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: $1,562 in Thessaloniki versus $1,366 in Sparta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,350 in Thessaloniki versus $2,003 in Sparta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Thessaloniki versus $2,639 in Sparta.

Living in Thessaloniki is roughly 14% more expensive than Sparta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thessaloniki 16% above, Sparta 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.53 €14.92

$9.08 €7.73

93.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 €50.0

$52.1 €44.30

12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 €8.89

$8.46 €7.20

23.40%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.78

$2.37 €2.02

87.34%

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

$2.45 €2.08

$1.24 €1.06

97.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.57 €0.48

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 €5.05

$4.73 €4.02

25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 €4.94

$4.50 €3.83

29.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.31

$1.68 €1.43

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.32 €1.12

4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 €2.04

$2.29 €1.95

4.80%

Eggs

$4.18 €3.56

$4.10 €3.49

1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 €11.57

$11.30 €9.61

20.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 €9.56

$8.96 €7.62

25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.96 €12.73

$14.10 €12.00

6.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.22 €1.89

-7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 €1.61

$2.48 €2.11

-23.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 €1.44

$1.71 €1.45

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 €1.98

$2.50 €2.12

-7.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 €1.07

$1.21 €1.03

4.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 €1.12

$1.27 €1.08

3.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 €0.89

$0.90 €0.77

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.69

$1.19 €1.01

-31.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.19 €4.42

$5.39 €4.59

-3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 €7.84

$6.35 €5.40

45.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.71

$2.47 €2.10

-18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.40

$3.80 €3.23

-25.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 €0.86

$1.58 €1.34

-35.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.85 €27.10

$46.90 €39.91

-32.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 €3.97

$4.12 €3.50

13.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.89 €27.14

$11.68 €9.94

173.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.19 €1.86

-6.85%

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

$31.0K €26.3K

$25.9K €22.0K

19.65%

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

$31.1K €26.5K

$25.5K €21.7K

22.17%

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

$218 €186

$217 €185

0.45%

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

$25.90 €22.04

$22.31 €18.99

16.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.49 €25.95

$32.52 €27.68

-6.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.70 €38.04

$47.28 €40.23

-5.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 €15.59

$26.48 €22.53

-30.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 €8.57

$9.31 €7.92

8.16%

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

$427 €363

$246 €209

73.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,218 €6,993

$2,927 €2,491

180.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 €70.8

$65.3 €55.6

27.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.45 €31.87

$32.41 €27.58

15.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 €76.5

$66.8 €56.9

34.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.1

$93.2 €79.3

23.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 €462

$501 €426

8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 €390

$385 €328

18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 €793

$764 €650

21.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 €637

$529 €450

41.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,927 €3,342

$3,130 €2,663

25.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,708 €2,304

$2,554 €2,174

6.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 €991

$996 €848

16.87%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Sparta: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $543 in Thessaloniki and $501 in Sparta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thessaloniki pays 17% 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: $59 in Thessaloniki vs $52 in Sparta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $279 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Thessaloniki pays 17% 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: $543 in Thessaloniki versus $501 in Sparta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,562 per month in Thessaloniki versus $1,366 in Sparta – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sparta runs roughly 47% less than in Thessaloniki. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,366 in Sparta versus $1,562 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 14% less than in Thessaloniki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.