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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,546 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,444 in Ulsan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,188 in Ulsan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,162 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,932 in Ulsan, rent included.

Thessaloniki costs about 7% more than Ulsan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thessaloniki and Ulsan sit above the global median – Thessaloniki by 15%, Ulsan by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.27 €14.85

$6.46 ₩9,791

167.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.63

$29.90 ₩45.3K

92.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.86

$4.83 ₩7,313

113.25%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.67

$3.15 ₩4,766

35.56%

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

$2.36 €2.03

$1.12 ₩1,691

110.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.39 ₩591

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 €5.06

$2.60 ₩3,935

126.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.94

$3.29 ₩4,984

74.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.74 ₩2,640

-12.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.25

$2.19 ₩3,315

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.79 ₩2,717

36.87%

Eggs

$4.41 €3.79

$2.88 ₩4,362

53.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 €11.76

$10.55 ₩16.0K

29.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.55

$8.30 ₩12.6K

33.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 €12.72

$27.12 ₩41.1K

-45.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$7.16 ₩10.8K

-71.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$3.28 ₩4,975

-42.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 €1.45

$7.29 ₩11.0K

-76.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.04

$4.43 ₩6,712

-46.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 €1.08

$3.74 ₩5,662

-66.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.47 ₩3,738

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 €0.94

$2.08 ₩3,151

-47.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.75

$0.90 ₩1,365

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 €4.61

$3.32 ₩5,032

61.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 €10.06

$16.65 ₩25.2K

-29.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.69 ₩2,560

18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.41

$3.47 ₩5,260

-19.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 €0.91

$0.94 ₩1,418

11.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.99 €26.66

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 €3.97

$2.40 ₩3,630

92.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,191

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.91 €27.45

$16.48 ₩25.0K

93.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.18 ₩1,785

75.42%

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

$31.3K €26.9K

$27.6K ₩41.9M

13.30%

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

$31.7K €27.2K

$25.2K ₩38.2M

25.61%

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

$213 €183

$187 ₩283.3K

13.97%

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

$26.13 €22.48

$50.3 ₩76.2K

-48.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.44 €26.18

$27.92 ₩42.3K

9.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 €38.03

$59.4 ₩90.0K

-25.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.08

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 €8.59

$10.27 ₩15.6K

-2.82%

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

$421 €363

$252 ₩382.6K

66.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,408 €7,233

$13.9K ₩21.0M

-39.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 €71.0

$102 ₩154.3K

-19.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.95 €31.78

$47.53 ₩72.0K

-22.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 €78.2

$87.0 ₩131.7K

4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.9

$115 ₩174.9K

-0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 €466

$275 ₩416.9K

97.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 €389

$371 ₩562.0K

21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 €808

$1,055 ₩1.6M

-10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 €638

$764 ₩1.2M

-2.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,297

$3,918 ₩5.9M

-2.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,909 €2,502

$2,353 ₩3.6M

23.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,193 €1,026

$2,022 ₩3.1M

-40.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

17.00%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $542 in Thessaloniki versus $275 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 69% 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 $58.0 in Thessaloniki versus $30.00 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Thessaloniki vs $403 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: $1,546 in Thessaloniki, $1,444 in Ulsan – roughly 7% apart. Thessaloniki costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,319 per month in Thessaloniki and $2,166 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 $1,546 in Thessaloniki and $1,444 in Ulsan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $421 per month in Thessaloniki and $252 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 $1,444, than in Thessaloniki at $1,546. 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 $1,444 in Ulsan to $1,546 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.