Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Kefalonia Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Kefalonia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,553 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,567 in Kefalonia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,447 in Kefalonia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,165 per month in Thessaloniki vs $3,327 in Kefalonia, rent included.

Thessaloniki is about 1% cheaper than Kefalonia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thessaloniki and Kefalonia sit above the global median – Thessaloniki by 16%, Kefalonia by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 €14.64

$17.08 €14.57

0.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 €50.3

$58.1 €49.54

1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.55 €9.00

$9.92 €8.46

6.35%

Cappuccino

$4.30 €3.67

$3.11 €2.66

38.26%

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

$2.46 €2.10

$2.25 €1.92

9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$0.57 €0.49

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 €4.98

$4.81 €4.11

21.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 €4.88

$5.96 €5.08

-3.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.74 €1.48

-14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 €1.22

$1.49 €1.27

-4.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 €2.05

$2.37 €2.03

1.27%

Eggs

$4.22 €3.60

$4.13 €3.52

2.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 €11.44

$13.38 €11.42

0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.22 €9.57

$9.99 €8.52

12.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 €12.53

$13.97 €11.91

5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 €1.71

$2.23 €1.90

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 €1.61

$2.10 €1.79

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.46 €1.24

13.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.03

$1.97 €1.68

20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 €1.05

$1.22 €1.04

1.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.25 €1.06

9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 €0.90

$1.02 €0.87

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.77 €0.66

6.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 €4.50

$5.36 €4.57

-1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 €7.94

$6.97 €5.95

33.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.68

$2.55 €2.17

-22.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.30

$2.81 €2.40

-3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 €0.90

$1.58 €1.35

-32.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.43 €26.81

$45.45 €38.77

-30.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 €3.85

$4.74 €4.04

-4.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.09 €27.38

$13.47 €11.49

138.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.13 €1.82

-4.23%

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

$30.6K €26.1K

$30.9K €26.4K

-0.96%

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

$30.7K €26.2K

$27.0K €23.1K

13.49%

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

$215 €183

$294 €251

-27.13%

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

$25.82 €22.02

$22.93 €19.56

12.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.71 €26.20

$32.16 €27.44

-4.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.28 €37.77

$49.12 €41.90

-9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 €15.63

$26.53 €22.63

-30.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 €8.69

$9.65 €8.23

5.60%

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

$432 €368

$417 €355

3.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,289 €7,071

$5,958 €5,082

39.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 €70.9

$87.4 €74.6

-4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.43 €31.93

$38.52 €32.86

-2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 €76.8

$97.3 €83.0

-7.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €100

$105 €89.9

11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 €474

$539 €460

3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 €393

$439 €374

4.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$935 €797

$1,124 €959

-16.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 €620

$830 €708

-12.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 €3,345

$2,923 €2,494

34.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,747 €2,343

$2,521 €2,150

8.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,210 €1,032

$1,169 €997

3.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.43

5.64%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kefalonia: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 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 4% higher in Thessaloniki, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Thessaloniki versus $58 in Kefalonia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $281 – making Kefalonia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kefalonia costs about 1% more than Thessaloniki, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,329 per month in Thessaloniki and $2,351 in Kefalonia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Thessaloniki and $417 in Kefalonia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Kefalonia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thessaloniki, where all-in costs run around $1,553, than in Kefalonia at $1,567. In Thessaloniki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kefalonia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thessaloniki costs $1,553 versus $1,567 in Kefalonia. 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 Thessaloniki. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kefalonia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.