Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Ioannina Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Ioannina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,575 in Thessaloniki versus $1,326 in Ioannina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Thessaloniki versus $2,015 in Ioannina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,142 in Thessaloniki versus $2,704 in Ioannina.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 19% more expensive than in Ioannina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thessaloniki 18% above, Ioannina 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.80

$17.48 €15.14

-2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 €49.28

$34.19 €29.61

66.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 €9.07

$9.90 €8.58

5.76%

Cappuccino

$4.41 €3.82

$3.98 €3.45

10.80%

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

$2.37 €2.05

$2.25 €1.95

5.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 €0.49

$0.60 €0.52

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €4.97

$4.52 €3.91

26.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 €4.91

$5.80 €5.02

-2.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.53 €1.33

-3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.25

$1.19 €1.03

21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 €2.06

$2.41 €2.08

-1.24%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.65

$3.42 €2.97

23.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.85

$10.35 €8.97

32.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.62

$8.05 €6.97

37.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 €12.74

$10.86 €9.40

35.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.06 €1.78

-4.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.87 €1.62

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 €1.46

$1.20 €1.04

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.01

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.25 €1.08

2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.02 €0.88

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.02 €0.88

6.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.86 €0.75

-4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 €4.49

$5.35 €4.63

-3.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 €10.03

$6.69 €5.79

73.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.68

$1.93 €1.67

0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.33

$2.70 €2.34

-0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.58 €1.37

-34.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.69 €27.44

$35.27 €30.54

-10.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.98

$4.53 €3.92

1.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.14 €27.83

$6.78 €5.87

374.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.06 €1.79

-1.94%

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

$31.5K €27.3K

$24.7K €21.4K

27.49%

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

$31.0K €26.9K

$26.6K €23.0K

16.66%

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

$213 €185

$215 €187

-1.04%

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

$25.86 €22.40

$20.51 €17.76

26.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 €26.53

$30.95 €26.80

-1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.51 €39.41

$47.11 €40.79

-3.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 €16.17

$45.91 €39.76

-59.33%

Cinema Ticket

$10.29 €8.91

$9.07 €7.86

13.45%

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

$428 €370

$345 €299

23.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,234 €7,131

$8,394 €7,269

-1.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 €72.1

$68.6 €59.4

21.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.47 €32.45

$36.78 €31.85

1.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 €79.3

$78.1 €67.6

17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$116 €101

-0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 €478

$418 €362

32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 €390

$305 €264

47.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 €800

$703 €609

31.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 €653

$567 €491

32.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,659 €3,169

$2,999 €2,597

22.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,828 €2,449

$2,472 €2,141

14.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,171 €1,014

$1,068 €925

9.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ioannina: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $552 in Thessaloniki and $418 in Ioannina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 10% 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 $34.00 in Ioannina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $241 per month, with Ioannina 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 Ioannina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thessaloniki and Ioannina differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,575 vs $1,326 including rent). Ioannina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% 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 $418 in Ioannina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Thessaloniki versus $345 in Ioannina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Thessaloniki. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,326 in Ioannina versus $1,575 in Thessaloniki, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ioannina but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Ioannina 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 Ioannina 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 Ioannina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.