Cost of Living Comparison Between Drama and Thessaloniki Cost of Living Comparison Between Drama and Thessaloniki

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Drama versus $1,544 in Thessaloniki.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,824 in Drama versus $2,338 in Thessaloniki.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,445 in Drama versus $3,132 in Thessaloniki.

Living in Drama costs roughly 22% less than in Thessaloniki, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Drama is 10% below, Thessaloniki is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 €11.47

$17.51 €14.99

-23.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 €39.49

$56.7 €48.56

-18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 €7.89

$10.55 €9.03

-12.70%

Cappuccino

$2.75 €2.35

$4.24 €3.63

-35.14%

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

$1.62 €1.39

$2.43 €2.08

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.05

$5.67 €4.85

-37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 €3.85

$5.96 €5.10

-24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.53 €1.31

-0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 €1.33

$1.46 €1.25

6.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 €0.97

$2.48 €2.13

-54.03%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.44

$4.32 €3.70

-7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 €10.43

$13.48 €11.54

-9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 €8.28

$11.36 €9.73

-14.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 €11.40

$14.98 €12.82

-11.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 €1.27

$2.06 €1.77

-28.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.87 €1.60

-22.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 €0.91

$1.63 €1.39

-34.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.35 €2.01

-13.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.86

$1.28 €1.10

-21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 €1.04

$1.33 €1.14

-8.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.09 €0.93

-4.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 €0.42

$0.87 €0.75

-43.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 €4.48

Wine (Bottle)

$5.39 €4.62

$9.29 €7.95

-41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.81

$2.00 €1.71

-52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.69 €2.30

-23.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.02 €0.87

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.82 €40.08

$30.99 €26.53

51.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 €6.32

$4.62 €3.95

59.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 €11.49

$32.74 €28.02

-59.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.12 €1.82

-3.77%

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

$35.1K €30.0K

$31.3K €26.8K

12.22%

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

$29.3K €25.1K

$31.7K €27.1K

-7.54%

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

$176 €151

$218 €187

-19.33%

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

$23.58 €20.18

$25.70 €22.00

-8.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.73 €27.16

$30.50 €26.11

4.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.13 €32.64

$44.50 €38.09

-14.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.80 €22.08

$18.35 €15.71

40.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.28 €7.09

$10.22 €8.75

-18.98%

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

$507 €434

$422 €361

20.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,486 €4,696

$8,462 €7,243

-35.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €97.3

$83.6 €71.6

35.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 €19.89

$37.16 €31.81

-37.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 €54.0

$92.0 €78.8

-31.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 €58.7

$116 €99.2

-40.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 €269

$547 €468

-42.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 €259

$454 €389

-33.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 €449

$930 €796

-43.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 €363

$738 €631

-42.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,556 €1,332

$3,856 €3,301

-59.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,464 €2,965

$2,795 €2,393

23.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,221 €1,045

$1,183 €1,012

3.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

4.68

-7.26%

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

Last update for Drama: April 27, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $315 in Drama and $547 in Thessaloniki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Drama pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Drama vs $57.0 in Thessaloniki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $294 per month, with Drama cheaper across the board.

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

Drama vs Thessaloniki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Drama pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $315 in Drama versus $547 in Thessaloniki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Drama runs roughly 51% less than in Thessaloniki. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $507 in Drama versus $422 in Thessaloniki. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,203 in Drama versus $1,544 in Thessaloniki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Drama but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Drama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Drama is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Thessaloniki, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Drama and Thessaloniki are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Drama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.