Moving to Greece in 2026

Moving to Greece: entry, first 30 days, 3-month budget

Citizens of many countries visit Greece visa-free for up to 90 days in 180, and others need a Schengen visa. There are three main routes to live there: the golden visa for buying property from €250,000 to €800,000 depending on the region, the digital nomad residence permit and the permit for financially independent persons with income from €3,500 a month, about $4,000. Nomads and financially independent persons first need a national visa D, fee €180.

1. Before the trip. Choosing the ground, a national visa D at a consulate or finding a property for the golden visa.
2. Days 1-30. A tax number, a Greek bank account, a lease registered with the tax authority.
3. Days 30-90. Residence application to the migration ministry, biometrics, a filing receipt in place of a card until the decision.

Rent in Thessaloniki is 15-20% lower than in Athens, and higher by the sea and in northern Athens. Air conditioning bills rise noticeably in summer. We calculate a family budget in the chat.

Greece in brief

Greece is a country in southern Europe with about 10.4 million people, a European Union member since 1981 and part of the euro area and Schengen. The capital is Athens, with about 3.7 million people including the suburbs. The official language is Greek, and English is spoken in tourism, business and the larger cities. Thousands of islands, mild winters and prices below Western Europe have made Greece one of the most popular European Union countries for moving with income from abroad.

Greece suits property investors who want European Union residence for the whole family without a stay requirement, remote workers and people with passive income, and retirees drawn by the 7% tax on foreign pensions.

How to move in 2026

• Golden visa - a 5-year renewable residence permit for buying property: from €800,000, about $896,800, in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and large islands; from €400,000, about $448,400, elsewhere for a single property of at least 120 m²; and from €250,000, about $280,300, for converting commercial property to residential or restoring a listed building. Such homes may not be let short-term. Details are on the page Greek residence by investment.
• Digital nomad visa - net income from €3,500 a month, about $4,000, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% per child; first a 12-month national visa, then a 2-year residence permit. Details are on the page Greek residence for digital nomads.
• Financially independent persons - a residence permit for people with passive income or a pension from abroad.
• Employment - a permit sponsored by an employer or the EU Blue Card.

We handle the choice of route and property and the filing end to end.

Rules for specific nationalities

Greece applies separate rules to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

• Russia. Russian citizens need a Schengen or national Greek visa to enter Greece. Routes to residence are formally open to them, but applications are checked longer and more strictly, and Russia suspended its double tax treaty with Greece in 2023.
• Belarus. Applications from Belarusian citizens are checked longer and more strictly.

Citizenship

You can apply for citizenship after 7 years of legal residence in Greece on a qualifying permit; with other permits it takes longer. You need an exam in Greek language and history and genuine life in the country. Dual citizenship is allowed. Descendants of Greeks apply for citizenship by descent, with an official estimate of 18 months; more on the page Greek citizenship by descent. A child of foreigners born in Greece becomes eligible for a passport on entering the first grade of a Greek school, if the parents lived in the country for 5 years before the birth.

Taxes

A new income tax scale from 9% to 44% took effect on 1 January 2026. Corporate tax is 22%, dividends are taxed at 5%, and VAT is 24%. There are three special regimes for newcomers: a flat €100,000 a year on foreign income for wealthy foreigners, 7% on foreign pensions for retirees, and a 50% income tax reduction for 7 years for those who move their tax residence and work in Greece. You become resident after 183 days in any 12 months. Details are on the page taxes in Greece.

Property

Foreigners buy homes freely, but in border areas, including some islands, citizens of countries outside the European Union need a permit. A notary and a lawyer handle the deal, and the buyer needs a Greek tax number and a bank account. Property tax is paid annually, and resale purchases carry a transfer tax of about 3%. We source and check properties on the page property in Greece.

Business and accounts

Companies are registered through the single state business registry, with a Greek tax number as the first step. Banks open accounts for non-residents but take a long time to check the source of funds. We help with company registration, a business account and a personal account.

Cost of living

• Rent in Athens - a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs €600-900, about $680-1,010 a month, more by the sea and in the north.
• Costs excluding rent - about €800, or $900, a month for one person and about €2,500, or $2,900, for a family of four.
• Groceries - cheaper than in Western Europe, especially at street markets.
• Utilities - rise noticeably in summer because of air conditioning.

Where to live

• Athens - jobs, international schools, the airport and the sea nearby; foreigners choose Kolonaki, Koukaki, the southern coast from Glyfada to Voula and green Kifisia. More in the Athens guide.
• Thessaloniki - the second city, with a university and prices below Athens.
• Crete - Heraklion and Chania, mild winters and year-round life.
• Peloponnese - seaside homes an hour or two from Athens and the €400,000 golden visa threshold.
• Rhodes and Corfu - islands with airports and large foreign communities.

Practicalities

• Entry. Citizens of many countries visit visa-free for up to 90 days in 180, and others need a Schengen or Greek national visa.
• Climate. Hot, dry summers up to +35 to +40 and mild, rainy winters.
• Healthcare. The public system is open to working residents, private clinics are affordable by European standards, and golden visa holders need private insurance.
• Bureaucracy. Slow: the tax number, bank and registration take weeks, so documents are prepared in advance.

Who Greece suits

Pros: the European Union and Schengen, the sea and mild winters, prices below Western Europe, a golden visa without a stay requirement, and tax regimes for retirees and wealthy foreigners. Cons: high income tax on ordinary salaries, slow bureaucracy, hot summers and the $896,800 (€800,000) threshold in the most sought-after places. Greece suits investors, remote workers and retirees. Write in the chat and we will choose a region, a property and a residence route for your family.