Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Orestiada

For one person, living is cheaper in Orestiada: $1,501 a month against $1,642 in Thessaloniki, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Thessaloniki
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,642
/mo nomad
Orestiada
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,501
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Thessaloniki and in Orestiada

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

A single person spends $1,642 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,501 in Orestiada, rent included.

  • Thessaloniki $1,642
  • Orestiada $1,501

A couple spends around $2,537 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,285 in Orestiada, rent included.

  • Thessaloniki $2,537
  • Orestiada $2,285

A family of three spends $3,431 per month in Thessaloniki vs $3,069 in Orestiada, rent included.

  • Thessaloniki $3,431
  • Orestiada $3,069

Thessaloniki costs about 9% more than Orestiada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Thessaloniki and Orestiada sit above the global median – Thessaloniki by 21%, Orestiada by 11%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.79 €14.94
$16.70 €14.86
0.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$59.5 €52.9
13.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.04 €9.82
$9.98 €8.87
10.62%
Cappuccino
$4.24 €3.77
$2.89 €2.57
46.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 €2.61
$1.66 €1.47
76.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.68
$0.72 €0.64
5.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.52 €4.91
$4.77 €4.24
15.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77 €6.02
$5.39 €4.79
25.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.58
$1.82 €1.61
-2.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 €1.57
$1.25 €1.11
40.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.66 €3.26
$1.40 €1.25
161.43%
Eggs
$5.47 €4.86
$3.83 €3.40
42.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.97 €12.42
$6.52 €5.80
114.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.15 €9.91
$9.41 €8.37
18.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.27 €16.25
$9.63 €8.57
89.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.26
$1.69 €1.50
50.30%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$2.04 €1.82
6.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$1.10 €0.98
87.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.79 €2.48
$2.81 €2.50
-0.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.62 €1.44
-22.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 €1.10
$0.93 €0.83
33.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.22 €1.09
26.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.79
$0.80 €0.71
11.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.55 €4.94
$4.51 €4.02
23.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 €8.85
$6.58 €5.85
51.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.08 €1.85
-2.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 €2.92
$2.61 €2.32
25.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 €0.58
$1.38 €1.22
-52.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.24 €16.22
$44.81 €39.86
-59.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.28 €3.81
$4.22 €3.75
1.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.15 €1.02
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.70 €14.85
$16.29 €14.49
2.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 €2.08
$2.04 €1.82
14.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$27.6K €24.6K
1.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.3K €25.2K
$25.8K €22.9K
9.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 €192
$402 €357
-46.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.97 €20.43
$23.05 €20.51
-0.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.23 €26.89
$33.39 €29.70
-9.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 €46.84
$56.0 €49.82
-5.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.67 €14.83
$25.43 €22.62
-34.45%
Cinema Ticket
$10.86 €9.66
$8.00 €7.12
35.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 €423
$429 €381
11.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,901 €7,917
$7,851 €6,984
13.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.9 €85.3
$41.28 €36.72
132.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.38 €40.36
$39.46 €35.10
15.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 €111
$81.6 €72.6
53.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 €115
$174 €155
-25.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$635 €565
$491 €437
29.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$484 €430
$281 €250
72.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,091 €971
$507 €451
115.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$846 €753
$617 €549
37.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,746 €3,332
$2,601 €2,313
44.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,829 €2,516
$2,185 €1,944
29.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Thessaloniki
Orestiada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,146 €1,020
$1,273 €1,133
-9.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.34
4.46
19.73%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: October 18, 2026

Last update for Orestiada: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Thessaloniki
$484
Orestiada
$281 42% $203
Groceries & Markets
Thessaloniki
$332
Orestiada
$236 28.9% $96
Eating Out
Thessaloniki
$274
Orestiada
$242 11.6% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thessaloniki
$269
Orestiada
$458 70.3% $189
Clothing & Footwear
Thessaloniki
$178
Orestiada
$151 15% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Thessaloniki
$74
Orestiada
$72 3.2% $2.4
Getting Around
Thessaloniki
$31
Orestiada
$60 95.2% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $635 in Thessaloniki versus $491 in Orestiada. 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 11% higher in Orestiada, 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 $68.0 in Thessaloniki versus $60.0 in Orestiada. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $236 – making Orestiada the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Thessaloniki
🇬🇷 Orestiada
🕒 Local time
09:18 9:18 AM
09:18 9:18 AM
Same time as Thessaloniki
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
790,824
15,246
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Thessaloniki Orestiada 320 km
From you
  • Thessaloniki
  • Orestiada

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 Orestiada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Thessaloniki and in Orestiada compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,642 in Thessaloniki, $1,501 in Orestiada – roughly 9% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Thessaloniki compared to Orestiada?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,464 per month in Thessaloniki and $2,252 in Orestiada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Thessaloniki and Orestiada?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Orestiada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Thessaloniki and in Orestiada?
Public transport costs about 146% less in Orestiada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Thessaloniki and Orestiada?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Thessaloniki and $429 in Orestiada. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Orestiada, where all-in costs run around $1,501, than in Thessaloniki at $1,642. In Orestiada it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thessaloniki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Thessaloniki and Orestiada?
It depends on your priorities. Thessaloniki has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,501 in Orestiada to $1,642 in Thessaloniki. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Thessaloniki or Orestiada safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Thessaloniki and Orestiada?
If budget matters most, go with Orestiada. 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.

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