Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Sparta Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Sparta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,665 in Thessaloniki versus $1,357 in Sparta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,564 in Thessaloniki versus $2,011 in Sparta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,463 in Thessaloniki versus $2,664 in Sparta.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 23% more expensive than in Sparta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thessaloniki is 21% above, Sparta is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.24

$10.63 €9.16

66.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 €57.3

$48.83 €42.09

36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.10

$8.57 €7.39

36.64%

Cappuccino

$4.30 €3.70

$3.40 €2.93

26.47%

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

$2.86 €2.46

$2.37 €2.04

20.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.65

$0.60 €0.52

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.10

$4.64 €4.00

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 €5.65

$4.71 €4.06

39.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.61 €1.39

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.51 €1.30

7.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 €3.24

$2.48 €2.14

51.61%

Eggs

$5.47 €4.72

$5.27 €4.54

3.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 €12.28

$12.02 €10.36

18.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 €9.73

$10.08 €8.69

12.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 €16.04

$14.79 €12.75

25.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$2.35 €2.02

14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.22 €1.92

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.74 €1.50

20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.97 €1.70

44.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.16 €1.00

7.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.34 €1.16

-11.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.32

$0.93 €0.80

64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.91 €0.78

-3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 €4.88

$5.43 €4.68

4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.35 €8.92

$6.90 €5.94

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.76 €1.52

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.97

$3.60 €3.11

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.36 €1.17

-50.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.66 €17.81

$49.25 €42.46

-58.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 €3.79

$4.57 €3.94

-3.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.17 €1.01

-8.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.73 €15.28

$13.00 €11.21

36.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.22 €1.92

8.56%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$26.4K €22.7K

11.02%

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

$31.4K €27.1K

$24.0K €20.7K

30.88%

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

$224 €193

$165 €142

35.97%

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

$24.35 €20.99

$23.27 €20.06

4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 €27.25

$29.58 €25.50

6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 €45.82

$51.9 €44.77

2.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 €14.76

$25.98 €22.40

-34.10%

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 €9.13

$9.26 €7.98

14.47%

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

$494 €426

$247 €213

100.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,202 €7,932

$2,910 €2,508

216.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €84.6

$71.2 €61.4

37.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.65 €39.35

$36.10 €31.12

26.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$80.9 €69.7

51.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$92.1 €79.4

50.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 €546

$508 €438

24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 €430

$406 €350

23.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 €946

$773 €666

41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 €729

$522 €450

61.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,874 €3,339

$2,855 €2,461

35.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,832 €2,441

$2,456 €2,117

15.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 €1,040

$980 €845

23.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

4.36

29.59%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sparta: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $634 in Thessaloniki and $508 in Sparta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 23% 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: $66.0 in Thessaloniki vs $49.00 in Sparta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $286 per month, with Sparta 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 Sparta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sparta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Thessaloniki, 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: $634 in Thessaloniki versus $508 in Sparta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,665 per month in Thessaloniki versus $1,357 in Sparta – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sparta runs roughly 138% less than in Thessaloniki. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,357 in Sparta versus $1,665 in Thessaloniki, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sparta but tight or insufficient in Thessaloniki. The gap between the two cities makes Sparta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sparta 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 Sparta 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 Sparta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.