Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Kefalonia

For one person, living is cheaper in Kefalonia: $1,571 a month against $1,660 in Thessaloniki, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Thessaloniki
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Thessaloniki Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Kefalonia
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Kefalonia Living Index

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Thessaloniki

🇬🇷 Greece

$1,660

/mo nomad

Kefalonia

🇬🇷 Greece

$1,571

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Thessaloniki and in Kefalonia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Thessaloniki and in Kefalonia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,571 in Kefalonia, rent included.

Thessaloniki $1,660
Kefalonia $1,571

A couple spends around $2,529 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,339 in Kefalonia, rent included.

Thessaloniki $2,529
Kefalonia $2,339

A family of three spends $3,398 per month in Thessaloniki vs $3,108 in Kefalonia, rent included.

Thessaloniki $3,398
Kefalonia $3,108

Thessaloniki costs about 6% more than Kefalonia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Thessaloniki and Kefalonia sit above the global median – Thessaloniki by 22%, Kefalonia by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.83 €15.12

$15.00 €13.48

12.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 €60.1

$38.51 €34.60

73.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 €9.92

$10.16 €9.13

8.66%

Cappuccino

$4.29 €3.85

$3.09 €2.77

38.83%

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

$2.85 €2.56

$3.34 €3.00

-14.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.68

$0.60 €0.54

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 €4.93

$4.81 €4.32

14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 €5.87

$5.32 €4.78

22.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.54

$1.60 €1.43

7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.54

$1.60 €1.43

6.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 €3.32

$2.25 €2.02

64.00%

Eggs

$5.52 €4.96

$4.68 €4.21

17.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 €12.57

$13.07 €11.75

7.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.20 €10.07

$9.95 €8.94

12.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 €16.91

$14.96 €13.44

25.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 €2.24

$1.97 €1.77

26.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.93

$1.82 €1.64

17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 €1.94

$1.58 €1.42

36.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.47

$2.10 €1.89

30.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 €1.15

$1.12 €1.01

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 €1.11

$1.11 €1.00

10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.37

$1.21 €1.09

26.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.80

$0.81 €0.73

9.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 €4.93

$5.30 €4.77

3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 €8.99

$6.69 €6.02

49.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.87

$2.49 €2.24

-16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.92

$2.55 €2.29

27.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 €0.59

$1.21 €1.09

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.02 €16.19

$48.36 €43.45

-62.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 €3.72

$3.80 €3.41

8.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.99

$0.99 €0.89

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 €14.81

$16.47 €14.80

0.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 €2.13

$2.00 €1.80

19.00%

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

$27.9K €25.0K

$27.5K €24.7K

1.39%

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

$27.4K €24.7K

$25.5K €22.9K

7.72%

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

$210 €189

$284 €255

-26.12%

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

$23.21 €20.86

$23.46 €21.08

-1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.46 €27.37

$30.53 €27.43

-0.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €46.83

$50.5 €45.34

3.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 €14.61

$24.65 €22.15

-34.04%

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 €9.39

$8.78 €7.89

19.02%

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

$481 €432

$443 €398

8.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,979 €8,067

$10.1K €9,056

-10.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 €87.5

$90.1 €81.0

8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 €40.88

$34.74 €31.22

30.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 €111

$94.1 €84.6

31.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €117

$122 €110

6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 €560

$539 €484

15.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 €455

$429 €386

18.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 €985

$1,100 €989

-0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 €739

$787 €707

4.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,708 €3,331

$2,621 €2,355

41.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,866 €2,575

$1,814 €1,630

58.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,176 €1,056

$1,111 €998

5.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.34

4.48

19.20%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kefalonia: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Thessaloniki

$507 30.5%

Kefalonia

$429 27.3% 15.3% $77

Groceries & Markets

Thessaloniki

$333 20.1%

Kefalonia

$282 18% 15.3% $51

Eating Out

Thessaloniki

$274 16.5%

Kefalonia

$238 15.1% 13.2% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Thessaloniki

$264 15.9%

Kefalonia

$338 21.5% 28.3% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Thessaloniki

$178 10.8%

Kefalonia

$154 9.8% 14% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Thessaloniki

$73 4.4%

Kefalonia

$68 4.3% 6.8% $5

Getting Around

Thessaloniki

$30 1.8%

Kefalonia

$62 3.9% 105% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $623 in Thessaloniki versus $539 in Kefalonia. 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 6% higher in Thessaloniki. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67 in Thessaloniki versus $39 in Kefalonia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $282 – making Kefalonia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇷 Thessaloniki

🇬🇷 Kefalonia

🕒 Local time

09:48 9:48 AM

Same time as Thessaloniki

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

790,824

36,404

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.11 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Kefalonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thessaloniki costs about 6% more than Kefalonia, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,490 per month in Thessaloniki and $2,357 in Kefalonia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kefalonia, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $539 there versus $623 in Thessaloniki.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Thessaloniki and $443 in Kefalonia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Thessaloniki, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,660 in Thessaloniki and $1,571 in Kefalonia. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kefalonia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kefalonia. 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.