Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Zakynthos Cost of Living Comparison Between Thessaloniki and Zakynthos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,546 per month in Thessaloniki vs $1,867 in Zakynthos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Thessaloniki vs $2,718 in Zakynthos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,162 per month in Thessaloniki vs $3,570 in Zakynthos, rent included.

Thessaloniki is about 17% cheaper than Zakynthos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thessaloniki and Zakynthos sit above the global median – Thessaloniki by 15%, Zakynthos by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.27 €14.85

$29.10 €25.03

-40.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.63

$58.8 €50.6

-1.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.86

$11.60 €9.98

-11.21%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.67

$4.95 €4.26

-13.74%

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

$2.36 €2.03

$2.03 €1.75

16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.60 €0.51

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 €5.06

$4.53 €3.90

29.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €4.94

$7.12 €6.13

-19.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.40 €2.06

-36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.98 €1.70

-26.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$3.38 €2.91

-27.51%

Eggs

$4.41 €3.79

$4.80 €4.13

-8.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 €11.76

$14.81 €12.74

-7.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 €9.55

$15.69 €13.50

-29.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 €12.72

$12.85 €11.05

15.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$3.02 €2.60

-32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.94 €2.53

-36.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.90 €1.63

-11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 €2.04

$2.18 €1.87

9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.42 €1.22

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.96 €1.68

-32.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 €0.94

$0.83 €0.71

31.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.75

$0.71 €0.61

23.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 €4.61

$5.18 €4.46

3.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 €10.06

$7.07 €6.08

65.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.39 €1.20

43.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.41

$3.26 €2.80

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.76 €1.52

-40.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.99 €26.66

$35.24 €30.31

-12.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 €3.97

$3.43 €2.95

34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.91 €27.45

$13.76 €11.83

131.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.22 €1.91

-6.76%

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

$31.3K €26.9K

$17.6K €15.1K

78.09%

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

$31.7K €27.2K

$19.9K €17.1K

59.32%

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

$213 €183

$371 €319

-42.56%

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

$26.13 €22.48

$43.71 €37.60

-40.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.44 €26.18

$51.6 €44.35

-40.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 €38.03

$29.34 €25.23

50.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.08

$26.63 €22.91

-29.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 €8.59

$12.98 €11.16

-23.11%

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

$421 €363

$433 €372

-2.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,408 €7,233

$6,010 €5,170

39.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 €71.0

$94.3 €81.1

-12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.95 €31.78

$92.5 €79.6

-60.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 €78.2

$127 €110

-28.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.9

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 €466

$413 €355

31.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 €389

$399 €343

13.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 €808

$812 €698

15.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 €638

$589 €507

26.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,833 €3,297

$3,069 €2,640

24.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,909 €2,502

$2,486 €2,138

17.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,193 €1,026

$1,322 €1,137

-9.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

-22.00%

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

Last update for Thessaloniki: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zakynthos: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $542 in Thessaloniki versus $413 in Zakynthos. 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 11% higher in Zakynthos, 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 $58.0 in Thessaloniki versus $59.0 in Zakynthos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $337 – making Thessaloniki 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 Zakynthos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,546 in Thessaloniki, $1,867 in Zakynthos – roughly 21% apart. Zakynthos 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 $2,800 in Zakynthos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 14% less in Thessaloniki. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $421 per month in Thessaloniki and $433 in Zakynthos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thessaloniki, where all-in costs run around $1,546, than in Zakynthos at $1,867. In Thessaloniki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zakynthos 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 $1,546 in Thessaloniki to $1,867 in Zakynthos. 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 Thessaloniki. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zakynthos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.