Cost of Living Comparison Between Patras and Rethymno Cost of Living Comparison Between Patras and Rethymno

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,433 in Patras versus $1,385 in Rethymno.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,246 in Patras versus $2,096 in Rethymno.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,059 in Patras versus $2,807 in Rethymno.

Living in Patras is roughly 3% more expensive than in Rethymno, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Patras 4% above, Rethymno 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 €9.99

$15.03 €12.96

-22.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.6

$58.2 €50.2

10.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 €8.06

$10.63 €9.16

-12.04%

Cappuccino

$4.22 €3.63

$3.69 €3.18

14.36%

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

$2.34 €2.02

$1.71 €1.47

36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.53

$0.55 €0.48

10.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 €4.08

$4.78 €4.12

-1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 €4.58

$5.36 €4.62

-0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.86 €1.61

-12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.49 €1.28

1.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.25 €1.94

6.67%

Eggs

$5.08 €4.37

$4.59 €3.96

10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 €10.09

$15.24 €13.14

-23.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.99 €8.61

$10.12 €8.73

-1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 €12.89

$15.55 €13.41

-3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.08 €1.80

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.18 €1.88

6.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.26 €1.09

44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.83 €1.58

9.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.03 €0.89

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.98 €0.84

31.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 €0.83

$0.68 €0.58

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.73 €0.63

68.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 €4.59

$4.54 €3.91

17.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 €6.04

$6.28 €5.41

11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.84 €1.59

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.90 €1.64

83.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.81 €1.56

-21.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 €54.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 €3.93

$4.62 €3.98

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.17 €1.01

-1.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.43 €12.44

$11.55 €9.96

24.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.27 €1.96

-0.44%

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

$28.7K €24.8K

$23.0K €19.8K

24.78%

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

$24.8K €21.4K

$25.7K €22.1K

-3.52%

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

$169 €146

$163 €141

3.69%

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

$24.89 €21.45

$18.81 €16.21

32.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 €25.83

$32.18 €27.74

-6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.14 €35.46

$64.9 €56.0

-36.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.32 €20.97

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 €8.19

$8.46 €7.29

12.29%

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

$491 €423

$382 €329

28.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,670 €4,026

$4,244 €3,658

10.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 €62.6

$86.9 €74.9

-16.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.52 €32.34

$11.58 €9.98

224.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 €68.8

$45.86 €39.53

74.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 €95.4

$46.41 €40.00

138.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 €433

$575 €496

-12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 €372

$454 €392

-5.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 €702

$916 €789

-11.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 €627

$725 €625

0.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,131 €1,837

$4,304 €3,710

-50.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,820 €1,569

$3,106 €2,678

-41.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,207 €1,040

$1,245 €1,073

-3.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.36

4.3

1.40%

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

Last update for Patras: September 5, 2026

Last update for Rethymno: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $502 in Patras and $575 in Rethymno. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rethymno 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: $65.0 in Patras vs $58.0 in Rethymno for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $284 per month, with Rethymno 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 Rethymno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rethymno is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Rethymno. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $502 in Patras versus $575 in Rethymno. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $491 in Patras versus $382 in Rethymno. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rethymno – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $65.0 in Patras. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,385 in Rethymno versus $1,433 in Patras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rethymno but tight or insufficient in Patras. The gap between the two cities makes Rethymno 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 Rethymno 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 Rethymno gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Patras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.