Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Okinawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Okinawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,427 in Okinawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,580 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,228 in Okinawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,496 per month in Thessaloniki vs $3,030 in Okinawa, rent included.

Thessaloniki costs about 17% more than Okinawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thessaloniki and Okinawa sit above the global median – Thessaloniki by 22%, Okinawa by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €15.20

$9.68 ¥1,511

80.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 €58.5

$40.32 ¥6,292

66.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 €9.89

$6.94 ¥1,082

63.40%

Cappuccino

$4.14 €3.61

$4.18 ¥653

-0.96%

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

$2.84 €2.48

$1.47 ¥230

93.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.66

$1.01 ¥158

-25.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 €5.06

$2.00 ¥313

190.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.22 €5.42

$4.46 ¥696

39.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.59 ¥249

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 €1.47

$2.20 ¥344

-23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 €3.31

$3.98 ¥620

-4.52%

Eggs

$5.58 €4.86

$1.81 ¥282

208.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.14 €12.32

$17.99 ¥2,807

-21.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 €9.67

$5.05 ¥788

119.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 €16.12

$22.90 ¥3,574

-19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$3.73 ¥582

-31.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.78 ¥434

-20.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.30 ¥358

-4.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 €2.49

$5.27 ¥822

-45.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 €1.05

$2.45 ¥382

-50.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$2.53 ¥394

-53.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.35 ¥211

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.77 ¥120

19.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 €4.93

$3.93 ¥614

44.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 €9.08

$6.51 ¥1,015

60.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.96 ¥306

8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €3.02

$3.45 ¥538

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.46 ¥229

-54.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.59 €17.95

$68.1 ¥10.6K

-69.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.86

$3.94 ¥614

12.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 €0.97

$3.59 ¥560

-68.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 €15.27

$11.87 ¥1,853

47.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.13 ¥177

109.73%

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

$28.5K €24.8K

$21.9K ¥3.4M

29.85%

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

$31.1K €27.1K

$15.4K ¥2.4M

101.88%

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

$229 €200

$165 ¥25.7K

38.83%

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

$24.62 €21.46

$25.69 ¥4,009

-4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 €27.03

$54.8 ¥8,550

-43.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €45.44

$74.0 ¥11.6K

-29.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.55 €14.42

$56.5 ¥8,814

-70.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 €8.90

$12.50 ¥1,951

-18.32%

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

$489 €427

$345 ¥53.8K

41.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,408 €8,201

$5,827 ¥909.1K

61.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.0 €86.3

$51.7 ¥8,063

91.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.52 €39.68

$24.12 ¥3,763

88.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

$81.1 ¥12.7K

49.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €121

$95.9 ¥15.0K

44.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 €559

$411 ¥64.2K

55.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 €437

$332 ¥51.8K

50.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 €944

$863 ¥134.7K

25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 €723

$694 ¥108.2K

19.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 €3,425

$8,703 ¥1.4M

-54.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,862 €2,495

$1,200 ¥187.3K

138.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 €1,033

$1,861 ¥290.4K

-36.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

2.23

153.36%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: September 14, 2026

Last update for Okinawa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Thessaloniki versus $411 in Okinawa. 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 57% higher in Okinawa, 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 $67.0 in Thessaloniki versus $40.00 in Okinawa. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Thessaloniki vs $337 in Okinawa – so Thessaloniki wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Okinawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thessaloniki is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,498 per month in Thessaloniki and $2,140 in Okinawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Thessaloniki and $40.00 in Okinawa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,665 in Thessaloniki and $1,427 in Okinawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okinawa, where all-in costs run around $1,427, than in Thessaloniki at $1,665. In Okinawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thessaloniki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Okinawa – 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 Okinawa. 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.