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: $1,403 in Patras versus $1,643 in Heraklion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,220 in Patras versus $2,592 in Heraklion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,036 in Patras versus $3,540 in Heraklion.

Living in Patras costs roughly 15% less than in Heraklion, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Patras 2% above, Heraklion 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 €10.16

$15.37 €13.21

-23.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 €54.1

$57.9 €49.76

8.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 €7.97

$10.61 €9.12

-12.54%

Cappuccino

$4.13 €3.55

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

$2.35 €2.02

$2.55 €2.20

-7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 €0.54

$0.75 €0.64

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 €4.11

$5.67 €4.88

-15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 €4.53

$5.47 €4.70

-3.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 €1.38

$1.86 €1.60

-13.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.56 €1.34

-5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 €2.16

$2.60 €2.23

-3.08%

Eggs

$5.27 €4.53

$4.77 €4.10

10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 €10.31

$16.53 €14.21

-27.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 €8.55

$10.91 €9.38

-8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 €12.56

$15.49 €13.32

-5.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.05

$2.33 €2.01

2.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.20 €1.89

5.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.45 €1.25

22.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.06 €1.78

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.26 €1.08

-9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.31 €1.12

3.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.99 €0.85

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.79 €0.67

55.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 €4.54

$5.18 €4.46

2.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 €5.98

$7.67 €6.59

-9.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.13 €1.83

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.06 €2.63

11.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.49 €1.28

-8.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 €55.1

$68.5 €58.9

-6.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 €3.89

$4.66 €4.01

-3.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.56 €12.52

$11.47 €9.86

26.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.19 €1.88

0.91%

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

$29.6K €25.4K

-0.11%

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

$24.6K €21.2K

$25.7K €22.1K

-4.29%

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

$166 €143

$204 €175

-18.49%

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

$24.92 €21.42

$32.27 €27.75

-22.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.56 €25.41

$40.36 €34.70

-26.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.21 €35.43

$50.4 €43.37

-18.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 €20.48

$41.01 €35.26

-41.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 €7.80

$9.43 €8.11

-3.71%

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

$501 €431

$420 €361

19.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,701 €4,041

$4,194 €3,606

12.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 €62.3

$87.1 €74.9

-16.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.91 €31.73

$45.02 €38.70

-18.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 €67.5

$88.1 €75.7

-10.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 €95.0

$141 €121

-21.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 €442

$648 €557

-20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 €362

$514 €442

-18.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 €699

$1,161 €998

-30.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 €620

$1,029 €884

-29.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,133 €1,834

$3,893 €3,347

-45.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,803 €1,550

$2,836 €2,438

-36.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 €1,035

$1,158 €995

3.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.36

4.44

-1.80%

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

Last update for Patras: September 1, 2026

Last update for Heraklion: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $514 in Patras and $648 in Heraklion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Patras pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $63.0 in Patras vs $58.0 in Heraklion. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $307, with Patras cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Patras, 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: $514 in Patras versus $648 in Heraklion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $501 in Patras versus $420 in Heraklion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Heraklion. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,403 in Patras versus $1,643 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 17% less than in Heraklion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.