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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Ulsan is about 23% cheaper than Thessaloniki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 ₩9,967

$17.59 €15.12

-58.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.91 ₩59.5K

$67.5 €58.1

-34.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩8,036

$11.73 €10.08

-49.45%

Cappuccino

$3.35 ₩4,539

$4.20 €3.61

-20.24%

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

$0.86 ₩1,170

$2.81 €2.42

-69.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₩621

$0.73 €0.63

-36.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₩4,000

$5.85 €5.03

-49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 ₩5,679

$6.37 €5.48

-34.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩3,022

$1.71 €1.47

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,303

$1.66 €1.43

90.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,239

$3.74 €3.22

-16.31%

Eggs

$2.67 ₩3,625

$5.62 €4.83

-52.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 ₩14.7K

$14.63 €12.57

-25.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 ₩13.8K

$11.32 €9.73

-9.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.79 ₩33.6K

$18.93 €16.27

30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$10.87 ₩14.7K

$2.61 €2.25

316.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩4,798

$2.32 €1.99

52.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.72 ₩10.5K

$2.17 €1.87

255.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,066

$2.78 €2.39

114.03%

Potato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,071

$1.23 €1.06

383.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 ₩4,486

$1.23 €1.06

169.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 ₩3,655

$1.54 €1.33

75.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₩1,684

$0.92 €0.79

34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₩4,309

$5.95 €5.12

-46.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.38 ₩24.9K

$10.38 €8.92

77.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₩3,260

$2.16 €1.86

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₩4,680

$3.31 €2.85

4.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₩1,527

$0.67 €0.58

68.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 €17.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 ₩3,953

$3.99 €3.43

-26.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₩1,026

$1.08 €0.93

-29.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.58 ₩22.5K

$17.50 €15.05

-5.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₩1,791

$2.32 €2.00

-43.10%

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

$28.8K ₩39.0M

$28.9K €24.8K

-0.35%

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

$32.7K ₩44.3M

$30.9K €26.6K

5.81%

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

$193 ₩261.9K

$225 €193

-14.03%

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

$35.67 ₩48.4K

$24.71 €21.24

44.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.37 ₩35.8K

$30.47 €26.20

-13.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 ₩78.1K

$50.3 €43.26

14.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 €14.29

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 ₩14.1K

$10.37 €8.91

0.48%

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

$260 ₩352.4K

$490 €422

-47.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₩28.7M

$9,208 €7,916

129.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₩69.3K

$103 €88.3

-50.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.29 ₩58.7K

$45.80 €39.37

-5.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.0 ₩78.6K

$118 €102

-50.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ₩97.4K

$136 €117

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₩491.1K

$643 €553

-43.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ₩316.3K

$501 €431

-53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 ₩972.7K

$1,095 €941

-34.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₩881.9K

$859 €738

-24.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,368 ₩5.9M

$3,886 €3,341

12.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,380 ₩3.2M

$2,849 €2,450

-16.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,201 ₩3.0M

$1,201 €1,033

83.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.65

-25.31%

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

Last update for Ulsan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Ulsan versus $643 in Thessaloniki. 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 $44.00 in Ulsan versus $68.0 in Thessaloniki. Groceries tell a different story – $477 in Ulsan vs $340 in Thessaloniki – 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

Ulsan vs Thessaloniki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,982 per month in Ulsan and $2,577 in Thessaloniki. 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 $1,322 in Ulsan and $1,718 in Thessaloniki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $260 per month in Ulsan and $490 in Thessaloniki. 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.