😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,546 in Thessaloniki versus $1,325 in Maldonado.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Thessaloniki versus $2,090 in Maldonado.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,162 in Thessaloniki versus $2,856 in Maldonado.
😐Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 17% more expensive than Maldonado, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Thessaloniki is 15% above, Maldonado is 1% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.27€14.85
$16.02UYU 646
7.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.7€49.63
$54.8UYU 2,208
5.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.30€8.86
$11.03UYU 445
-6.62%
Cappuccino
$4.27€3.67
$4.15UYU 167
2.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36€2.03
$2.27UYU 91.4
3.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56€0.48
$1.75UYU 70.8
-68.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.88€5.06
$2.39UYU 96.4
146.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74€4.94
$3.69UYU 149
55.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.52€1.31
$1.13UYU 45.46
34.51%
White Bread(500g)
$1.46€1.25
$2.86UYU 115
-48.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.45€2.11
$1.55UYU 62.4
58.06%
Eggs
$4.41€3.79
$4.63UYU 187
-4.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.67€11.76
$13.74UYU 554
-0.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.10€9.55
$10.77UYU 434
3.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.79€12.72
$10.97UYU 442
34.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.04€1.75
$2.19UYU 88.3
-6.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.87€1.61
$2.39UYU 96.3
-21.76%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.68€1.45
$1.57UYU 63.5
7.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.38€2.04
$3.54UYU 143
-32.77%
Potato(1kg)
$1.26€1.08
$1.77UYU 71.5
-28.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.33€1.15
$1.93UYU 77.7
-31.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.09€0.94
$1.20UYU 48.29
-9.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88€0.75
$1.61UYU 64.9
-45.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.36€4.61
$5.25UYU 212
2.10%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.70€10.06
$3.55UYU 143
229.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00€1.72
$1.88UYU 75.8
6.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80€2.41
$2.65UYU 107
5.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.05€0.91
$1.32UYU 53.3
-20.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.99€26.66
$44.20UYU 1,782
-29.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.62€3.97
$1.49UYU 60.2
210.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$2.10UYU 84.6
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$31.91€27.45
$11.22UYU 452
184.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.07€1.78
$1.81UYU 73.1
14.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.3K€26.9K
$34.4KUYU 1.4M
-8.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K€27.2K
$35.8KUYU 1.4M
-11.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$213€183
$155UYU 6,269
37.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.13€22.48
$16.93UYU 683
54.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.44€26.18
$43.30UYU 1,746
-29.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.22€38.03
$45.88UYU 1,850
-3.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69€16.08
$29.76UYU 1,200
-37.20%
Cinema Ticket
$9.98€8.59
$7.95UYU 320
25.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$421€363
$478UYU 19.3K
-11.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,408€7,233
$7,205UYU 290.5K
16.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.5€71.0
$85.1UYU 3,431
-3.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.95€31.78
$46.83UYU 1,888
-21.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.9€78.2
$88.9UYU 3,585
2.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115€98.9
$91.4UYU 3,686
25.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$542€466
$366UYU 14.7K
48.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$452€389
$285UYU 11.5K
58.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$940€808
$890UYU 35.9K
5.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$742€638
$600UYU 24.2K
23.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,833€3,297
$1,526UYU 61.5K
151.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,909€2,502
$1,299UYU 52.4K
123.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Thessaloniki
Maldonado
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,193€1,026
$886UYU 35.7K
34.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.68
5.68
-17.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Thessaloniki: June 2, 2026
Last update for Maldonado: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Thessaloniki and $366 in Maldonado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Thessaloniki pays 35% 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: $58.0 in Thessaloniki vs $55.0 in Maldonado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $297 per month, with Maldonado 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 Maldonado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Thessaloniki and Maldonado?
Thessaloniki and Maldonado differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,546 vs $1,325 including rent). Maldonado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Thessaloniki or Maldonado?
Thessaloniki pays 35% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Thessaloniki and Maldonado?
Rent for a central apartment: $542 in Thessaloniki versus $366 in Maldonado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Thessaloniki and Maldonado?
Childcare runs $421 in Thessaloniki versus $478 in Maldonado. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Thessaloniki. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,325 in Maldonado versus $1,546 in Thessaloniki, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maldonado but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Maldonado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Thessaloniki and Maldonado?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Thessaloniki or Maldonado safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Thessaloniki and Maldonado are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Thessaloniki or Maldonado?
Expats usually find Maldonado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Thessaloniki vs other spots: cost of living compared