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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Zakynthos costs about 21% more than Thessaloniki, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.10 €25.03

$17.27 €14.85

68.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 €50.6

$57.7 €49.63

1.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.60 €9.98

$10.30 €8.86

12.62%

Cappuccino

$4.95 €4.26

$4.27 €3.67

15.93%

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

$2.03 €1.75

$2.36 €2.03

-13.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.56 €0.48

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 €3.90

$5.88 €5.06

-22.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 €6.13

$5.74 €4.94

24.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.52 €1.31

57.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.46 €1.25

35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$2.45 €2.11

37.96%

Eggs

$4.80 €4.13

$4.41 €3.79

8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 €12.74

$13.67 €11.76

8.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 €13.50

$11.10 €9.55

41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 €11.05

$14.79 €12.72

-13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.04 €1.75

48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 €2.53

$1.87 €1.61

57.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.68 €1.45

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$2.38 €2.04

-8.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.26 €1.08

12.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$1.33 €1.15

47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 €0.71

$1.09 €0.94

-23.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.88 €0.75

-19.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 €4.46

$5.36 €4.61

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 €6.08

$11.70 €10.06

-39.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.00 €1.72

-30.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 €2.80

$2.80 €2.41

16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.05 €0.91

67.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.24 €30.31

$30.99 €26.66

13.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 €2.95

$4.62 €3.97

-25.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.76 €11.83

$31.91 €27.45

-56.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.07 €1.78

7.25%

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

$17.6K €15.1K

$31.3K €26.9K

-43.85%

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

$19.9K €17.1K

$31.7K €27.2K

-37.23%

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

$371 €319

$213 €183

74.11%

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

$43.71 €37.60

$26.13 €22.48

67.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 €44.35

$30.44 €26.18

69.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.34 €25.23

$44.22 €38.03

-33.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.63 €22.91

$18.69 €16.08

42.48%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 €11.16

$9.98 €8.59

30.06%

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

$433 €372

$421 €363

2.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,010 €5,170

$8,408 €7,233

-28.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 €81.1

$82.5 €71.0

14.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.5 €79.6

$36.95 €31.78

150.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 €110

$90.9 €78.2

40.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.9

-0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$413 €355

$542 €466

-23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 €343

$452 €389

-11.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 €698

$940 €808

-13.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 €507

$742 €638

-20.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,069 €2,640

$3,833 €3,297

-19.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,486 €2,138

$2,909 €2,502

-14.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,322 €1,137

$1,193 €1,026

10.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

28.21%

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

Last update for Zakynthos: June 1, 2026

Last update for Thessaloniki: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $413 in Zakynthos versus $542 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 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 $59.0 in Zakynthos versus $58.0 in Thessaloniki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $298 – 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

Zakynthos vs Thessaloniki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,867 in Zakynthos, $1,546 in Thessaloniki – roughly 21% apart. Zakynthos costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,800 per month in Zakynthos and $2,319 in Thessaloniki. 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 $433 per month in Zakynthos and $421 in Thessaloniki. 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.