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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,664 per month in Budva vs $1,718 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,659 per month in Budva vs $2,592 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,654 per month in Budva vs $3,467 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

Budva is about 3% cheaper than Thessaloniki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Budva and Thessaloniki sit above the global median – Budva by 21%, Thessaloniki by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 €12.95

$17.59 €15.17

-14.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 €60.3

$67.5 €58.2

3.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.17

$11.73 €10.11

20.29%

Cappuccino

$3.62 €3.12

$4.20 €3.62

-13.81%

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

$2.30 €1.99

$2.81 €2.43

-18.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$0.73 €0.63

119.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 €4.18

$5.85 €5.05

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 €3.82

$6.37 €5.50

-30.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.71 €1.48

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.66 €1.43

-31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$3.74 €3.23

-39.57%

Eggs

$3.21 €2.77

$5.62 €4.85

-42.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 €7.93

$14.63 €12.61

-37.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.25

$11.32 €9.77

-15.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 €11.09

$18.93 €16.32

-32.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.61 €2.26

-47.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$2.32 €2.00

-25.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.17 €1.87

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 €2.50

$2.78 €2.40

4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.23 €1.06

-22.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.23 €1.06

-6.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.54 €1.33

16.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.80

$0.92 €0.79

1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 €3.97

$5.95 €5.14

-22.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 €6.89

$10.38 €8.95

-23.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.16 €1.87

-47.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.57

$3.31 €2.86

-45.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$0.67 €0.58

329.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.02 €35.38

$20.71 €17.87

98.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €0.98

$3.99 €3.44

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.08 €0.93

10.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.54 €15.13

$17.50 €15.10

0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.32 €2.00

-24.14%

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

$29.8K €25.7K

$28.9K €24.9K

2.95%

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

$26.3K €22.7K

$30.9K €26.7K

-14.79%

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

$169 €146

$225 €194

-24.64%

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

$15.41 €13.29

$24.71 €21.31

-37.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 €29.76

$30.47 €26.28

13.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 €51.7

$50.3 €43.40

19.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 €19.27

$16.62 €14.34

34.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 €5.57

$10.37 €8.94

-37.70%

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

$413 €356

$490 €423

-15.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,829

$9,208 €7,942

11.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.8

$103 €88.6

8.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.10 €39.76

$45.80 €39.50

0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$118 €102

-13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 €163

$136 €118

38.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 €700

$643 €554

26.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 €511

$501 €432

18.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,331

$1,095 €944

40.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 €1,014

$859 €740

36.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,272 €3,684

$3,886 €3,351

9.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,029 €2,613

$2,849 €2,458

6.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,056 €911

$1,201 €1,036

-12.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

5.65

5.31%

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

Last update for Budva: August 29, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Budva versus $643 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 partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Budva versus $68.0 in Thessaloniki. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Budva vs $340 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: $1,664 in Budva, $1,718 in Thessaloniki – roughly 3% apart. Thessaloniki costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,497 per month in Budva and $2,577 in Thessaloniki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budva, 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 $1,664 in Budva and $1,718 in Thessaloniki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 98% less in Budva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Budva, where all-in costs run around $1,664, than in Thessaloniki at $1,718. In Budva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thessaloniki 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 $1,664 in Budva to $1,718 in Thessaloniki. 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 Budva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thessaloniki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.