Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Ioannina Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuenca and Ioannina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Cuenca vs $1,349 in Ioannina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,088 per month in Cuenca vs $2,005 in Ioannina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,737 per month in Cuenca vs $2,661 in Ioannina, rent included.

Cuenca costs about 7% more than Ioannina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cuenca and Ioannina sit above the global median – Cuenca by 7%, Ioannina by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 €14.14

$17.66 €15.11

-6.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.69 €39.11

$34.59 €29.61

32.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 €7.75

$10.05 €8.60

-9.95%

Cappuccino

$2.19 €1.88

$3.87 €3.31

-43.41%

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

$2.05 €1.75

$2.25 €1.92

-8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.30

$0.55 €0.47

176.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 €2.00

$4.49 €3.85

-48.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.95

$5.65 €4.84

-39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.87

$1.48 €1.27

-31.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.19 €1.02

21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 €1.23

$2.48 €2.12

-41.94%

Eggs

$2.50 €2.14

$3.43 €2.94

-27.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.41 €14.05

$10.22 €8.75

60.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 €8.52

$8.15 €6.98

22.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 €12.06

$11.01 €9.42

27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 €2.47

$1.97 €1.69

46.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.87 €1.60

-15.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 €1.27

$1.24 €1.06

20.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 €2.85

$2.32 €1.99

43.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.25 €1.07

39.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$1.06 €0.90

87.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.03 €0.88

38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.91

$0.85 €0.73

24.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 €5.02

$5.22 €4.47

12.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.64 €5.68

$7.09 €6.07

-6.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.03

$1.95 €1.67

-37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.52

$2.79 €2.39

-36.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.52 €1.30

-15.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.55 €28.71

$34.54 €29.57

-2.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €3.99

$4.71 €4.03

-1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 €0.84

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.38 €25.15

$7.13 €6.11

312.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.52

$2.09 €1.79

-14.83%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$24.7K €21.2K

56.53%

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

$30.1K €25.8K

$26.6K €22.7K

13.41%

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

$134 €115

$216 €185

-38.04%

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

$19.25 €16.48

$20.66 €17.68

-6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.70 €23.71

$30.59 €26.18

-9.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.69 €39.11

$46.09 €39.45

-0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.67 €12.56

$46.10 €39.46

-68.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.18 €7.01

$9.14 €7.82

-10.50%

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

$345 €296

$341 €292

1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,894 €8,470

$8,383 €7,176

18.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 €60.9

$69.9 €59.9

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.81 €34.93

$36.87 €31.56

10.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 €83.2

$77.7 €66.6

24.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €101

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 €593

$417 €357

66.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 €447

$308 €264

69.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 €692

$684 €586

18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 €553

$549 €470

17.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,552 €3,041

$3,133 €2,681

13.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,333 €1,997

$2,605 €2,230

-10.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,442 €1,234

$1,124 €962

28.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

4.68

-22.65%

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

Last update for Cuenca: April 28, 2026

Last update for Ioannina: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Cuenca versus $417 in Ioannina. 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 28% higher in Cuenca, 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 $46.00 in Cuenca versus $35.00 in Ioannina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $242 – making Ioannina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cuenca vs Ioannina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,439 in Cuenca, $1,349 in Ioannina – roughly 7% apart. Cuenca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,159 per month in Cuenca and $2,023 in Ioannina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $345 per month in Cuenca and $341 in Ioannina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Cuenca, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ioannina, where all-in costs run around $1,349, than in Cuenca at $1,439. In Ioannina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ioannina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ioannina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cuenca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.