Cost of Living Comparison Between Kefalonia and Thessaloniki Cost of Living Comparison Between Kefalonia and Thessaloniki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Kefalonia vs $1,665 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Kefalonia vs $2,564 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,209 per month in Kefalonia vs $3,463 in Thessaloniki, rent included.

Kefalonia is about 4% cheaper than Thessaloniki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kefalonia and Thessaloniki sit above the global median – Kefalonia by 16%, Thessaloniki by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.42 €13.30

$17.68 €15.24

-12.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.30 €34.74

$66.5 €57.3

-39.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 €9.13

$11.71 €10.10

-9.56%

Cappuccino

$3.12 €2.69

$4.30 €3.70

-27.44%

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

$3.53 €3.04

$2.86 €2.46

23.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.59

$0.75 €0.65

-9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 €4.22

$5.91 €5.10

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 €4.63

$6.56 €5.65

-18.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.70 €1.46

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.62 €1.39

-6.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.76 €3.24

-31.38%

Eggs

$4.61 €3.97

$5.47 €4.72

-15.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.08 €12.14

$14.25 €12.28

-1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 €8.58

$11.29 €9.73

-11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.81 €12.77

$18.61 €16.04

-20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €1.99

$2.69 €2.32

-14.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$2.25 €1.94

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 €1.27

$2.10 €1.81

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.85 €2.46

-29.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.25 €1.08

-5.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.19 €1.02

0.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.53 €1.32

-22.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.88 €0.76

-5.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 €4.84

$5.66 €4.88

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 €6.05

$10.35 €8.92

-32.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.28

$2.05 €1.77

28.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.40

$3.44 €2.97

-19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.67 €0.58

104.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.54 €42.71

$20.66 €17.81

139.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.44

$4.39 €3.79

-9.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.07 €0.92

4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.13 €14.76

$17.73 €15.28

-3.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.41 €2.08

-12.86%

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

$28.7K €24.7K

$29.3K €25.2K

-2.06%

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

$26.0K €22.4K

$31.4K €27.1K

-17.37%

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

$296 €255

$224 €193

32.04%

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

$24.04 €20.72

$24.35 €20.99

-1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 €26.30

$31.61 €27.25

-3.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 €45.00

$53.2 €45.82

-1.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.38 €22.74

$17.12 €14.76

54.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 €7.78

$10.60 €9.13

-14.81%

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

$443 €382

$494 €426

-10.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 €5,997

$9,202 €7,932

-24.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.2 €73.4

$98.2 €84.6

-13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.09 €35.42

$45.65 €39.35

-9.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €83.7

$123 €106

-20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$139 €119

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 €470

$634 €546

-13.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 €390

$499 €430

-9.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 €962

$1,097 €946

1.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 €710

$845 €729

-2.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 €2,546

$3,874 €3,339

-23.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,426 €2,092

$2,832 €2,441

-14.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,150 €991

$1,206 €1,040

-4.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

5.65

-21.42%

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

Last update for Kefalonia: September 6, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Kefalonia versus $634 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 5% 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 $40.00 in Kefalonia versus $66.0 in Thessaloniki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $335 – making Kefalonia 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

Kefalonia vs Thessaloniki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thessaloniki costs about 4% more than Kefalonia, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,394 per month in Kefalonia and $2,498 in Thessaloniki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $443 per month in Kefalonia and $494 in Thessaloniki. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kefalonia, where all-in costs run around $1,596, than in Thessaloniki at $1,665. In Kefalonia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thessaloniki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kefalonia costs $1,596 versus $1,665 in Thessaloniki. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kefalonia. 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.