Which place is cheaper, Playa Blanca or Thessaloniki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca?
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.
Playa Blanca
Located on the southern tip of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca is a resort area popular with families and couples seeking a quieter vacation alternative to the lively neighbor resort of Puerto del Carmen. The resort's white sandy beaches are peaceful and sheltered from the higher winds found on other parts of the island. Timanfaya National Park is also nearby, as well as a number of other spectacular volcanic features.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Greece, The Best Contiki Tours to Greece, The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayThessaloniki €134Playa Blanca €155
The average daily cost (per person) in Thessaloniki is €134, while the average daily cost in Playa Blanca is €155. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Thessaloniki and Playa Blanca in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personThessaloniki €79Playa Blanca €81
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomThessaloniki €158Playa Blanca €162
Compare Hotels in Thessaloniki and Playa Blanca
Looking for a hotel in Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Thessaloniki Hotel Prices and Playa Blanca Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Thessaloniki €13Playa Blanca €49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Thessaloniki
Also for Thessaloniki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer from Thessaloniki to Ikos Oceania: $153
- Bus Transfer to/from Kavala: $18
- Thessaloniki to Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) - Departure Transfer: $21
- Thessaloniki Cruise Port: Transfer to Thessaloniki city: $142
- Thessaloniki Airport to TUI Blue Lagoon Hotels Private Transfer: $93
- Thessaloniki Airport to Sani Hotels Private Transfer: $98
- Thessaloniki Airport to Portes Lithos Luxury Resort Private Transfer: $82
- Thessaloniki Airport to Ikos Olivia Hotel Private Transfer: $98
- Thessaloniki Airport to Ikos Oceania Hotel Private Transfer: $87
- Thessaloniki Airport to Alia Palace Hotel Private Transfer: $131
- Thessaloniki Airport to Afitis Boutique Hotel Private Transfer: $109
- Thessaloniki Airport or Cruise Port Private Departure Transfer: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca?
Prices for flights to both Playa Blanca and Thessaloniki 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayThessaloniki €42Playa Blanca €45
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Open Market Food Tour with Tasting: $48
- Walking Open Market Food Tour and Tasting: $49
- Cooking & Dining Experience with Greek Family: $63
- Guided Food Tour: $70
- Food Tour in Thessaloniki: $71
- Private Walking Tour Gastronomic Food Tour in Thessaloniki: $87
- Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local: $95
- Greek Ouzo and Meze Food Tour: $95
- Greek Cooking Class, Market Visit and Lunch: $95
- Traditional Greek Food Tour With A Local: $97
- Greek Ouzo and Meze Food Tour: $97
- Greek Cooking Class, Market visit and Lunch: $97
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Thessaloniki €26Playa Blanca €20
Tours and Activities in Thessaloniki
For Thessaloniki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 4-Hour Thessaloniki Jewish Heritage Private Guided Tour: $207
- Archery Odyssey Traditional Archery Experience: $65
- Best of Private Guided Tour: $218
- Best of Private Guided Tour: $192
- Charming pearls of Thessaloniki – Romantic Tour: $153
- City Sightseeing Thessaloniki Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $17
- Daily Cruise:Discover Thessaloniki in a different way: $1,069
- Daily Sailing Cruise Olympus Riviera Highlights: $122
- Day Tour at Royal Tombs of Aigai and Museum of Pella with pickup: $93
- Dion and Palaios Panteleimon Myth and History Tour: $153
- Dion-Olympus Private Tour from Thessaloniki: $96
- Discover Olympus from Paralia in Jeep Safari Shared Tour: $76
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayThessaloniki €15Playa Blanca €9.29
Sample the Local Flavors in Thessaloniki
Also in Thessaloniki, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Friday Night Bar Crawl in Thessaloniki: $25
- From Pella-Edessa wine tasting: $64
- Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $81
- Thessaloniki Small-Group Wine Tasting Tour with Appetizers: $83
- Winery Visit with Wine Tasting Experience: $91
- Wine Tasting Experience from Thessaloniki: $93
- Thessaloniki to Naoussa, Wine Tasting Tour – Private Day Trip: $207
When comparing the travel costs between Thessaloniki and Playa Blanca, we can see that Playa Blanca 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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Thessaloniki Expensive? and Is Playa Blanca Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca?
Thessaloniki has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Playa Blanca. When comparing the sizes of Thessaloniki and Playa Blanca, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca in the Summer?
Both Playa Blanca and Thessaloniki are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Thessaloniki in the summer for the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.
Thessaloniki is around the same temperature as Playa Blanca in the summer. The daily temperature in Thessaloniki averages around 25°C (77°F) in July, and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
It's quite sunny in Playa Blanca. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki usually receives more sunshine than Playa Blanca during summer. Thessaloniki gets 327 hours of sunny skies, while Playa Blanca receives 282 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Thessaloniki usually receives more rain than Playa Blanca. Thessaloniki gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 0 mm (0 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyThessaloniki 25°C (77°F)Playa Blanca 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca in the Autumn?
Both Playa Blanca and Thessaloniki during the autumn are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Thessaloniki for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene during these months.
In the autumn, Thessaloniki is cooler than Playa Blanca. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Thessaloniki in October average around 16°C (61°F), and Playa Blanca averages at about 22°C (72°F).
In Playa Blanca, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Thessaloniki often gets less sunshine than Playa Blanca. Thessaloniki gets 159 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa Blanca receives 224 hours of full sun.
Thessaloniki usually gets more rain in October than Playa Blanca. Thessaloniki gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberThessaloniki 16°C (61°F)Playa Blanca 22°C (72°F)
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Thessaloniki and Playa Blanca. The winter months attract visitors to Thessaloniki because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
In January, Thessaloniki is generally much colder than Playa Blanca. Daily temperatures in Thessaloniki average around 5°C (41°F), and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa Blanca this time of the year. Thessaloniki usually receives less sunshine than Playa Blanca during winter. Thessaloniki gets 101 hours of sunny skies, while Playa Blanca receives 204 hours of full sun in the winter.
In January, Thessaloniki usually receives more rain than Playa Blanca. Thessaloniki gets 37 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryThessaloniki 5°C (41°F)Playa Blanca 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Thessaloniki or Playa Blanca in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Thessaloniki as well as Playa Blanca. The beaches and the activities around the city are the main draw to Thessaloniki this time of year.
Thessaloniki is cooler than Playa Blanca in the spring. The daily temperature in Thessaloniki averages around 13°C (56°F) in April, and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Playa Blanca. In the spring, Thessaloniki often gets less sunshine than Playa Blanca. Thessaloniki gets 196 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa Blanca receives 250 hours of full sun.
Thessaloniki usually gets more rain in April than Playa Blanca. Thessaloniki gets 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilThessaloniki 13°C (56°F)Playa Blanca 19°C (66°F)
Typical Weather for Playa Blanca and Thessaloniki
| Thessaloniki | Playa Blanca | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 5°C (41°F) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Feb | 7°C (44°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Mar | 9°C (49°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| Apr | 13°C (56°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| May | 18°C (65°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Jun | 23°C (73°F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Aug | 25°C (76°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
| Sep | 21°C (70°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (52°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Dec | 7°C (44°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.