Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sparta and Thessaloniki

For one person, living is cheaper in Sparta: $1,351 a month against $1,660 in Thessaloniki, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sparta, Greece
Thessaloniki, Greece
Sparta
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,351
/mo nomad
Thessaloniki
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,660
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sparta and in Thessaloniki

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sparta and in Thessaloniki actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,351 in Sparta versus $1,660 in Thessaloniki.

  • Sparta $1,351
  • Thessaloniki $1,660

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,993 in Sparta versus $2,529 in Thessaloniki.

  • Sparta $1,993
  • Thessaloniki $2,529

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,636 in Sparta versus $3,398 in Thessaloniki.

  • Sparta $2,636
  • Thessaloniki $3,398

Living in Sparta costs roughly 19% less than in Thessaloniki, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.87 €8.86
$16.83 €15.12
-41.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.23 €42.42
$66.9 €60.1
-29.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.93 €7.12
$11.04 €9.92
-28.17%
Cappuccino
$3.34 €3.00
$4.29 €3.85
-22.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.99
$2.85 €2.56
-22.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.52
$0.75 €0.68
-22.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.45 €3.99
$5.49 €4.93
-18.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 €3.97
$6.53 €5.87
-32.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 €1.49
$1.72 €1.54
-4.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 €1.23
$1.71 €1.54
-19.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$3.69 €3.32
-31.17%
Eggs
$5.14 €4.62
$5.52 €4.96
-6.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.34 €11.08
$13.99 €12.57
-11.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.26 €9.22
$11.20 €10.06
-8.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.84 €14.23
$18.82 €16.90
-15.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.49 €2.24
-10.44%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.92
$2.14 €1.93
-0.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 €1.49
$2.16 €1.94
-23.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.01 €1.81
$2.75 €2.47
-26.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.28 €1.15
-14.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 €1.05
$1.23 €1.11
-4.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 €0.77
$1.53 €1.37
-44.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.03
$0.89 €0.80
29.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.02 €4.51
$5.48 €4.93
-8.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.16 €6.43
$10.00 €8.99
-28.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.63
$2.08 €1.87
-12.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 €3.04
$3.25 €2.92
4.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 €1.21
$0.66 €0.59
104.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.1 €47.67
$18.02 €16.19
194.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.38 €3.94
$4.14 €3.72
5.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.98
$1.10 €0.99
-0.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.50 €11.23
$16.48 €14.80
-24.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.38 €2.13
-8.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K €22.0K
$27.9K €25.0K
-11.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K €21.7K
$27.4K €24.6K
-11.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 €152
$210 €189
-19.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.61 €20.31
$23.21 €20.85
-2.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.11 €24.35
$30.46 €27.37
-11.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.4 €45.28
$52.1 €46.82
-3.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.41 €32.70
$16.26 €14.61
123.92%
Cinema Ticket
$9.38 €8.42
$10.45 €9.38
-10.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$233 €209
$481 €432
-51.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,794 €2,510
$8,979 €8,066
-68.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.4 €74.0
$97.4 €87.5
-15.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.30 €32.60
$45.50 €40.87
-20.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.5 €72.3
$124 €111
-34.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4 €81.2
$130 €117
-30.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$494 €443
$623 €560
-20.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$389 €349
$507 €455
-23.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$728 €654
$1,096 €985
-33.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$504 €453
$823 €739
-38.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,483 €2,231
$3,708 €3,331
-33.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,930 €1,734
$2,866 €2,575
-32.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sparta
Thessaloniki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$937 €841
$1,176 €1,056
-20.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.38
5.34
-17.98%

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

Last update for Sparta: October 25, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sparta
$389
Thessaloniki
$507 30.4% $118
Groceries & Markets
Sparta
$290
Thessaloniki
$333 14.8% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sparta
$219
Thessaloniki
$264 20.6% $45
Eating Out
Sparta
$185
Thessaloniki
$274 48.2% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Sparta
$130
Thessaloniki
$178 36.9% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Sparta
$69
Thessaloniki
$73 5.6% $3.9
Getting Around
Sparta
$68
Thessaloniki
$30 55.7% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $494 in Sparta and $623 in Thessaloniki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 26% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $47 in Sparta vs $67 in Thessaloniki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $333 per month, with Sparta cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Sparta
🇬🇷 Thessaloniki
🕒 Local time
19:46 7:46 PM
19:46 7:46 PM
Same time as Sparta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,239
790,824
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
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  • Sparta Thessaloniki 400 km
From you
  • Sparta
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sparta vs Thessaloniki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sparta cheaper than Thessaloniki?
Sparta is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and groceries. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sparta or Thessaloniki?
On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Sparta. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Sparta and Thessaloniki?
Rent for a central apartment: $494 in Sparta versus $623 in Thessaloniki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Sparta and in Thessaloniki?
All in, you’ll spend $1,351 per month in Sparta versus $1,660 in Thessaloniki – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Thessaloniki runs roughly 66% less than in Sparta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sparta or in Thessaloniki?
At $1,351 in Sparta versus $1,660 in Thessaloniki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sparta but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Sparta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Sparta or in Thessaloniki?
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.
Which city is safer, Sparta or Thessaloniki?
Safety-wise, Sparta 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Sparta wins on affordability, Thessaloniki on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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