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Greek islands property follows one national set of rules, but the Golden Visa minimum depends on the island: €800,000 on islands with more than 3,100 residents, in Attica and in the Mykonos and Thira units, and €400,000 on smaller islands elsewhere. The Cyclades were Greece’s second most expensive area in Q2 2026, at €4,063/m² asking, Spitogatos data show.
Last verified: 20 October 2026Greece’s islands fall into seven main groups. They differ in price, access and the rules that apply to foreign buyers more than in tax, which is the same everywhere.
| Group | Main islands | Golden Visa minimum | Non-EU border permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyclades | Mykonos, Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Syros, Tinos, Milos | €800,000 on Mykonos, the Thira unit and islands over 3,100; €400,000 on smaller ones | Only Thira (Santorini) |
| Dodecanese | Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, Leros, Patmos, Symi | €800,000 over 3,100 residents; €400,000 below | Yes, whole group |
| Ionian | Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Ithaca, Paxoi | €800,000 over 3,100; €400,000 below | Othonoi, Mathraki, Ereikoussa only |
| Crete | Crete | €800,000 | No |
| North Aegean | Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Lemnos, Ikaria | €800,000 over 3,100; €400,000 below | Lesvos, Chios and Samos areas |
| Argo-Saronic | Aegina, Hydra, Spetses, Poros, Agistri | €800,000 (Attica Region) | No |
| Sporades | Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonnisos, Skyros | €800,000 over 3,100; €400,000 below | Skyros only |
Golden Visa rules: Ministry of Migration circular on Law 5100/2024. Border areas: article 24 of Law 1892/1990, as listed in the Lex Mundi guide by Zepos & Yannopoulos. In border areas, buyers from outside the EU and EFTA need prior permission from the Decentralised Administration. The €250,000 Golden Visa routes for conversions and listed buildings apply on every island.
An island with more than 3,100 residents under the latest census is in the €800,000 tier. Below that it is in the €400,000 tier, unless it belongs to Attica or to the Mykonos or Thira units, which are always €800,000.
The ministry’s circular refers to the latest census, which is 2021. ELSTAT publishes population by municipality, not by island. Where one municipality is one island, or a group of islands all under the limit, the figure is a fair guide:
| Island (municipality) | 2021 residents | Likely tier |
|---|---|---|
| Sifnos | 2,777 | €400,000 |
| Kea / Kythnos / Serifos | 2,335 / 1,568 / 1,241 | €400,000 |
| Antiparos | 1,265 | €400,000 |
| Symi / Astypalaia / Tilos | 2,603 / 1,376 / 746 | €400,000, plus border permit |
| Paxoi / Ithaca | 2,466 / 2,862 | €400,000 |
| Skyros | 3,052 | €400,000, plus border permit |
| Alonnisos | 3,138 | €800,000 (just over the limit) |
| Hydra / Kythira | 2,070 / 3,644 | €800,000 (Attica Region) |
| Ios / Folegandros | 2,299 / 719 | €800,000 (Thira unit) |
More on the rules is on our Golden Visa hub and in the Golden Visa Greece 2026 guide.
The Cyclades are the dearest island group, at €4,063/m² in asking prices in the second quarter of 2026, and Crete had the fastest rise, +6.9% in a year, Spitogatos data show. Group figures come from the Spitogatos Greek islands release of 16 September 2026, except the Cyclades, which is from its national release of 4 August 2026.
| Group, Q2 2026 | Average asking price | Selected islands |
|---|---|---|
| Cyclades | €4,063/m² | Antiparos €7,600; Mykonos €7,059; Paros €5,263 |
| Aegean islands, all | €2,941/m², +5.9% | Cyclades, Dodecanese, North Aegean, Sporades |
| Dodecanese | Not published | Patmos €5,000; Astypalaia €4,000; Kalymnos €2,759 |
| Ionian islands | €2,531/m², +5.9% | Paxoi €3,846; Lefkada €3,302; Kefalonia €2,531 |
| Crete | €2,250/m², +6.9% | Chania €3,102; Rethymno €2,202; Heraklion €2,200; Lasithi €1,944 |
| Sporades | Not published | Skiathos €3,521; Alonnisos €2,667; Skyros €2,402; Skopelos €2,154 |
| North Aegean | Not published | Ikaria €1,846; Chios €1,533; Lesvos €1,136; Samos €1,059 |
Asking prices fell by between 1% and 6% in a year on Mykonos, Santorini, Folegandros, Sikinos and Andros, and Naxos was relatively stable. Leros rose by more than 30% and Kalymnos by about 20%. No figures were published for Rhodes or Corfu. Crete’s average is about 50% higher than in the second quarter of 2021.
Foreign demand for island homes was led by the United States, then the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and France, according to the same release. Foreign buyers looked mostly at the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, then at Chania, Corfu and Heraklion.
Asking prices are not sale prices. National data are on our Greece house prices page.
We publish detailed guides for the islands most foreign buyers ask about.
Thinking about buying on a Greek island? Give your brief to an independent buyer’s agency. It can search the market for exactly what you are looking for and advise you through the purchase.
Before you buy a house on a Greek island, check the Golden Visa tier if it matters to you, the border-area permit, the building permit and the title. Then check how the house gets water and power.
The Hellenic Cadastre was still posting draft records in 2026 in parts of Crete, Lesvos and Lemnos. Rhodes and the Dodecanese use a separate land register from the Italian period. Your lawyer should check the title in the right register.
Every deed must attach an engineer certificate confirming there are no unauthorised works, or that they have been legalised (Law 4495/2017, art. 83). Extra rooms, enclosed verandas and pools built without a permit are common in holiday areas. Read illegal building works: what buyers should check.
The foreshore and beach (aigialos and paralia, αιγιαλός και παραλία) are public property under Law 2971/2001. They cannot be owned or built on, and the line is fixed by an official determination. For a seafront plot, ask the engineer to check whether the line has been drawn and where it runs.
Land outside a town plan (εκτός σχεδίου) can only be built on if it meets minimum size, road access and other rules. These rules have been tightened by recent laws and court rulings. Do not pay for land on the strength of a listing that says it is buildable. Ask an engineer to confirm it in writing.
Ask how the house is supplied with water in August, whether it has a tank, and whether the island has had supply cuts. Small islands often have only a health centre, with serious cases moved by air ambulance. Check what services are open in winter.
Large islands have international airports. Small islands depend on ferries, which run less often in winter and stop in bad weather.
| Airport | Passengers, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Rhodes | 7,093,264 |
| Corfu | 4,618,810 |
| Chania | 4,150,829 |
| Santorini | 2,418,219 |
| Mykonos | 1,581,742 |
Provisional Fraport Greece figures for Rhodes, Corfu, Chania, Santorini and Mykonos. Heraklion, Naxos, Paros and other state airports are run by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, which publishes its own statistics.
Ferries to the Cyclades leave from Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio. The Argo-Saronic islands are served from Piraeus. Crete and the Dodecanese have overnight ferries from Piraeus.
Yes. A home in the islands can be let short term if it is registered and meets national standards. The freeze on new registrations covers only central Athens (municipal districts 1, 2 and 3) and the 1st Municipal Community of Thessaloniki, according to the Housing Policy Portal. No island is covered.
Details are in our short-term rental rules guide. Tax on the income is covered in rental income tax for owners abroad.
Buyers in the islands pay the same purchase taxes as anywhere in Greece. On a resale the main cost is transfer tax of 3.09% of the higher of the price and the official tax value, PwC Greece tax summary shows.
| Cost | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax on a resale | 3.09% | 3% plus a 3% municipal surcharge on the tax |
| VAT on a new build | 24%, suspended to 31 Dec 2026 | Law 5246/2025, art. 12 |
| Cadastre registration | 0.5% plus fixed fees | Joint Ministerial Decision 2/2026 |
| Notary, lawyer, engineer | Official scale or agreed | See our cost guide |
| Buyer’s or estate agent | Agreed case by case | Contract |
Every cost is set out in the real cost of buying property in Greece, and the buying cost calculator works out a total. Owners then pay annual ENFIA property tax (ENFIA for non-resident owners). Capital gains tax on sales by individuals is suspended to 31 December 2026 (capital gains tax guide).
Owners who are Greek tax residents and make an island home their main residence may benefit from a 50% ENFIA cut from 2026 in settlements of up to 1,500 residents, or 1,700 in border areas. It does not apply to holiday homes.
Islands with 3,100 residents or fewer under the latest census qualify for €400,000, unless they belong to the Attica Region or to the Mykonos or Thira units. Using ELSTAT’s 2021 figures, examples include Sifnos, Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, Antiparos, Symi, Paxoi and Ithaca. No official list exists, so confirm the tier with a lawyer.
Yes. EU and EFTA citizens can buy anywhere. Non-EU buyers can also buy, but need prior permission from the Decentralised Administration in border areas, which include the Dodecanese, Thira (Santorini), Skyros and the Lesvos, Chios and Samos areas. Elsewhere no permit is needed. See how to buy property in Greece as a foreigner.
Antiparos had the highest average asking price of any island in the second quarter of 2026, at €7,600/m², ahead of Mykonos at €7,059/m², according to Spitogatos. Paros (€5,263) and Patmos (€5,000) followed. The Cyclades averaged €4,063/m², the second highest area in Greece. The North Aegean islands were the cheapest, with Samos at €1,059/m².
Yes. Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Naxos, Paros and every other island with more than 3,100 residents are in the €800,000 tier under Law 5100/2024. The money must go into one property with at least 120 m² of main areas. The €250,000 routes for converted commercial buildings and restored listed buildings apply on every island.
Yes, on every island, as long as the home is registered with AADE, has a registry number (AMA), meets the safety standards in force since October 2025 and declares each stay. The freeze on new registrations applies only in central Athens and central Thessaloniki. A Golden Visa property cannot be let short term.
Check the building permit and any additions, the title in the Cadastre, the coastal line for seafront plots, and whether the land is buildable outside the town plan. Then check water supply in summer, the nearest health centre and hospital, and winter ferry links. A Greek lawyer and an engineer should do these checks before you sign.