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The cost of living in Greece is below the EU average but rising. An average household spent €1,820.20 a month in 2025, according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), and consumer prices were 87.4% of the EU average, according to Eurostat. Inflation reached 5% in September 2026, with housing costs up 14.7%, so rent and energy now drive most budgets.
Last verified: 20 October 2026Greece is cheaper than the EU average but prices are rising fast. Consumer prices were 87.4% of the EU average in 2025, according to Eurostat, and annual inflation reached 5% in September 2026, according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT).
An average Greek household spent €1,820.20 a month in 2025, up 5.5% from €1,724.54 in 2024, according to ELSTAT’s Household Budget Survey 2025, published on 25 September 2026. That is €21,842.40 a year.
Housing is the cost that has moved most. Housing costs in the consumer price index rose 14.7% in the year to September 2026, driven by energy and rents. For Athens figures, see cost of living in Athens. Planning a move? Start with moving to Greece, or retire in Greece for pensioners.
Food, housing and transport take almost half of the average household budget in Greece. Restaurants, cafés and hotels take another 11.8%.
| Category | € a month | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks | 371.20 | 20.4% |
| Housing | 268.12 | 14.7% |
| Transport | 247.93 | 13.6% |
| Restaurants, cafés and hotels | 215.34 | 11.8% |
| Health | 138.24 | 7.6% |
| Clothing and footwear | 88.64 | 4.9% |
| Personal care and other | 87.26 | 4.8% |
| Communication | 85.79 | 4.7% |
| Durable household goods | 80.40 | 4.4% |
| Recreation and culture | 74.79 | 4.1% |
| Education | 64.54 | 3.5% |
| Alcohol and tobacco | 61.67 | 3.4% |
| Insurance and financial services | 36.28 | 2.0% |
| Total | 1,820.20 | 100% |
Source: ELSTAT, Household Budget Survey 2025, current prices. The housing average is low because most Greek households own their home. Renters spend 23.4% of their budget on housing, and rent alone takes 17.3%, according to the same survey.
Households in Attica spend the most and those in Central Greece the least. Urban households spend about a third more than rural ones.
| Group | € a month (2025) | vs national average |
|---|---|---|
| Attica | 2,081.78 | 114.4% |
| Greece, all households | 1,820.20 | 100% |
| Central Greece (Sterea Ellada) | 1,372.96 | 75.4% |
| Urban areas | 1,892.86 | 104.0% |
| Rural areas | 1,386.11 | 76.2% |
| Single person aged 65+ | 829.22 | 45.6% |
Source: ELSTAT, Household Budget Survey 2025. The urban and rural shares are calculated by GreekProps from ELSTAT’s figures. Spending in Attica rose 2.5% on 2024, while Central Greece rose 15.9%.
Greece’s overall price level for household consumption was 87.4 in 2025, where the EU average is 100, according to Eurostat. Prices are about an eighth below the EU average.
| Year | Greece price level (EU = 100) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 85.8 |
| 2024 | 86.5 |
| 2025 | 87.4 |
Source: Eurostat, price level indices for household final consumption expenditure (dataset tec00120, updated 9 July 2026). The gap with the EU has narrowed for two years running. In 2025 Denmark had the highest price level in the EU at 140 and Bulgaria the lowest at 63, Eurostat data show.
A price level index compares prices, not incomes. It does not show how affordable Greece is for people paid in Greece.
Consumer prices in Greece rose 5% in the year to September 2026, up from 3.8% in August, according to ELSTAT. Energy pushed housing costs up 14.7%.
| Item | Annual change, September 2026 |
|---|---|
| All items (CPI) | +5.0% |
| Housing | +14.7% |
| Natural gas | +55.2% |
| Heating oil | +53.2% |
| Electricity | +15.0% |
| Actual rents | +5.9% |
| Transport | +11.3% |
| Hotels, cafés and restaurants | +6.9% |
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks | +0.6% |
Source: ELSTAT, Consumer Price Index, September 2026, published 9 October 2026. Read our analysis of the September figures.
Asking rents rose 1.3% across Greece in the year to the second quarter of 2026, and 4.5% in Attica, according to Spitogatos. The Cyclades were the most expensive area to rent at €14.4 per m² a month.
The highest and lowest average asking rents for all homes in the same quarter were:
| Area | € per m² a month |
|---|---|
| Cyclades | 14.4 |
| South suburbs of Athens | 13.3 |
| Centre of Athens | 12.0 |
| Thessaloniki centre | 12.0 |
| Lefkada | 11.8 |
| North suburbs of Athens | 11.8 |
| Grevena | 5.0 |
| Kilkis | 4.7 |
| Pella | 4.6 |
Source: Spitogatos, sales and rentals of homes, second quarter of 2026 (released 4 August 2026). A separate Spitogatos release on student homes, which are mostly small flats, gives asking rents of €13.4 per m² in Corfu, €13.3 in Rhodes, €13.2 in Rethymno and €6.8 in Lamia for the same quarter. These are advertised asking rents, not signed leases. See rent in Athens and how the short-term rental freeze affects rents.
Electricity is priced monthly by each supplier. On the regulated tariff of ΔΕΗ (Public Power Corporation), the supply charge in October 2026 was €0.15913 per kWh for the first 200 kWh a month.
| ΔΕΗ residential tariff, October 2026 | Price |
|---|---|
| Regulated (Γ1), up to 200 kWh a month | €0.15913 per kWh |
| Regulated (Γ1), above 200 kWh a month | €0.21997 per kWh |
| Regulated, fixed charge | €5.00 a month |
| Night-rate zone (Γ1Ν) | €0.15590 per kWh |
Source: ΔΕΗ tariff page, October 2026. The full price needs on-time payment and registration in myΔΕΗ. Network charges, public service levies and VAT are added on the bill, so the total cost per kWh is higher. Other suppliers publish their own prices, and the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water (RAAEY) lists them.
Water is supplied by local utilities with their own tariffs. In Athens, EYDAP’s residential tariff from 1 January 2026 starts at €0.35 per m³ for the first 5 m³ a month. See cost of living in Athens.
The Greek minimum wage is €920 a month gross for full-time salaried staff from 1 April 2026, up from €880. The daily minimum for manual workers is €41.09.
The rise was set by ministerial decision 8934, published in the Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ B’ 1759, 27 March 2026). Greek employees are paid 14 times a year, with extra payments at Christmas, Easter and in summer, so annual gross minimum pay is higher than twelve monthly payments.
Owners pay the annual property tax ENFIA, and buyers pay transfer tax plus notary, lawyer and land registry fees. These costs apply whether you live in Greece or not.
This illustration combines the cited figures above for one household renting a 60 m² flat. It is not an estimate of total living costs. It leaves out transport, health, insurance, clothing and other items.
| Item | Thessaloniki centre | Cyclades | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 60 m² | €720 | €864 | Spitogatos average asking rent for all homes, Q2 2026 (€12.0 and €14.4 per m²), × 60 m² |
| Electricity supply, 250 kWh | €47.82 | €47.82 | ΔΕΗ regulated tariff, October 2026, before network charges, levies and VAT |
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks | €371.20 | €371.20 | ELSTAT average household, 2025 |
| Restaurants and cafés | €215.34 | €215.34 | ELSTAT average household, 2025 |
| Subtotal | €1,354.36 | €1,498.36 | Sum of the rows |
The food and restaurant figures are national averages per household, not per person. A single person will usually spend less, and a family more. Asking rents can differ from the rent you agree.
An average Greek household spent €1,820.20 a month in 2025, according to ELSTAT’s Household Budget Survey. Attica households spent €2,081.78 and a single person aged 65 or over €829.22. Most Greek households own their home, so newcomers who rent should add rent on top of typical spending.
Yes, on average. Eurostat put Greece’s price level for household consumption at 87.4 in 2025, against an EU average of 100. Denmark was highest at 140 and Bulgaria lowest at 63. Greek prices are rising, though, with inflation at 5% in September 2026, according to ELSTAT.
From 1 April 2026 the minimum wage is €920 a month gross for full-time salaried staff and €41.09 a day for manual workers. It was set by ministerial decision 8934 (ΦΕΚ B’ 1759/27.03.2026). Greek employees receive 14 payments a year, including Christmas, Easter and summer bonuses.
Asking rents vary widely. For all homes in the second quarter of 2026, Spitogatos recorded €14.4 per m² a month in the Cyclades, €12.0 in central Thessaloniki and the centre of Athens, €11.8 in Lefkada and €4.6 in Pella, the lowest. In Attica, asking rents ranged from €7.5 in Agios Stefanos to €22.0 in Vouliagmeni.
On ΔΕΗ’s regulated residential tariff for October 2026, the supply charge is €0.15913 per kWh for the first 200 kWh a month and €0.21997 above that, plus a €5 monthly fixed charge. Network charges, levies and VAT are added to the bill. Electricity prices were 15% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, according to ELSTAT.
ELSTAT’s September 2026 index shows energy as the main driver. Natural gas rose 55.2% and heating oil 53.2% on the year, pushing housing costs up 14.7%. Transport rose 11.3%, while food prices rose only 0.6%. Headline inflation reached 5%, up from 3.8% in August.