Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Thiva Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Thiva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,155 in Thiva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,564 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,601 in Thiva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,463 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,048 in Thiva, rent included.

Thessaloniki costs about 44% more than Thiva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Thessaloniki sits 21% above the global median, while Thiva is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.24

$11.83 €10.20

49.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 €57.3

$65.2 €56.2

1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.10

$7.16 €6.17

63.55%

Cappuccino

$4.30 €3.70

$2.57 €2.21

67.32%

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

$2.86 €2.46

$2.41 €2.07

18.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 €0.65

$0.50 €0.44

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 €5.10

$4.74 €4.08

24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 €5.65

$2.83 €2.44

131.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.67 €1.44

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.46 €1.26

10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 €3.24

$2.40 €2.07

56.67%

Eggs

$5.47 €4.72

$5.15 €4.44

6.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 €12.28

$11.80 €10.17

20.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 €9.73

$10.10 €8.71

11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 €16.04

$14.99 €12.92

24.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$1.70 €1.46

58.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.04 €1.76

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.11 €0.96

89.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.86 €1.61

53.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$0.99 €0.86

26.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.31 €1.13

-9.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.32

$0.86 €0.74

77.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.72 €0.62

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 €4.88

$4.77 €4.11

18.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.35 €8.92

$6.90 €5.95

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.70 €1.47

20.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.97

$2.03 €1.75

69.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.37 €1.18

-51.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.66 €17.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 €3.79

$3.83 €3.30

14.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.14 €0.98

-6.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.73 €15.28

$14.60 €12.58

21.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.27 €1.96

6.17%

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

$29.3K €25.2K

$29.2K €25.2K

0.32%

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

$31.4K €27.1K

$24.4K €21.0K

28.82%

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

$224 €193

$165 €143

35.57%

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

$24.35 €20.99

$25.06 €21.60

-2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 €27.25

$29.83 €25.71

5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 €45.82

$50.2 €43.25

5.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 €14.76

$25.80 €22.24

-33.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 €9.13

$8.34 €7.19

27.10%

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

$494 €426

$349 €301

41.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,202 €7,932

$4,635 €3,996

98.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €84.6

$52.8 €45.53

85.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.65 €39.35

$35.48 €30.58

28.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$81.0 €69.8

51.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$114 €98.0

21.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 €546

$346 €298

83.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 €430

$290 €250

72.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 €946

$632 €545

73.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 €729

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,874 €3,339

$1,791 €1,544

116.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,832 €2,441

$1,479 €1,275

91.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 €1,040

$1,198 €1,033

0.66%

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 Thiva: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $634 in Thessaloniki versus $346 in Thiva. 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 1% higher in Thessaloniki, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Thessaloniki versus $65.0 in Thiva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $271 – making Thiva the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Thiva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,665 in Thessaloniki, $1,155 in Thiva – roughly 44% apart. Thessaloniki costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,498 per month in Thessaloniki and $1,732 in Thiva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,665 in Thessaloniki and $1,155 in Thiva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Thessaloniki and $349 in Thiva. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Thiva, where all-in costs run around $1,155, than in Thessaloniki at $1,665. In Thiva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thessaloniki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Thessaloniki has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,155 in Thiva to $1,665 in Thessaloniki. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Thiva. 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.