Cost of living in Greece in 2026

10 min read · Published 6 October 2026 · Updated 7 October 2026

A single person in Athens needs roughly $1,400-2,100 a month including rent, and 15-20% less in Thessaloniki. Groceries and transport are cheap, while the main costs are rent, rising faster than wages, and summer air conditioning bills.

Free consultation

Key facts	2026
Single person budget with rent in Athens	$1,400-2,100 a month
Couple budget in Athens	$1,800-2,700 a month
Family with a child	from $2,500 a month
One-bedroom flat in central Athens	$735-1,130 excluding utilities
Minimum wage from 1 April 2026	$1,100 (€920) a month
Pass for all Athens transport	$35 (€30)

Data checked: 06.10.2026

Greece is one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe to live in: market produce, cafes and transport cost less than in Spain or Italy, and in Athens a pass for the metro, tram and buses is $35 (€30) a month. Rents, however, have risen faster than wages in recent years: asking rents in the Attica region rose another 4.5% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, while the average private sector wage is about $1,600 (€1,360) a month before tax.

In central, southern and northern Athens the average asking rent is about $15 (€11.8) per square metre, and up to $25 (€22) in upmarket Vouliagmeni. In Thessaloniki the average is about $15 (€10.4) per metre and about $15 (€12) in the centre. Utilities are not included in the rent: electricity, water and building charges are paid separately.

Below are 2026 prices in US dollars at the European Central Bank rate on the check date, monthly budgets for a single person, a couple and a family, first-month costs and ways to save.

We will calculate online the full cost for your task.

Calculate online

Prices in 2026: rent, groceries, transport

Monthly item	Athens	Thessaloniki
One-bedroom flat in the centre	$735-1,130	$565-850
One-bedroom flat in a cheaper district	$510-735	$430-590
Two-bedroom flat in the centre	$1,015-1,580	$790-1,130
Utilities	$125-205	$125-205
Internet and mobile	$35-55	$35-55
Groceries per person	$285-395	$285-395
Public transport	~$34	~$34
Lunch in an inexpensive café	$14-19	$14-19
Private doctor visit	$57-91	$57-91
International school, per year	$10,200-18,600	-

Rents in the table are for long-term flats excluding utilities. In Kolonaki, Plaka and the southern coast of Athens, in Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, rents are above the upper bound, while in western districts such as Peristeri they are below the lower one.

Utilities include electricity, water and building charges: stairwell cleaning, the lift and, in older buildings, oil-fired central heating. In summer air conditioning pushes the electricity bill up noticeably.

Monthly budget: single, couple, family with a child

Household	Per month
Single person	$1,400-2,100
Couple	$1,800-2,700
Family with a child	from $2,500

The single person budget assumes a one-bedroom flat in Athens, utilities, groceries, phone and internet, a transport pass and moderate cafe spending. Employee social insurance contributions are deducted from salary, so they are not in the budget. For a family the total depends on the district, school and kindergarten, so we calculate the exact figure in the chat.

An Athens budget starts with the residence ground and the lease

A non-EU foreigner needs a residence permit to live in Greece, and the ground shapes the budget: a remote worker needs income from $4,000 a month, a retiree from $4,000 of passive income, an investor a property purchase. The second common mistake is a lease the landlord does not register with the tax office: without it you cannot prove your address or get back one month's rent every November. We choose the ground, prepare the documents, check the lease and handle the case until the card is issued.

The cost of support depends on the residence ground and your family; a manager will calculate it in the chat.

Get a support quote

What to pay in the first month

Deposit - usually one or two months' rent, recorded in the lease.
Agency fee if you found the flat through an agent: as a rule, one month's rent.
A Greek tax number: without it you cannot sign a lease, open a bank account or connect electricity.
Registration of the lease with the tax office: the landlord does it, but check it straight away, otherwise you cannot prove your address for a residence permit.
A Greek bank account and a social insurance number if you plan to work as an employee.

For the first three months a single person in Athens renting outside the centre needs from $5,000 including the deposit, agency fee and paperwork.

Where to live: comparing cities

Athens is the capital and the main job market: tourism, shipping, technology and international companies, international schools and the widest choice of housing. The most expensive areas are Kolonaki, Plaka and the southern coast from Palaio Faliro to Vouliagmeni; cheaper ones are the western districts such as Peristeri and Egaleo and parts of the northern suburbs.

Thessaloniki is Greece's second city and the student hub of the north. A one-bedroom flat in the centre costs $565-850 excluding utilities, 20-25% less than in central Athens, and the metro opened in 2024 links the centre with the eastern districts. The highest rents are on the waterfront and in Kalamaria.

Patras, Ioannina, Larissa and other mainland cities are cheaper still. Islands get expensive in summer because of tourists, so a year-round lease is harder to find there than in mainland cities.

Districts and prices in detail: Athens, Thessaloniki.

Healthcare and insurance

Employees and their families get public health cover through social insurance contributions deducted from salary. It covers treatment in public hospitals and visits to doctors contracted with the public system, but waits for specialists are long, so many people see private doctors.

Freelancers and business owners pay contributions themselves, from $290 (€255) a month in the lowest category. A private doctor's visit costs $60-90 (€50-80). Remote workers, retirees and investors applying for residence need private health insurance for the whole term of the card.

Schools and nurseries

Public schools and kindergartens are free and teach in Greek. The last two kindergarten years before school, from age 4, are compulsory in Greece, and private kindergartens in Athens charge fees.

International schools teaching in English cost roughly $11,000 (€9,000) to $19,000 (€16,500) a year in Athens: the American school charges $11,000-19,000 (€9,050-16,348) for 2026/27 and the British school $11,000-19,000 (€9,710-16,500). Thessaloniki has fewer options. Places at popular schools are best booked six months ahead.

Salaries and taxes

The minimum wage from 1 April 2026 is $1,100 (€920) a month. The average private sector wage is about $1,600 (€1,360) a month before tax, and full-time employees earn about $1,700 (€1,520) on average. There are 14 salaries a year: Christmas, Easter and holiday payments are added to the twelve monthly ones.

From 2026 income tax on salaries is 9% on the first $12,000 (€10,000) a year, then 20%, 26%, 34%, 39% and 44% on income above $68,000 (€60,000). Families with children pay lower rates, and young workers under 25 pay no tax on income up to $23,000 (€20,000).

People who move to Greece and start working here get a 50% reduction in tax on salary or business income for 7 years if they were not Greek tax residents in 5 of the last 6 years.

How to cut costs

Live in Thessaloniki, Patras or Larissa rather than Athens, or in the western and northern districts of the capital.
Buy the $35 (€30) monthly pass: it covers the metro, tram, buses and suburban trains within the city.
Buy vegetables, fruit and fish at weekly street markets: they are cheaper than supermarkets.
Make sure the lease is registered with the tax office: then every November the state refunds one month's rent, up to $900 (€800) plus $60 (€50) per child.
Choose a well-insulated flat and a fixed-price electricity tariff: it noticeably cuts the summer air conditioning bill.
Claim the tax reduction for people moving to Greece: 50% for 7 years.

The rent refund is paid automatically, without an application, if last year's income is below the threshold: for a single person it was raised from $23,000 (€20,000) to $28,000 (€25,000) a year from 2026. The government estimates that about 85% of employees now qualify.

This topic in other countries

Cost of living in other countries:

FAQ

How much money do you need to live in Greece?

A single person needs $1,400-2,100 a month in Athens including rent, a couple $1,800-2,700. Thessaloniki is 15-20% cheaper. To get started in Athens you need from $5,000 for the first three months.

How much is rent in Athens?

A one-bedroom flat in the centre costs $735-1,130 a month excluding utilities, $510-735 in a cheaper district. The average asking rent is about $15 (€11.8) per square metre.

Is it cheaper to live in Athens or Thessaloniki?

Thessaloniki: a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs $565-850 against $735-1,130 in Athens, while groceries and transport cost about the same. Athens has more jobs and international schools.

What is the minimum wage in Greece in 2026?

$1,100 (€920) a month from 1 April 2026. With 14 salaries a year that comes to about $15,000 (€12,900) annually.

How much are utilities in Greece?

Electricity, water and building charges are about $125-205 a month for a one-bedroom flat, plus $35-55 for internet and mobile. Summer electricity bills rise because of air conditioning.

How much is a transport pass in Athens?

$35 (€30) a month, for the metro, tram, buses and suburban trains within the city. In Thessaloniki a monthly pass for buses and the metro is also $35 (€30).

How much does an international school in Athens cost?

Roughly $11,000 (€9,000) to $19,000 (€16,500) a year, depending on the school and grade. Public schools are free and teach in Greek.

What taxes does an employee pay in Greece?

Income tax from 9% to 44% on the 2026 scale plus social insurance contributions deducted from salary. Employees who move to Greece pay tax at a 50% reduction for 7 years.

Does Greece refund rent?

Yes, every November the state refunds one month's rent for a main home, up to $900 (€800) plus $60 (€50) per child, if the lease is registered with the tax office and income is below the threshold.

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.

The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.

Free consultation

Or message us on Telegram →

FreeConfidentialInstant reply

Programs

Programs in Greece

Citizenship by birth Repatriation Digital nomad