Is Kastoria expensive? What things really cost in 2026
Short answer
Kastoria is good value by Greek standards: rooms and meals cost noticeably less than on the islands or in Athens and Thessaloniki, and most sights are free or cost a few euros. A budget day is about €55 per person, mid-range about €115 and comfort about €220. Winter weekends and holidays are the exception, when hotel prices rise sharply.
Daily budget: backpacker, mid-range, luxury
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €25 | €45 | €95 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €35 | €60 |
| Sights & tickets | €8 | €15 | €30 |
| Local transport | €3 | €20 | €35 |
| Per person, per day | €56 | €115 | €220 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Kastoria day-cost table.
What things cost
| Item | Typical price* |
|---|---|
| Coffee by the lake | about €2.50–4 |
| Full taverna meal with house wine | about €15–22 per person |
| Byzantine Museum | a few euros |
| Cave of the Dragon guided tour | around €10 |
| Bike hire | around €10–15 a day |
| Arcturos bear sanctuary, Nymfaio | around €5–8 |
| KTEL bus from Thessaloniki | roughly €20–25 one way |
| Car hire | around €35–50 a day |
| Simple hotel near Davaki Square | roughly €45–70 a room |
| Stone-mansion guesthouse in Doltso | roughly €70–120 a room |
* Approximate prices, October 2026. They change with season and exchange rates.
Where the money goes
Accommodation is the largest cost: about €25 per person sharing in a simple town hotel, €45 in a Doltso mansion guesthouse and €95 in a boutique or spa hotel, plus Greece's small per-room, per-night climate resilience fee. Food is about €20–35 a day in tavernas and ouzeri-style places. Sights are cheap, about €8–15 a day for the Byzantine Museum, the Dragon's Cave and small fees elsewhere. Transport is almost nothing on the peninsula, but a car (around €35–50 a day) is needed for Prespa, Nymfaio and Dispilio, which is why the mid-range column rises to about €20.
When it is cheaper
Weekdays outside the winter holidays are cheapest, as are spring (outside Easter) and late autumn. Weekend and holiday rates in winter, especially around Christmas, New Year and Epiphany, can be well above weekday rates.
How to spend less
- Visit on weekdays: Kastoria is a popular winter weekend town for Greeks, and weekday rates are often much lower.
- Walk or cycle the lake road around the peninsula (about 8 km) instead of driving.
- Eat in the ouzeri-style places near the market, which are cheaper than the lakeside cafés.
- Ask at the Byzantine Museum or the tourist information point which churches are open that day, so you do not waste trips to locked ones.
- Share a car between several people for the day trips to Prespa and Nymfaio.
- Buy Prespa beans and local apples at source as edible souvenirs.
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Common questions
How much money do I need per day in Kastoria?
About €55 per person on a budget, about €115 mid-range and about €220 for comfort, including a share of a double room, food, sights and transport.
Is Kastoria cheaper than the Greek islands?
Generally yes. Rooms and taverna meals cost less than on the popular islands, and most sights are free or a few euros.
Are hotels more expensive in Kastoria in winter?
At weekends and holidays, yes, especially around Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. Weekday rates are usually much lower.