How much does the life of an ordinary family or couple in Thessaloniki cost in 2023? We wrote about this last year as well. To the surprise of many, the cost of living in Greece (basic necessities) hasn’t increased significantly compared to last year.

In the comments, compare it to the cost of living in Belgrade and other Serbian cities.

Making ends meet until the end of the month is a topic that troubles many families in Thessaloniki. Rent, utilities, electricity, gas, oil, water, gasoline, supermarket, bills - as much as we may not want to, we all calculate monthly expenses, including the people of Thessaloniki. But what is the minimum amount necessary for a household in Thessaloniki to cover basic expenses?

Many residents of Thessaloniki pay rent, which is the number one monthly expense for such households.

Rent

If it’s an apartment with two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, and is inhabited by two people, the rent ranges from 500€ to 800€ depending, of course, on the part of the city (average price per square meter 8-9€/m2).

A studio apartment for one person of minimal size costs 300-350 euros per month. Common expenses vary from building to building, but usually range from 10 to 25 euros per month. Of course, there are cases when the amount is higher (in luxury buildings, if the building has a concierge or gardener).

Electricity, heating, water

The energy crisis and the resulting price increases significantly affected the household budget in 2022. To keep prices at the same level as in 2022, the state provides subsidies.
Example: In March 2023, the bill for consumption of 400kWh would be 78€, but with the help of state subsidies, that figure drops to 62€.
For consumption of 1200kWh, the bill would be 234€, and with subsidies (up to 500kWh), it amounts to 214€, and if consumption is lower than last year, they will have an additional discount and pay 186€, saving 48€.

If a couple or a small family uses gas for heating, the bill for five months (November-March) will be 400 euros, or 80 euros per month in the best case scenario.
In March 2023, gas prices have dropped to pre-war levels in Ukraine and currently gas costs 5 times less than in August 2022.

Another constant expense for every household is paying water bills. Water bills are not excessive and amount to 80 euros for four months, or about 20 euros per month.

Other expenses

Other small expenses include paying for an internet connection and landline phone, which add from 20 euros to 60€ to the monthly expenses. For example, a landline phone plus VDSL internet up to 100Mbps costs 26€, while fiber optic internet up to 1Gbps costs from 33€ to 66€. Plus mobile phone bills (prepaid or contract) which also reach 30 euros.

The monthly public transport ticket costs 27€.

Of course, going to the supermarket and buying food and household items is a significant item in everyone’s household budget. A couple in Thessaloniki will need around 300 euros per month for a full fridge, while a family of 4 will have to spend over 400 euros to meet their needs. Based on all this, here are the minimum expenses for a couple:

Rent: 400 euros
Common expenses: 15 euros
Heating (natural gas): 80 euros
Electricity: 85 euros
Water: 20 euros
Gasoline: 200 euros
Landline phone/Internet/prepaid: 60 euros
Supermarket: 300 euros

Therefore, the conclusion is that two people living together should allocate at least 1,100 euros per month to meet their basic needs.

It also costs for the rest of life - entertainment, personal time, expenses for children’s activities, gym… It also costs to go to the cinema, theater, medical services… Coffee, eating out, drinks - these are also expenses that are included in the monthly budget. Coffee (Freddo Espresso) in most cafés in Thessaloniki costs around 4 euros, and 2 euros if it’s to-go. If someone goes out for a drink, they will pay at least 8 euros.
Food in a restaurant for one person costs a minimum of 15-20 euros.

We published a similar text last year when we calculated that the minimum expenses for a couple living in Thessaloniki are around 1,000€.

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