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: $1,665 in Thessaloniki versus $1,522 in Edessa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,580 in Thessaloniki versus $2,230 in Edessa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Thessaloniki versus $2,939 in Edessa.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 9% more expensive than in Edessa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thessaloniki 22% above, Edessa 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.19

$17.25 €15.03

1.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 €58.5

$53.8 €46.86

24.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 €9.88

$10.44 €9.10

8.62%

Cappuccino

$4.14 €3.61

$3.39 €2.95

22.12%

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

$2.84 €2.48

$1.83 €1.59

55.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.66

$0.55 €0.48

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 €5.05

$4.11 €3.58

41.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 €5.41

$4.55 €3.96

36.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.62 €1.41

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.30 €1.13

29.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 €3.31

$2.08 €1.81

82.69%

Eggs

$5.58 €4.86

$4.45 €3.88

25.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 €12.32

$14.42 €12.56

-1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 €9.66

$8.52 €7.43

30.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 €16.11

$13.10 €11.41

41.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$2.27 €1.98

12.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.03 €1.77

8.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$1.84 €1.60

19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 €2.49

$2.29 €2.00

24.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.24 €1.08

-2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.32 €1.15

-10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$0.95 €0.83

61.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.77 €0.67

19.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 €4.93

$5.63 €4.90

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 €9.08

$7.62 €6.63

36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.69 €1.47

25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €3.02

$2.66 €2.32

30.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.42 €1.24

-52.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.59 €17.94

$48.77 €42.49

-57.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.86

$4.37 €3.80

1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.09 €0.95

2.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 €15.26

$17.02 €14.83

2.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.24 €1.95

5.80%

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

$28.5K €24.8K

$30.0K €26.2K

-5.23%

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

$31.1K €27.1K

$24.4K €21.3K

27.58%

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

$229 €200

$265 €231

-13.61%

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

$24.62 €21.45

$26.26 €22.88

-6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 €27.02

$36.11 €31.46

-14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €45.42

$49.64 €43.25

5.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 €14.42

$23.92 €20.84

-30.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 €8.89

$9.42 €8.20

8.39%

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

$489 €426

$440 €384

11.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,408 €8,196

$8,222 €7,163

14.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.0 €86.3

$85.2 €74.2

16.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.52 €39.66

$39.63 €34.53

14.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

$90.7 €79.0

33.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €121

$120 €104

15.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 €559

$358 €312

79.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 €436

$362 €316

38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 €943

$624 €544

73.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 €723

$477 €416

73.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 €3,423

$1,371 €1,194

186.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,862 €2,494

$2,300 €2,004

24.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 €1,032

$802 €699

47.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

4.4

28.41%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: September 14, 2026

Last update for Edessa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Thessaloniki and $358 in Edessa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 48% 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: $67.0 in Thessaloniki vs $54.0 in Edessa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $271 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 9% in total monthly costs ($1,665 vs $1,522 including rent). Edessa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 48% 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: $641 in Thessaloniki versus $358 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 137% less than in Thessaloniki. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $489 in Thessaloniki versus $440 in Edessa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,522 in Edessa versus $1,665 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 9% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.