Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Edessa Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Edessa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,575 in Thessaloniki versus $1,438 in Edessa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Thessaloniki versus $2,146 in Edessa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,142 in Thessaloniki versus $2,855 in Edessa.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 10% more expensive than in Edessa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thessaloniki 18% above, Edessa 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.90

$17.67 €15.41

-3.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 €49.61

$52.6 €45.82

8.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 €9.13

$9.68 €8.44

8.16%

Cappuccino

$4.41 €3.84

$3.61 €3.15

22.16%

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

$2.37 €2.07

$2.09 €1.82

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 €0.49

$0.69 €0.60

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €5.00

$4.09 €3.57

40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 €4.94

$4.51 €3.93

25.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.72 €1.50

-14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.30 €1.13

10.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$2.49 €2.17

-4.42%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.67

$4.59 €4.00

-8.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.93

$13.72 €11.96

-0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.68

$8.08 €7.04

37.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 €12.82

$13.44 €11.72

9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.24 €1.95

-12.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.10 €1.83

-8.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.49 €1.30

12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.03

$2.01 €1.76

15.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 €1.12

$1.37 €1.19

-6.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.37 €1.20

0.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.00 €0.87

9.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.72

$0.93 €0.81

-11.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 €4.52

$5.74 €5.01

-9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 €10.10

$7.26 €6.33

59.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.69

$1.46 €1.27

32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.34

$2.72 €2.37

-1.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 €0.90

$1.52 €1.32

-32.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.69 €27.63

$45.63 €39.78

-30.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €4.01

$4.72 €4.12

-2.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.14 €28.02

$13.76 €12.00

133.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.22 €1.94

-9.01%

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

$31.5K €27.4K

$30.9K €26.9K

1.93%

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

$31.0K €27.1K

$26.3K €23.0K

17.86%

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

$213 €186

$238 €207

-10.34%

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

$25.86 €22.55

$31.97 €27.87

-19.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 €26.71

$35.18 €30.67

-12.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.51 €39.68

$49.98 €43.57

-8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 €16.28

$26.57 €23.16

-29.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.29 €8.97

$9.17 €8.00

12.21%

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

$428 €373

$430 €375

-0.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,234 €7,179

$5,976 €5,210

37.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 €72.5

$88.9 €77.5

-6.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.47 €32.67

$38.50 €33.56

-2.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 €79.8

$88.6 €77.3

3.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$107 €93.4

8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 €481

$383 €334

43.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 €393

$365 €318

23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 €805

$585 €510

57.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 €657

$482 €421

56.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,659 €3,190

$1,385 €1,208

164.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,828 €2,466

$2,437 €2,125

16.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,171 €1,021

$763 €666

53.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.43

5.64%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: July 26, 2026

Last update for Edessa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $552 in Thessaloniki and $383 in Edessa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 53% 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: $57.0 in Thessaloniki vs $53.0 in Edessa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $269 per month, with Edessa 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 Edessa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thessaloniki and Edessa differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,575 vs $1,438 including rent). Edessa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% 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: $552 in Thessaloniki versus $383 in Edessa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Edessa runs roughly 44% less than in Thessaloniki. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Thessaloniki versus $430 in Edessa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,438 in Edessa versus $1,575 in Thessaloniki, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Edessa but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Edessa 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, Thessaloniki and Edessa 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 Edessa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.