Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Porto Rafti Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Porto Rafti

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,546 in Thessaloniki versus $1,303 in Porto Rafti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Thessaloniki versus $1,998 in Porto Rafti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,162 in Thessaloniki versus $2,693 in Porto Rafti.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 19% more expensive than Porto Rafti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thessaloniki is 15% above, Porto Rafti is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.27 €14.85

$11.63 €10.01

48.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.63

$56.2 €48.33

2.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.86

$8.76 €7.54

17.58%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.67

$3.91 €3.36

9.21%

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

$2.36 €2.03

$1.60 €1.38

47.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.55 €0.47

1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 €5.06

$4.61 €3.97

27.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.94

$4.55 €3.91

26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.76 €1.51

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.17 €1.01

24.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.33 €2.00

5.15%

Eggs

$4.41 €3.79

$4.18 €3.60

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 €11.76

$11.41 €9.82

19.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.55

$9.11 €7.84

21.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 €12.72

$13.65 €11.74

8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.18 €1.87

-6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.33 €2.01

-19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.67 €1.44

0.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.04

$2.47 €2.13

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 €1.08

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.13 €0.97

17.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 €0.94

$0.95 €0.81

14.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.75

$0.59 €0.51

49.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 €4.61

$5.29 €4.55

1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 €10.06

$6.49 €5.58

80.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.78 €1.53

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.36 €2.03

18.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.58 €1.36

-33.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.99 €26.66

$46.24 €39.78

-32.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 €3.97

$3.94 €3.39

17.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.91 €27.45

$11.73 €10.09

172.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.04 €1.76

1.47%

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

$31.3K €26.9K

$31.9K €27.5K

-1.93%

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

$31.7K €27.2K

$25.2K €21.7K

25.59%

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

$213 €183

$157 €135

36.02%

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

$26.13 €22.48

$22.24 €19.13

17.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.44 €26.18

$28.54 €24.55

6.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 €38.03

$49.11 €42.25

-9.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.08

$26.65 €22.92

-29.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 €8.59

$9.39 €8.08

6.28%

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

$421 €363

$525 €452

-19.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,408 €7,233

$6,478 €5,573

29.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 €71.0

$65.9 €56.7

25.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.95 €31.78

$29.48 €25.36

25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 €78.2

$67.0 €57.7

35.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.9

$107 €92.5

7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 €466

$487 €419

11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 €389

$392 €337

15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 €808

$765 €658

22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 €638

$609 €524

21.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,297

$4,887 €4,204

-21.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,909 €2,502

$2,542 €2,187

14.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,193 €1,026

$876 €754

36.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.42

5.88%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: June 2, 2026

Last update for Porto Rafti: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Thessaloniki and $487 in Porto Rafti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 36% 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 $56.0 in Porto Rafti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $264 per month, with Porto Rafti 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 Porto Rafti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Porto Rafti is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Thessaloniki pays 36% 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: $542 in Thessaloniki versus $487 in Porto Rafti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,546 per month in Thessaloniki versus $1,303 in Porto Rafti – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Porto Rafti runs roughly 49% less than in Thessaloniki. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,303 in Porto Rafti versus $1,546 in Thessaloniki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Porto Rafti but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Porto Rafti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Porto Rafti is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Thessaloniki, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Thessaloniki and Porto Rafti 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 Porto Rafti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.