Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Kastoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Kastoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,304 in Kastoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,580 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,146 in Kastoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,496 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,989 in Kastoria, rent included.

Thessaloniki costs about 28% more than Kastoria, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Thessaloniki sits 22% above the global median, while Kastoria is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.17

$17.08 €14.86

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 €58.4

$65.2 €56.7

2.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 €9.87

$11.68 €10.16

-2.91%

Cappuccino

$4.14 €3.60

$3.99 €3.47

3.76%

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

$2.84 €2.47

$2.26 €1.97

25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.66

$0.72 €0.63

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 €5.05

$3.94 €3.43

47.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 €5.41

$3.44 €2.99

80.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.70 €1.48

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.68 €1.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 €3.30

$3.73 €3.24

1.88%

Eggs

$5.58 €4.86

$5.62 €4.89

-0.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 €12.30

$14.47 €12.59

-2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 €9.65

$11.13 €9.68

-0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 €16.10

$18.85 €16.41

-1.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$2.58 €2.25

-0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.91

$2.29 €1.99

-3.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.90

$2.17 €1.89

0.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 €2.49

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.19 €1.04

1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.24 €1.08

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.33

$1.57 €1.36

-2.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.90 €0.78

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 €4.93

$5.84 €5.08

-3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 €9.07

$10.34 €9.00

0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.84

$2.11 €1.84

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €3.01

$3.42 €2.98

1.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$0.78 €0.68

-14.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.59 €17.92

$34.48 €30.01

-40.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.85

$4.30 €3.74

3.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.08 €0.94

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 €15.25

$17.01 €14.81

3.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.08 €1.81

13.94%

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

$28.5K €24.8K

$29.0K €25.3K

-1.98%

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

$31.1K €27.1K

$31.0K €27.0K

0.28%

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

$229 €199

$232 €202

-1.08%

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

$24.62 €21.43

$24.51 €21.34

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 €26.99

$30.63 €26.66

1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €45.37

$34.09 €29.67

52.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 €14.40

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 €8.89

$6.94 €6.04

47.12%

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

$489 €426

$496 €432

-1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,408 €8,189

$9,483 €8,254

-0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.0 €86.2

$97.0 €84.4

2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.52 €39.62

$45.02 €39.18

1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

$120 €105

0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €120

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 €558

$286 €249

123.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 €436

$174 €151

188.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 €942

$523 €455

106.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 €722

$399 €347

108.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 €3,420

$999 €870

293.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,862 €2,491

$755 €657

278.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 €1,031

$642 €559

84.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kastoria: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Thessaloniki versus $286 in Kastoria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 85% higher in Thessaloniki, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Thessaloniki versus $65.0 in Kastoria. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Thessaloniki vs $337 in Kastoria – so Thessaloniki wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kastoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thessaloniki costs about 28% more than Kastoria, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,498 per month in Thessaloniki and $1,956 in Kastoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kastoria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Thessaloniki – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Thessaloniki and $65.0 in Kastoria. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kastoria, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Thessaloniki at $1,665. In Kastoria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thessaloniki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kastoria costs $1,304 versus $1,665 in Thessaloniki. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kastoria. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thessaloniki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.