Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Chalcis Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Chalcis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Thessaloniki versus $1,435 in Chalcis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,592 in Thessaloniki versus $2,207 in Chalcis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,467 in Thessaloniki versus $2,978 in Chalcis.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 20% more expensive than in Chalcis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thessaloniki 25% above, Chalcis 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.12

$11.84 €10.18

48.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 €58.1

$47.78 €41.08

41.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.08

$9.42 €8.10

24.52%

Cappuccino

$4.20 €3.61

$3.76 €3.23

11.70%

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

$2.81 €2.42

$2.36 €2.03

19.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.63

$0.61 €0.53

19.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 €5.03

$3.44 €2.96

70.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 €5.48

$4.62 €3.97

37.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.58 €1.36

8.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.43 €1.23

16.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 €3.22

$2.26 €1.95

65.49%

Eggs

$5.62 €4.83

$4.51 €3.87

24.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.63 €12.57

$11.64 €10.00

25.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 €9.73

$9.94 €8.55

13.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.93 €16.27

$14.85 €12.76

27.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.04 €1.75

27.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$2.07 €1.78

12.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.84 €1.58

17.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.06 €1.77

34.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.16 €0.99

6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.36 €1.17

-9.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$0.94 €0.81

63.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.85 €0.73

8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.11 €4.39

16.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 €8.92

$6.92 €5.95

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.78 €1.53

21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.85

$3.50 €3.00

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.37 €1.18

-51.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 €17.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.43

$4.60 €3.96

-13.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.19 €1.02

-9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.50 €15.05

$14.24 €12.24

22.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.13 €1.83

8.92%

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

$28.9K €24.8K

$28.9K €24.9K

-0.08%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$24.5K €21.1K

26.17%

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

$225 €193

$168 €144

33.76%

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

$24.71 €21.24

$24.76 €21.28

-0.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.20

$29.53 €25.39

3.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.26

$69.6 €59.8

-27.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 €14.29

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.91

$9.41 €8.09

10.20%

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

$490 €422

$289 €249

69.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,208 €7,916

$4,671 €4,016

97.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.3

$73.1 €62.8

40.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.80 €39.37

$36.37 €31.27

25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$79.2 €68.1

49.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €117

$111 €95.7

22.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 €553

$623 €535

3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 €431

$499 €429

0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 €941

$1,090 €937

0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 €738

$898 €772

-4.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,886 €3,341

$2,519 €2,165

54.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,849 €2,450

$2,085 €1,792

36.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,201 €1,033

$1,082 €930

11.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

4.36

29.59%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chalcis: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $643 in Thessaloniki and $623 in Chalcis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Thessaloniki vs $48.00 in Chalcis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $276 per month, with Chalcis 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

Thessaloniki vs Chalcis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chalcis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Thessaloniki, 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: $643 in Thessaloniki versus $623 in Chalcis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Thessaloniki. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,718 per month in Thessaloniki versus $1,435 in Chalcis – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,435 in Chalcis versus $1,718 in Thessaloniki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chalcis but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Chalcis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chalcis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Thessaloniki, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Thessaloniki and Chalcis 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 Chalcis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.