Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Kos Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Kos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,562 in Thessaloniki versus $1,502 in Kos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,350 in Thessaloniki versus $2,330 in Kos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Thessaloniki versus $3,157 in Kos.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 4% more expensive than Kos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thessaloniki 16% above, Kos 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.53 €14.92

$17.15 €14.59

2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 €50.0

$75.8 €64.5

-22.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 €8.89

$11.97 €10.18

-12.78%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.78

$4.82 €4.10

-7.88%

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

$2.45 €2.08

$3.30 €2.81

-25.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$1.10 €0.94

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 €5.05

$4.65 €3.96

27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 €4.94

$7.05 €6.00

-17.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.31

$2.45 €2.08

-37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.63 €1.38

-15.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 €2.04

$2.49 €2.12

-3.61%

Eggs

$4.18 €3.56

$4.17 €3.55

0.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 €11.57

$13.39 €11.40

1.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 €9.56

$9.71 €8.26

15.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.96 €12.73

$13.77 €11.71

8.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.22 €1.89

-7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 €1.61

$2.14 €1.82

-11.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.48 €1.26

14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €1.98

$2.04 €1.73

13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 €1.07

$1.27 €1.08

-0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 €1.12

$1.25 €1.07

5.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 €0.89

$0.98 €0.84

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.80 €0.68

1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.19 €4.42

$5.29 €4.51

-1.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 €7.84

$7.25 €6.17

27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.71

$2.00 €1.70

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.40

$2.80 €2.39

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 €0.86

$1.53 €1.30

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.85 €27.10

$45.64 €38.84

-30.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €3.97

$4.58 €3.90

1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.89 €27.14

$13.82 €11.76

130.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.17 €1.85

-5.99%

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

$31.0K €26.3K

$31.2K €26.5K

-0.69%

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

$31.1K €26.5K

$27.0K €23.0K

15.02%

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

$218 €186

$213 €181

2.58%

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

$25.90 €22.04

$22.88 €19.47

13.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.49 €25.95

$36.02 €30.65

-15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.70 €38.04

$49.12 €41.80

-9.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 €15.59

$26.38 €22.45

-30.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 €8.57

$9.41 €8.01

7.01%

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

$427 €363

$420 €358

1.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,218 €6,993

$6,074 €5,169

35.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 €70.8

$90.0 €76.6

-7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.45 €31.87

$38.36 €32.64

-2.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 €76.5

$88.3 €75.2

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.1

$108 €91.9

6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 €462

$485 €412

11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 €390

$377 €321

21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 €793

$755 €642

23.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 €637

$619 €527

20.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,927 €3,342

$3,435 €2,923

14.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,708 €2,304

$2,236 €1,903

21.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 €991

$944 €803

23.38%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Kos: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $543 in Thessaloniki and $485 in Kos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 23% 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: $59 in Thessaloniki vs $76 in Kos. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $287, with Kos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kos wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Thessaloniki. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Thessaloniki pays 23% more on average, 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: $543 in Thessaloniki versus $485 in Kos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kos – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $59.0 in Thessaloniki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,562 per month in Thessaloniki versus $1,502 in Kos – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,502 in Kos versus $1,562 in Thessaloniki, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kos but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Kos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,502 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Thessaloniki and Kos 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 Kos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.