Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Karditsa Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Karditsa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,665 in Thessaloniki versus $1,347 in Karditsa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,580 in Thessaloniki versus $2,037 in Karditsa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,496 in Thessaloniki versus $2,727 in Karditsa.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 24% more expensive than in Karditsa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thessaloniki is 22% above, Karditsa is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.20

$11.47 €10.00

51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 €58.5

$63.2 €55.1

6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 €9.89

$8.08 €7.04

40.35%

Cappuccino

$4.14 €3.61

$3.11 €2.71

33.12%

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

$2.84 €2.48

$2.08 €1.81

36.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.66

$0.56 €0.49

33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 €5.06

$4.65 €4.05

24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 €5.42

$5.30 €4.62

17.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.59 €1.38

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.35 €1.18

24.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 €3.31

$1.24 €1.08

206.45%

Eggs

$5.58 €4.86

$3.40 €2.97

64.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 €12.32

$11.36 €9.90

24.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 €9.67

$9.86 €8.60

12.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 €16.12

$15.06 €13.13

22.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$1.73 €1.51

47.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.16 €1.88

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$1.46 €1.27

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 €2.49

$0.89 €0.77

221.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 €1.05

$0.94 €0.82

28.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$0.77 €0.67

53.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$0.89 €0.78

71.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$1.02 €0.89

-9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 €4.93

$5.26 €4.58

7.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 €9.08

$6.90 €6.01

51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.85

$0.88 €0.77

140.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €3.02

$0.88 €0.77

293.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.46 €1.27

-54.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.59 €17.95

$48.55 €42.32

-57.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.86

$2.27 €1.97

95.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.19 €1.04

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 €15.27

$14.22 €12.39

23.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.22 €1.93

6.76%

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

$28.5K €24.8K

-0.03%

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

$31.1K €27.1K

$24.0K €20.9K

29.54%

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

$229 €200

$166 €145

37.92%

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

$24.62 €21.46

$24.85 €21.67

-0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 €27.03

$29.53 €25.74

5.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €45.44

$39.14 €34.12

33.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 €14.42

$28.72 €25.03

-42.37%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 €8.90

$7.93 €6.91

28.75%

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

$489 €427

$498 €434

-1.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,408 €8,201

$4,608 €4,017

104.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.0 €86.3

$71.8 €62.6

37.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.52 €39.68

$36.99 €32.25

23.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

$79.4 €69.2

52.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €121

$102 €88.9

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 €559

$526 €458

21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 €437

$453 €395

10.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 €944

$774 €675

39.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 €723

$633 €552

31.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 €3,425

$2,724 €2,375

44.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,862 €2,495

$2,328 €2,030

22.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 €1,033

$870 €759

36.13%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Karditsa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Thessaloniki and $526 in Karditsa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 36% 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 $63.0 in Karditsa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $249 per month, with Karditsa 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 Karditsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karditsa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% 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 $526 in Karditsa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,665 per month in Thessaloniki versus $1,347 in Karditsa – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karditsa runs roughly 136% less than in Thessaloniki. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,347 in Karditsa versus $1,665 in Thessaloniki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karditsa but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Karditsa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karditsa 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 Karditsa 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 Karditsa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.