Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Thessaloniki Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Thessaloniki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,723 per month in Budva vs $1,546 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,769 per month in Budva vs $2,354 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,815 per month in Budva vs $3,162 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

Budva costs about 11% more than Thessaloniki, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Budva and Thessaloniki sit above the global median – Budva by 29%, Thessaloniki by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 €14.21

$17.27 €14.85

-4.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 €56.6

$57.7 €49.63

14.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 €9.90

$10.30 €8.86

11.75%

Cappuccino

$2.86 €2.46

$4.27 €3.67

-33.02%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.89

$2.36 €2.03

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$0.56 €0.48

155.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €2.96

$5.88 €5.06

-41.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.27

$5.74 €4.94

-33.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.52 €1.31

-9.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 €0.95

$1.46 €1.25

-23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.45 €2.11

-3.27%

Eggs

$3.26 €2.81

$4.41 €3.79

-26.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 €7.77

$13.67 €11.76

-33.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 €6.90

$11.10 €9.55

-27.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 €10.21

$14.79 €12.72

-19.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$2.04 €1.75

-36.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.87 €1.61

-4.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.68 €1.45

-0.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.38 €2.04

23.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.26 €1.08

-17.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.33 €1.15

-6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.09 €0.94

56.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$0.88 €0.75

34.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 €3.86

$5.36 €4.61

-16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 €5.64

$11.70 €10.06

-43.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.00 €1.72

-36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.80 €2.41

-38.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.05 €0.91

118.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.39 €34.75

$30.99 €26.66

30.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 €1.01

$4.62 €3.97

-74.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.20 €14.80

$31.91 €27.45

-46.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$2.07 €1.78

-14.01%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.8K €25.7K

$31.3K €26.9K

-4.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K €22.6K

$31.7K €27.2K

-17.10%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$159 €137

$213 €183

-25.24%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.52 €15.93

$26.13 €22.48

-29.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.49 €28.81

$30.44 €26.18

10.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 €51.8

$44.22 €38.03

36.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.86 €20.52

$18.69 €16.08

27.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 €4.89

$9.98 €8.59

-43.09%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$419 €361

$421 €363

-0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,803

$8,408 €7,233

21.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €101

$82.5 €71.0

42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.05 €42.19

$36.95 €31.78

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €96.1

$90.9 €78.2

22.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 €177

$115 €98.9

79.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 €807

$542 €466

73.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 €601

$452 €389

54.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 €1,503

$940 €808

85.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 €1,217

$742 €638

90.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,240 €3,648

$3,833 €3,297

10.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,169 €2,726

$2,909 €2,502

8.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 €900

$1,193 €1,026

-12.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

4.68

26.71%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Budva: June 2, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Budva versus $542 in Thessaloniki. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Thessaloniki, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Budva versus $58.0 in Thessaloniki. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Budva vs $298 in Thessaloniki – so Budva wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Budva vs Thessaloniki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,723 in Budva, $1,546 in Thessaloniki – roughly 11% apart. Budva costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,584 per month in Budva and $2,319 in Thessaloniki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thessaloniki, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,723 in Budva and $1,546 in Thessaloniki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Thessaloniki. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thessaloniki, where all-in costs run around $1,546, than in Budva at $1,723. In Thessaloniki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Thessaloniki has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,546 in Thessaloniki to $1,723 in Budva. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Thessaloniki. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.