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Heraklion vs Thessaloniki cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐ท Heraklion
๐ฌ๐ท Thessaloniki
At a glance
- Where Thessaloniki is clearly cheaper: Transit (54%โ), Entry ticket (50%โ), Massage (44%โ)
- Where Heraklion is clearly cheaper: Street food (22%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Thessaloniki is easier to travel (2.0 vs 2.2). Biggest gap: getting around โ Heraklion 3 vs Thessaloniki 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Heraklion | Thessaloniki | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 12$14 | โฌ 13$15.1 | Heraklion โ8% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | โฌ 4.5$5.23 | Heraklion โ22% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 25$29.1 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 3.5$4.07 | โฌ 3.8$4.42 | Heraklion โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 4$4.65 | โฌ 4.7$5.47 | Heraklion โ15% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 9$10.5 | โฌ 10$11.6 | Heraklion โ10% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.5$0.58 | โฌ 0.5$0.58 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 7.5$8.72 | โฌ 7.5$8.72 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 5$5.81 | similar |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 1.3$1.51 | โฌ 0.6$0.7 | Thessaloniki โ54% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 25$29.1 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 90$105 | โฌ 85$98.8 | Thessaloniki โ6% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 450$523 | โฌ 500$581 | Heraklion โ10% |
| Laundry | โฌ 9$10.5 | โฌ 9$10.5 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 10$11.6 | โฌ 10$11.6 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 12$14 | โฌ 12$14 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 50$58.1 | โฌ 28$32.6 | Thessaloniki โ44% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | โฌ 35$40.7 | Thessaloniki โ12% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 20$23.3 | โฌ 10$11.6 | Thessaloniki โ50% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Heraklion or Thessaloniki?
Heraklion and Thessaloniki cost about the same. Daily budget $209 vs $206; a month $3,011 vs $3,018.
Which is easier to travel, Heraklion or Thessaloniki?
Thessaloniki is easier: Thessaloniki 2.0/5 vs Heraklion 2.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Heraklion and Thessaloniki?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Heraklion is about $3,011 and Thessaloniki about $3,018 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.