Should you visit Mykonos or Thessaloniki?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Mykonos and Thessaloniki. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Mykonos
Mykonos, a Greek Island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, is part of the Cyclades group. Mykonos is one of the most touristy islands in the Aegean Sea and is famous for its whitewashed buildings that climb up the hill along with historic windmills, stunning hillside views, and fantastic seafood restaurants. Because of its popularity, Mykonos comes with a hefty tourist markup. Many passengers arrive here as part of a cruise, so during the day its small streets can become crowded with tourists and its harbor fills with large ships. August and July are the most popular times to visit, so if you're hoping to avoid to crowds it's best to come a few months earlier.
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and serves as the capital city of the Central Macedonia region. It also has a rich history dating back more than 3,000 years. As a visitor, you'll find that the city has been touched by the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, all of which left their mark. In particular, the many Byzantine churches are quite impressive, with some of them listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Which city is cheaper, Thessaloniki or Mykonos?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Mykonos is €119, while the average daily cost in Thessaloniki is €107. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Mykonos and Thessaloniki in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €118 for a double occupancy room in Mykonos.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €126 in Thessaloniki For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
In Mykonos travelers spend around €38 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
The average traveler spends about €33 per day in Thessaloniki for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Mykonos €38
Thessaloniki €33
Typical Food prices in Mykonos
Some typical examples of dining costs in Mykonos are as follows:
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Two Ice cream Cones
€4.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mykonos
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Mykonos.
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Traditional Lunch or Dinner at the Mykonian Spiti:
$73
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Cooking Class in Mykonos, Greece:
$145
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Thessaloniki City Morning Walking Food Tour:
$58
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Dinner with a view in the historic center of Thessaloniki:
$79
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Thessaloniki Food Tour - Gastronomy Experience - 4 hrs:
$137
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Mykonos is €19 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Thessaloniki than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €11 on transportation in Thessaloniki on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Mykonos
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Mykonos:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mykonos
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Mykonos:
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Vryssi area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Tourlos area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Tagoo area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Super Paradise area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Platis Yalos area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Paraga area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Paradise area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Kalo Livadi area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Kalafatis area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Glastros area up to 6 customers:
$98
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Ftelia area up to 6 customers:
$121
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Transfer from Mykonos Airport to Elia area up to 6 customers:
$121
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Thessaloniki
Also for Thessaloniki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: Thessaloniki Int. Airport (SKG) to Thessaloniki:
$18
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Private Airport Transfer: from Thessaloniki to Thessaloniki Int. Airport (SKG):
$18
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Private Arrival Airport Transfer from Thessaloniki Airport to Thessaloniki City:
$22
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Private Departure Transfer from Thessaloniki City Center To Thessaloniki Airport:
$22
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Private Departure Transfer: Thessaloniki City to Thessaloniki Airport:
$22
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Thessaloniki Airport or Cruise Port Private Arrival Transfer:
$28
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Thessaloniki city from/ to SKG airport transfer:
$30
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Thessaloniki Private Airport Transfer for Up to 4 People:
$30
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Transfer from SKG Thesaloniki airport to Thessaloniki city hotels:
$33
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One Way Private Transfer from SKG Apt to or from Thessaloniki City Center:
$40
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Thessaloniki Hotel Transfers to Thessaloniki Airport:
$41
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Private Airport Round-trip Transfer: Thessaloniki Airport - Thessaloniki City:
$44
Is it cheaper to fly into Mykonos or Thessaloniki?
Prices for flights to both Thessaloniki and Mykonos change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Mykonos's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €18 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Sightseeing expenses in Thessaloniki, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €21 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Mykonos
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Mykonos are as follows:
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3-Hour Sunset Cruise to Delos Island from Mykonos:
$81
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Ancient Delos & Mykonos South Beaches Cruise:
$92
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Best of Mykonos island, 4 hours private tour:
$281
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Delos Tour 3 to 5 customers:
$505
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Delos Tour 6 to 10 customers:
$329
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Delos and Rhenia Island Cruise from Mykonos:
$103
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Delos and Rhenia Islands Boat Tour from Mykonos:
$115
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From 7-Day Sailing Adventure to Santorini:
$1,312
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From Ancient Delos Tour:
$44
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From Full-Day Ancient Delos & Rhenia Island Cruise:
$97
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Highlights of Mykonos Half-Day Tour:
$83
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Mykonos Beach Hopping Tour:
$79
Tours and Activities in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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City Sightseeing Thessaloniki Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$16
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City Sightseeing Thessaloniki Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$24
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Open Markets Food Tasting Tour:
$38
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Customized Private Walking Tour with a Local:
$38
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Thessaloniki Half-Day Tour and Archaeological Museum Visit:
$45
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Half-Day Private Tour in Olympus Mountain:
$50
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Day Trip to Ouranoupoli with Mt. Athos Cruise:
$50
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Historic Walking Tour:
$58
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Pella and Vergina Full-Day Tour from Thessaloniki:
$70
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Athos Peninsula Day Cruise from Thessaloniki:
$73
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Jewish Sights – Thessaloniki Private City Tour:
$75
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Private hiking tour to Olympus mountain:
$81
Alcohol
The average person spends about €16 on alcoholic beverages in Mykonos per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Typically, people visiting Thessaloniki spend on average €12 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Thessaloniki
Also in Thessaloniki, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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From Full-Day Private Group Wine Tour:
$478
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Private tour: Full day Wine tasting Naousa & Ag. Nikolaos:
$535
When comparing the travel costs between Mykonos and Thessaloniki, we can see that Mykonos is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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