Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Budva Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Budva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,664 in Budva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,659 in Budva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,467 per month in Thessaloniki vs $3,654 in Budva, rent included.

Thessaloniki costs about 3% more than Budva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thessaloniki and Budva sit above the global median – Thessaloniki by 25%, Budva by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.17

$15.02 €12.95

17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 €58.2

$70.0 €60.3

-3.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.11

$14.11 €12.17

-16.87%

Cappuccino

$4.20 €3.62

$3.62 €3.12

16.02%

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

$2.81 €2.43

$2.30 €1.99

22.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.63

$1.60 €1.38

-54.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 €5.05

$4.85 €4.18

20.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 €5.50

$4.42 €3.82

44.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.48

$1.26 €1.09

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.14 €0.98

45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 €3.23

$2.26 €1.95

65.49%

Eggs

$5.62 €4.85

$3.21 €2.77

75.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.63 €12.61

$9.19 €7.93

59.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 €9.77

$9.56 €8.25

18.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.93 €16.32

$12.85 €11.09

47.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.26

$1.37 €1.19

90.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.73 €1.50

34.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.53 €1.32

41.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.40

$2.90 €2.50

-4.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.95 €0.82

29.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.15 €0.99

6.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.79 €1.55

-13.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.93 €0.80

-1.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.14

$4.60 €3.97

29.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 €8.95

$7.99 €6.89

29.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.87

$1.13 €0.97

91.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.86

$1.82 €1.57

81.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$2.88 €2.48

-76.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 €17.87

$41.02 €35.38

-49.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.44

$1.14 €0.98

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.19 €1.03

-9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.50 €15.10

$17.54 €15.13

-0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.76 €1.51

31.82%

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

$28.9K €24.9K

$29.8K €25.7K

-2.87%

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

$30.9K €26.7K

$26.3K €22.7K

17.35%

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

$225 €194

$169 €146

32.70%

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

$24.71 €21.31

$15.41 €13.29

60.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.28

$34.50 €29.76

-11.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.40

$59.9 €51.7

-16.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 €14.34

$22.34 €19.27

-25.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.94

$6.46 €5.57

60.53%

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

$490 €423

$413 €356

18.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,208 €7,942

$10.2K €8,829

-10.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.6

$111 €95.8

-7.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.80 €39.50

$46.10 €39.76

-0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$102 €87.9

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €118

$189 €163

-27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 €554

$812 €700

-20.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 €432

$592 €511

-15.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 €944

$1,543 €1,331

-29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 €740

$1,175 €1,014

-26.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,886 €3,351

$4,272 €3,684

-9.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,849 €2,458

$3,029 €2,613

-5.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,201 €1,036

$1,056 €911

13.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

5.95

-5.04%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: August 29, 2026

Last update for Budva: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Thessaloniki versus $812 in Budva. 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 14% 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 $68.0 in Thessaloniki versus $70.0 in Budva. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Thessaloniki vs $246 in Budva – so Budva wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Thessaloniki vs Budva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,718 in Thessaloniki, $1,664 in Budva – roughly 3% apart. Thessaloniki costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,577 per month in Thessaloniki and $2,497 in Budva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,718 in Thessaloniki and $1,664 in Budva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 98% less in Budva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Budva, where all-in costs run around $1,664, than in Thessaloniki at $1,718. In Budva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thessaloniki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Thessaloniki has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,664 in Budva to $1,718 in Thessaloniki. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Budva. 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.