Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
Vilnius is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Thessaloniki 2 vs Vilnius 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
| Item | Thessaloniki | Vilnius | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 13$15.1 | โฌ 11$12.8 | Vilnius โ15% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 4.5$5.23 | โฌ 6$6.98 | Thessaloniki โ25% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 28$32.6 | Thessaloniki โ11% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 3.8$4.42 | โฌ 3.6$4.19 | Vilnius โ5% |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 4.7$5.47 | โฌ 4.5$5.23 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 10$11.6 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Vilnius โ10% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 0.5$0.58 | โฌ 0.8$0.93 | Thessaloniki โ38% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 1.5$1.74 | โฌ 1.6$1.86 | Thessaloniki โ6% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 7.5$8.72 | โฌ 6$6.98 | Vilnius โ20% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 5$5.81 | โฌ 4$4.65 | Vilnius โ20% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 0.6$0.7 | โฌ 1$1.16 | Thessaloniki โ40% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 25$29.1 | โฌ 15$17.4 | Vilnius โ40% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 85$98.8 | โฌ 75$87.2 | Vilnius โ12% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 500$581 | โฌ 650$756 | Thessaloniki โ23% |
| Laundry | โฌ 9$10.5 | โฌ 7$8.14 | Vilnius โ22% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 10$11.6 | โฌ 6$6.98 | Vilnius โ40% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 12$14 | โฌ 20$23.3 | Thessaloniki โ40% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 28$32.6 | โฌ 40$46.5 | Thessaloniki โ30% |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 35$40.7 | โฌ 30$34.9 | Vilnius โ14% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 10$11.6 | โฌ 9$10.5 | Vilnius โ10% |
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%+.
Thessaloniki and Vilnius cost about the same. Daily budget $206 vs $188; a month $3,018 vs $3,545.
Vilnius is easier: Vilnius 1.4/5 vs Thessaloniki 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
With a short-term studio and living costs, Thessaloniki is about $3,018 and Vilnius about $3,545 per month.
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.