Cost of Living Comparison Between Patras and Heraklion Cost of Living Comparison Between Patras and Heraklion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,418 in Patras versus $1,575 in Heraklion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,159 in Patras versus $2,474 in Heraklion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,900 in Patras versus $3,374 in Heraklion.

Living in Patras costs roughly 10% less than in Heraklion, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Patras 6% above, Heraklion 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.36 €9.78

$14.13 €12.17

-19.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 €47.81

$58.4 €50.3

-4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 €7.51

$11.56 €9.95

-24.48%

Cappuccino

$3.82 €3.29

$3.89 €3.35

-1.80%

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

$1.67 €1.44

$2.18 €1.87

-23.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.49

$0.60 €0.52

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 €4.05

$5.96 €5.13

-21.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €3.89

$5.76 €4.96

-21.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.84 €1.58

-3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.49 €1.28

-7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.70 €2.33

-14.81%

Eggs

$4.12 €3.54

$5.56 €4.79

-25.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 €9.68

$16.98 €14.62

-33.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 €7.89

$11.37 €9.79

-19.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 €12.11

$14.65 €12.61

-4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.25 €1.94

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.13 €1.83

15.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.45 €1.25

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.84 €1.59

40.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.30 €1.12

-6.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.53 €1.32

-15.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 €0.84

$0.87 €0.75

11.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.66 €0.57

84.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.41

$5.29 €4.55

18.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 €5.42

$8.05 €6.93

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.09 €1.80

13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 €3.29

$3.39 €2.92

12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.59 €1.37

-13.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 €54.8

$46.27 €39.84

37.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 €3.40

$4.53 €3.90

-12.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 €10.06

$11.60 €9.99

0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.16 €1.86

-3.70%

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

$31.5K €27.2K

$35.0K €30.2K

-9.98%

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

$25.5K €22.0K

$25.8K €22.2K

-1.03%

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

$212 €183

$216 €186

-1.66%

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

$21.97 €18.92

$22.89 €19.71

-4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.62 €28.09

$37.02 €31.88

-11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.56 €35.79

$52.7 €45.37

-21.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.21 €25.16

$39.87 €34.34

-26.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.40 €8.10

$9.36 €8.06

0.43%

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

$517 €446

$431 €371

20.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,506 €5,603

$4,159 €3,581

56.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 €56.8

$100 €86.4

-34.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.29 €27.81

$46.48 €40.03

-30.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 €59.1

$89.6 €77.2

-23.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €90.8

$133 €114

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 €424

$555 €478

-11.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 €338

$424 €365

-7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 €653

$1,044 €899

-27.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 €595

$875 €753

-20.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,135 €1,838

$4,014 €3,456

-46.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,812 €1,561

$2,848 €2,453

-36.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 €1,044

$1,156 €995

4.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

4.44

-0.45%

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

Last update for Patras: May 30, 2026

Last update for Heraklion: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $492 in Patras and $555 in Heraklion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Patras pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Patras vs $58.0 in Heraklion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $309 per month, with Patras 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

Patras vs Heraklion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Patras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Patras pays 5% 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: $492 in Patras versus $555 in Heraklion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $517 in Patras versus $431 in Heraklion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Heraklion. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,418 in Patras versus $1,575 in Heraklion, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Patras but tight or insufficient in Heraklion. The gap between the two cities makes Patras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Patras and Heraklion 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 Patras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Heraklion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.