Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Ulsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Ulsan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,718 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,322 in Ulsan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,143 in Ulsan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,467 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,964 in Ulsan, rent included.

Thessaloniki costs about 30% more than Ulsan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thessaloniki sits 25% above the global median, while Ulsan is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.12

$7.35 ₩9,967

139.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 €58.1

$43.91 ₩59.5K

53.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.73 €10.08

$5.93 ₩8,036

97.81%

Cappuccino

$4.20 €3.61

$3.35 ₩4,539

25.37%

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

$2.81 €2.42

$0.86 ₩1,170

226.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.63

$0.46 ₩621

58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 €5.03

$2.95 ₩4,000

98.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 €5.48

$4.19 ₩5,679

52.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.23 ₩3,022

-23.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.43

$3.17 ₩4,303

-47.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 €3.22

$3.13 ₩4,239

19.49%

Eggs

$5.62 €4.83

$2.67 ₩3,625

110.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.63 €12.57

$10.88 ₩14.7K

34.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.32 €9.73

$10.20 ₩13.8K

10.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.93 €16.27

$24.79 ₩33.6K

-23.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$10.87 ₩14.7K

-75.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$3.54 ₩4,798

-34.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$7.72 ₩10.5K

-71.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$5.95 ₩8,066

-53.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 €1.06

$5.95 ₩8,071

-79.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 €1.06

$3.31 ₩4,486

-62.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.70 ₩3,655

-42.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.24 ₩1,684

-25.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 €5.12

$3.18 ₩4,309

87.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 €8.92

$18.38 ₩24.9K

-43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.40 ₩3,260

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.85

$3.45 ₩4,680

-4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 €0.58

$1.13 ₩1,527

-40.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 €17.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.43

$2.92 ₩3,953

36.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.76 ₩1,026

42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.50 €15.05

$16.58 ₩22.5K

5.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.32 ₩1,791

75.76%

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

$28.9K €24.8K

$28.8K ₩39.0M

0.35%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$32.7K ₩44.3M

-5.49%

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

$225 €193

$193 ₩261.9K

16.32%

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

$24.71 €21.24

$35.67 ₩48.4K

-30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.20

$26.37 ₩35.8K

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 €43.26

$57.6 ₩78.1K

-12.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 €14.29

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 €8.91

$10.42 ₩14.1K

-0.48%

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

$490 €422

$260 ₩352.4K

88.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,208 €7,916

$21.1K ₩28.7M

-56.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.3

$51.1 ₩69.3K

100.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.80 €39.37

$43.29 ₩58.7K

5.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$58.0 ₩78.6K

103.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €117

$71.8 ₩97.4K

89.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 €553

$362 ₩491.1K

77.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 €431

$233 ₩316.3K

114.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 €941

$717 ₩972.7K

52.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 €738

$650 ₩881.9K

32.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,886 €3,341

$4,368 ₩5.9M

-11.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,849 €2,450

$2,380 ₩3.2M

19.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,201 €1,033

$2,201 ₩3.0M

-45.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

4.22

33.89%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Thessaloniki versus $362 in Ulsan. 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 83% higher in Ulsan, 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 $44.00 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Thessaloniki vs $477 in Ulsan – so Thessaloniki wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,718 in Thessaloniki, $1,322 in Ulsan – roughly 30% apart. Thessaloniki costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,577 per month in Thessaloniki and $1,982 in Ulsan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulsan, 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 $1,718 in Thessaloniki and $1,322 in Ulsan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Thessaloniki and $260 in Ulsan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulsan, where all-in costs run around $1,322, than in Thessaloniki at $1,718. In Ulsan 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 $1,322 in Ulsan to $1,718 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 Ulsan. 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.