Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Mellieha

For one person, living is cheaper in Thessaloniki: $1,649 a month against $1,868 in Mellieha, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mellieha outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Thessaloniki
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,649
/mo nomad
Mellieha
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,868
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Thessaloniki and in Mellieha

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 Mellieha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,649 in Thessaloniki versus $1,868 in Mellieha.

  • Thessaloniki $1,649
  • Mellieha $1,868

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,537 in Thessaloniki versus $2,814 in Mellieha.

  • Thessaloniki $2,537
  • Mellieha $2,814

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,425 in Thessaloniki versus $3,761 in Mellieha.

  • Thessaloniki $3,425
  • Mellieha $3,761

Living in Thessaloniki costs roughly 12% less than in Mellieha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thessaloniki 22% above, Mellieha 38% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.01 €15.13
$16.84 €14.98
1.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.2 €59.8
$64.6 €57.4
4.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 €9.96
$10.74 €9.55
4.28%
Cappuccino
$4.29 €3.82
$2.65 €2.36
61.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 €2.58
$2.43 €2.16
19.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.67
$1.98 €1.76
-61.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.45 €4.85
$3.92 €3.49
39.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.53 €5.81
$6.84 €6.08
-4.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.37 €1.22
24.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.78 €1.58
$1.37 €1.22
29.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.71 €3.30
$3.44 €3.06
7.85%
Eggs
$5.50 €4.89
$4.43 €3.94
24.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.29 €12.71
$10.15 €9.03
40.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.48 €10.21
$9.90 €8.80
15.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.35 €16.32
$18.22 €16.21
0.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.23
$3.69 €3.28
-31.98%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.81 €2.50
-19.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 €1.89
$3.99 €3.55
-46.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.79 €2.48
$3.78 €3.36
-26.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.30 €1.15
$1.90 €1.69
-31.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.22 €1.09
$3.39 €3.02
-64.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.60 €1.42
$1.70 €1.51
-5.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$1.15 €1.02
-18.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.74 €5.11
$6.43 €5.72
-10.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.93 €8.83
$6.01 €5.35
65.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.83
$2.42 €2.15
-14.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 €2.79
$2.36 €2.10
33.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 €0.57
$2.74 €2.43
-76.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.07 €16.07
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.07 €3.62
$3.96 €3.52
2.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.84 €1.64
-38.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.79 €14.93
$33.19 €29.52
-49.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.46 €1.30
54.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$28.1K €25.0K
-0.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0K €27.6K
$39.0K €34.7K
-20.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 €191
$104 €92.3
106.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.24 €20.67
$30.81 €27.40
-24.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.60 €27.22
$28.75 €25.57
6.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 €46.32
$59.9 €53.3
-13.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.27 €14.47
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.36 €9.22
$8.44 €7.51
22.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$469 €417
$282 €250
66.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,075 €8,073
$12.3K €11.0K
-26.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.7 €84.2
$57.2 €50.9
65.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.40 €39.50
$39.17 €34.85
13.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 €111
$82.3 €73.2
51.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €115
$72.7 €64.7
77.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$622 €554
$1,131 €1,006
-44.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$489 €435
$915 €814
-46.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 €962
$1,789 €1,591
-39.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$838 €745
$1,508 €1,341
-44.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,679 €3,273
$3,935 €3,500
-6.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,799 €2,490
$2,756 €2,451
1.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Thessaloniki
Mellieha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,177 €1,047
$1,350 €1,201
-12.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.34
4.05
31.85%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mellieha: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Thessaloniki
$489
Mellieha
$915 87.2% $426
Groceries & Markets
Thessaloniki
$336
Mellieha
$326 3.1% $10
Eating Out
Thessaloniki
$276
Mellieha
$250 9.6% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thessaloniki
$268
Mellieha
$163 39.1% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Thessaloniki
$177
Mellieha
$113 36.1% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Thessaloniki
$73
Mellieha
$77 5.5% $4
Getting Around
Thessaloniki
$30
Mellieha
$24 * 20.7% $6.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Thessaloniki and $1,131 in Mellieha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mellieha pays 15% 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: $67.0 in Thessaloniki vs $65.0 in Mellieha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $326 per month, with Mellieha cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Thessaloniki
🇲🇹 Mellieha
🕒 Local time
17:41 5:41 PM
16:41 4:41 PM
1 h behind Thessaloniki
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
790,824
10,087
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Thessaloniki Mellieha 910 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Thessaloniki
  • Mellieha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mellieha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mellieha cheaper than Thessaloniki?
Thessaloniki is cheaper overall, especially in leisure and utilities. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Thessaloniki or Mellieha?
On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Mellieha. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Thessaloniki and Mellieha?
Rent for a central apartment: $622 in Thessaloniki versus $1,131 in Mellieha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $469 in Thessaloniki versus $282 in Mellieha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Thessaloniki or in Mellieha?
Dining out is cheaper in Thessaloniki – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $65.0 in Mellieha. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Thessaloniki or in Mellieha?
At $1,649 in Thessaloniki versus $1,868 in Mellieha, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Thessaloniki but tight or insufficient in Mellieha. The gap between the two cities makes Thessaloniki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Thessaloniki or Mellieha more family-friendly?
For families, Thessaloniki is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mellieha, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Thessaloniki or Mellieha?
Safety-wise, Thessaloniki and Mellieha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Thessaloniki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Mellieha. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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