The best places to live in Greece year-round are the larger cities and islands that keep working in winter: Athens, Thessaloniki, Chania, Heraklion, Corfu, Rhodes, Patras, Volos, Ioannina, Kalamata and Nafplio. Each has a hospital, regular transport and an all-year population. This guide compares them on daily life, airport and healthcare access, climate and asking prices. Prices come only from Spitogatos Q2 2026 data, and populations from the 2021 census.
Last checked: October 2026
At a glance
- Athens and Thessaloniki offer the most jobs, flights, hospitals and international schools, but the highest city prices.
- Crete is the strongest island choice for year-round life, with two international airports and a university hospital in Heraklion.
- Spitogatos asking prices for Q2 2026 range from €4,231 per m² in Athens’ southern suburbs to €585 per m² in Kastoria, the cheapest area it lists.
- Patras, Volos and Ioannina are university cities with year-round life and lower costs, but Spitogatos did not publish their sale prices for Q2 2026.
- Average asking prices for homes in Greece rose 6.1% year on year in Q2 2026, according to Spitogatos.
- For a Golden Visa, Attica, Thessaloniki and islands with more than 3,100 residents require €800,000; most of the mainland requires €400,000.
How we compared the best places to live in Greece
We judged each place on what matters once the summer visitors leave. A town that empties in November is a holiday base, not a home.
- Year-round life. A resident population large enough to keep shops, services and schools open all year. Populations below are from the 2021 census by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT).
- Airport access. Whether the place has its own airport, and whether it links to Athens or abroad outside summer.
- Healthcare. Whether there is a general or university hospital in the city itself.
- Climate. Southern coasts and islands have milder winters. Ioannina and other inland northern cities are colder and wetter.
- Prices. Asking prices from Spitogatos Q2 2026 releases only. Where Spitogatos did not publish a figure, we say so.
Comparison table
The table sets out the eleven places side by side. Prices are average asking prices per square metre, not transaction prices.
| Place | Population 2021 (municipality) | Airport | Main hospital | Asking price, Q2 2026 (Spitogatos) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | 643,452 (Municipality of Athens) | Athens International | Many public and private hospitals | South suburbs €4,231/m²; North suburbs €3,519/m² |
| Thessaloniki | 319,045 | Thessaloniki (Makedonia) | University hospitals (AHEPA and others) | Centre €3,056/m²; Kalamaria €3,175/m² |
| Chania | 111,375 | Chania | General Hospital of Chania | Chania regional unit €3,102/m² |
| Heraklion | 179,302 | Heraklion (Nikos Kazantzakis) | University General Hospital of Heraklion | Heraklion regional unit €2,200/m² |
| Corfu | 99,134 (three municipalities) | Corfu | General Hospital of Corfu | Not published (Ionian Islands average €2,531/m²) |
| Rhodes | 125,113 | Rhodes | General Hospital of Rhodes | Not published (Aegean Islands average €2,941/m²) |
| Patras | 215,922 | Araxos (limited flights) | University General Hospital of Patras | Not published |
| Volos | 139,670 | Nea Anchialos (Central Greece) | General Hospital of Volos | Not published |
| Ioannina | 113,978 | Ioannina | University Hospital of Ioannina | Not published |
| Kalamata | 72,906 | Kalamata | General Hospital of Kalamata | Not published |
| Nafplio | 32,625 | None (nearest is Athens) | General Hospital of Nafplio | Not published |
Sources: ELSTAT 2021 census; Spitogatos Q2 2026 general and islands releases. The Corfu figure adds the North, Central and South Corfu municipalities.
The big cities: Athens and Thessaloniki
Athens is the best place to live in Greece if you want the widest choice of work, schools, hospitals and flights. Thessaloniki offers a similar city life at a smaller scale, with a long seafront and a large student population.
In Athens, prices vary sharply by district. Spitogatos Q2 2026 data show asking prices of €7,364 per m² in Vouliagmeni and €5,669 per m² in Glyfada. At the other end, Agia Varvara is listed at €1,500 per m² and Perama at €1,688 per m². Asking prices in Attica rose 5.3% year on year.
Rents are also highest here. The Centre of Athens averaged €12.0 per m² a month in asking rents in Q2 2026, according to Spitogatos. See our Athens property prices page for district detail.
In Thessaloniki, Spitogatos lists Kalamaria at €3,175 per m² and the centre at €3,056 per m². Asking prices in Thessaloniki rose 7.7% year on year, faster than in Attica. The cheapest Thessaloniki areas it lists include Mygdonia at €938 per m². Our Thessaloniki area guide covers the neighbourhoods.
Best island to live in Greece: Crete, Corfu and Rhodes
Crete is the best island to live in Greece for most people who want island life all year. It has two international airports, a university hospital and cities that do not depend only on tourism.
Chania and Heraklion
Chania is the more expensive of the two. The Chania regional unit averaged €3,102 per m² in Q2 2026, the fifth-highest area in Greece in Spitogatos’ list. The Heraklion regional unit averaged €2,200 per m². Across Crete, asking prices rose 6.9% year on year, the highest rise among the island groups, and 50% between Q2 2021 and Q2 2026.
Heraklion is the larger city and the island’s medical centre. The University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI) is at Voutes, on the edge of the city. Chania feels smaller and quieter, with a large old town and harbour. See our Crete area guide.
Corfu
Corfu has close to 100,000 residents across its three municipalities, a general hospital and an airport. Spitogatos did not publish a Corfu sale figure in its Q2 2026 islands release. The Ionian Islands as a whole averaged €2,531 per m². Corfu has a wetter winter than the Aegean islands. More in our Corfu guide.
Rhodes
Rhodes is the largest island in the Dodecanese. Its municipality, which covers the whole island, had 125,113 residents in 2021. It has a general hospital and an airport. Spitogatos did not publish a Rhodes sale figure for Q2 2026; the Aegean Islands averaged €2,941 per m². Our Rhodes guide has more.
Cheapest places to live in Greece
The cheapest places to live in Greece, on Spitogatos asking prices, are the inland regions of the north and centre. Its Q2 2026 data list Kastoria at €585 per m², Florina at €673, Kozani at €682, Kilkis at €707 and Karditsa at €741.
These areas are much cheaper, but they have colder winters and fewer foreign residents. Airports and specialist hospitals can be further away. Asking rents were lowest in Pella at €4.6 per m² and Kilkis at €4.7 per m².
A middle path is a mid-sized university city. Patras, Volos and Ioannina all have a university, a hospital and a year-round population above 100,000. Spitogatos did not publish their sale prices in its Q2 2026 releases, so compare current listings before deciding.
In its student-housing release, Spitogatos reported that students searched for homes with an average budget of €402 a month in Ioannina and €398 in Achaia (Patras), against €543 in the Municipality of Athens. These are student budgets for small homes, not general rents, but they show the gap in cost. For wider costs, see cost of living in Greece.
The Peloponnese and central Greece: Kalamata, Nafplio, Volos, Patras and Ioannina
These cities suit people who want a slower pace than Athens but full year-round services. Each has a different trade-off.
- Kalamata. A seaside city of 72,906 with its own airport and general hospital. It has a mild southern climate and a long flat seafront.
- Nafplio. A small, historic town of 32,625. It has a general hospital but no airport. Athens airport is the nearest, reached by motorway.
- Volos. A port city of 139,670 between Mount Pelion and the sea. It has a university, a general hospital and the Nea Anchialos airport nearby.
- Patras. Greece’s third-largest city by municipality population, with 215,922 residents, a university hospital at Rio and ferries to Italy. Flights from Araxos airport are limited.
- Ioannina. An inland lake city of 113,978 in the north-west with a university hospital and an airport. Winters are cold and wet.
Kalamata and Nafplio are covered in our Peloponnese guide.
Residence and Golden Visa thresholds by place
Where you buy decides the Golden Visa minimum, if you plan to use one. Under Law 5100/2024, the threshold is €800,000 in Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and every island with more than 3,100 residents.
That puts Athens, Thessaloniki, Chania, Heraklion, Corfu and Rhodes in the €800,000 tier. Patras, Volos, Ioannina, Kalamata and Nafplio fall in the €400,000 tier. Both tiers require a single property of at least 120 m². A €250,000 route applies to commercial-to-residential conversions and listed-building restorations anywhere. Details are on our Golden Visa page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place to live in Greece for foreigners?
Athens and Crete suit most foreigners best, because they combine year-round services, hospitals and international flights. Athens offers the most choice; Chania and Heraklion offer island life without seasonal shutdown.
What is the cheapest place to live in Greece?
Kastoria had the lowest average asking price in Spitogatos’ Q2 2026 data, at €585 per m². Florina, Kozani, Kilkis and Karditsa followed.
What is the best island to live in Greece all year?
Crete is the strongest all-year island, followed by Rhodes and Corfu. All three have an airport, a general hospital and a large resident population.
Is Thessaloniki cheaper than Athens?
Thessaloniki’s central asking price of €3,056 per m² is below Athens’ southern and northern suburbs, according to Spitogatos Q2 2026 data. Prices in Thessaloniki are rising faster, at 7.7% a year.
Which Greek cities have a university hospital?
Among the places in this guide, Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Patras and Ioannina have university hospitals.
Where can I get a €400,000 Golden Visa?
Outside Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents. In this guide, that means Patras, Volos, Ioannina, Kalamata and Nafplio.
Buyers should confirm how this applies to them with a Greek lawyer or accountant.
Sources
- Spitogatos: Sales and rents of homes, Q2 2026 (4 August 2026)
- Spitogatos: Greek islands, Q2 2026 (16 September 2026)
- Spitogatos: Student housing, Q2 2026 (1 September 2026)
- ELSTAT: 2021 Census, resident population by municipality
- Law 5100/2024, Article 64: Golden Visa investment thresholds
- University General Hospital of Heraklion
