) |
| Research outputHow much research and invention happens around you, per resident? | 64 of 100OpenAlex institutions | 61 of 100OpenAlex institutions |
| Time difference from homeHow many hours apart are the clocks there and at home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Flight homeHow long is a nonstop flight home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Airport nearbyHow far is the nearest major airport? | 20 kmOurAirports airports | 17 kmOurAirports airports |
| Public transportWhat share of commuters take the bus, tram, metro or train? | no data | 52 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Rail and metro stationsHow many train and metro stations are within 10 km of the centre? | 74 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 81 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Short commutesHow long does the average journey to work take? | no data | 35 minutesUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Cycle networkHow many km of cycle paths and separated cycle tracks are there per km² of land around the centre? | 0.22 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 7.00 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Everyday needs on footFrom what share of streets are a food shop, a pharmacy, a school, a park and a stop all within about 15 minutes' walk? | 100 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 93 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Walking and cycling to workWhat share of commuters walk or cycle to work? | no data | 22.0 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Quick way out by bikeHow far does a cyclist ride from the centre before the dense city ends? | 4.8 km, about 19 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics | 9.2 km, about 37 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics |
| Near the seaHow far is the sea? | 6 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) | 2 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) |
| Near the mountainsHow far are the mountains (ground 1,000 m above the city)? | 19 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data | 300 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data |
| Green spaceHow much of the land around the centre is park, wood or other green space? | 29.7 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 29.6 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Fast internetHow fast are typical internet connections? | 43 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) | 38 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) |
| English spokenWhat share of people speak English? | 51 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) | 70 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) |
| International crowdWhat share of residents were born abroad? | no data | 17.5 % born abroadUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| DoctorsHow many doctors are there per 1,000 people? | 6.6 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) | 3.6 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) |
| JobsWhat share of people who want work cannot find it? | 8.5 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) | 9.5 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Graduates aroundWhat share of adults hold a degree or another qualification above school level? | 44.6 % of adultsPopulation by educational attainment and NUTS 2 region (edat_lfse_04) | 49.9 % of adultsUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Developers aroundHow many people per 1,000 residents name the city as their location on GitHub? | 22.7 per 1,000GitHub user search | 21.5 per 1,000GitHub user search |
| Clean governmentHow well is corruption kept out of public life? | 0.25 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) | 2.14 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) |
| Politics, left to rightHow close is the way the place votes to where you stand, from left to right? | no data | centre, 5.5 of 10; say where you standPolitical position from election results (country) |
| Abortion lawHow close is the law on ending a pregnancy to the one you want? | on request, 10 weeks or later; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country) | on request, 10 weeks or later; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country) |
| Same-sex couples in lawHow close is the law on same-sex couples to the one you want? | marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) | marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) |
| Founders Running ClubIs there a Founders Running Club chapter? | a chapterFounders Running Club communities | a chapterFounders Running Club communities |
| Coworking spacesHow many coworking spaces are within 10 km of the centre? | 8 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 19 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Climbing gymsHow many climbing gyms are within 10 km of the centre? | 10 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 11 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Swimming poolsHow many public pools are within 10 km of the centre? | 17 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 19 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Beach daysHow many days a year are hot, sunny and dry enough for the beach or a pool? | 66 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 4 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Run or ride daysOn how many days is there a dry, calm, cool-to-mild window for a run or a ride? | 248 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 168 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few muggy daysHow many days a year is the air sticky with humidity? | 7 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 3 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few grey daysHow many days a year is the sky overcast through the day? | 55 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 180 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Cool nights for sleepingHow many nights a year stay above 20 °C? | 96 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 2 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few heat-stress daysHow many days a year feel 32 °C or hotter? | 71 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few snow daysHow many days a year bring fresh snow? | 1 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 38 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few windy daysHow many days a year are windy through the day? | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 14 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
Who may move where depends on your passports: see each city's page, or add your household in the app.
Money on €60,000 a year
| A month | Athens | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | €3,201 | €3,532 |
| Rent and everyday spending | not known | €2,683 |
| Left each month | not known | €849 |
Assumed: one person, €60,000 gross a year, renting a one-bedroom home, and everyday spending of €1,200 a month in Lisbon scaled by each country's price level. These are the app's defaults; change any of them there.
Climate month by month
| Month | Athens | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 to 13 °C | −6 to −1 °C |
| Feb | 6 to 14 °C | −6 to −1 °C |
| Mar | 8 to 16 °C | −4 to 2 °C |
| Apr | 11 to 20 °C | 0 to 7 °C |
| May | 16 to 25 °C | 6 to 13 °C |
| Jun | 21 to 31 °C | 12 to 19 °C |
| Jul | 24 to 35 °C | 15 to 22 °C |
| Aug | 24 to 33 °C | 14 to 20 °C |
| Sep | 20 to 29 °C | 10 to 16 °C |
| Oct | 15 to 23 °C | 5 to 10 °C |
| Nov | 12 to 19 °C | 1 to 5 °C |
| Dec | 9 to 15 °C | −4 to 0 °C |
Air temperature in the shade, average daily low to high (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), 2021-2025).
Questions this page answers
Is it cheaper to live in Athens or Helsinki?
Everyday prices are lower in Greece: 65.5 against 90.6 on the World Bank price level index (United States = 100, 2025). Open rent data is missing for Athens, so the full monthly cost needs your own rent.
How much do you take home on €60,000 a year in Athens and in Helsinki?
About €38,407 a year in Athens (Greece 2026 tax rules) and €42,379 in Helsinki (Finland 2026 tax rules), after income tax and employee social contributions.
Which is warmer, Athens or Helsinki?
Athens is warmer: average daily highs of the air over the year are 22.8 °C against 9.3 °C in Helsinki (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), Open-Meteo, 2021-2025).
Which has cleaner air, Athens or Helsinki?
Helsinki has cleaner air: an annual PM2.5 mean of 5.4 µg/m³ against 12.6 µg/m³ (WHO Ambient Air Quality Database; WHO guideline 5 µg/m³; 2025 and 2024).
Can a citizen of Greece live and work in Helsinki without a visa?
Yes. EU and EEA free movement rules let citizens of Greece live and work in Finland without a visa.
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Cite this page
Borgo, “Athens vs Helsinki”, https://borgo.abcastor.com/compare/athens-gr-vs-helsinki-fi/, figures as of 2026-11-05, reference profile. Name the original source of any figure you quote.