Cost of Living in Greece
Prices for household consumption in Greece were at 84 in 2025, with the EU average at 100, according to Eurostat. Greek households spent an average of €1,820 a month in 2025, per ELSTAT. Rents were 5.9% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, and 26.4% of people spent over 40% of their income on housing.
This page covers what living in Greece costs, using official figures only: household spending from ELSTAT, the Hellenic Statistical Authority; rents, inflation and price levels from Eurostat's harmonized data, which ELSTAT compiles for Greece; housing costs from the EU-SILC survey; and property prices from the Bank of Greece. Where no official national figure exists, we leave the item out.
Average monthly household spending in Greece by category, 2024 and 2025
Price levels in Greece against the EU average, 2023 to 2025
Rent and housing costs
In ELSTAT's 2025 household budget survey, households living in a rented home spent 23.4% of their monthly spending on housing, and 17.3% on rent alone. Rents are rising faster than in the euro area as a whole: in September 2026, actual rents for housing were 5.9% higher than a year earlier, against 2.6% in the euro area. No official national average rent in euros was available for this page, so we show these official measures instead.
Housing costs weigh on more people in Greece than anywhere else in the EU. In 2025, 26.4% of people lived in a household that spent more than 40% of its disposable income on housing, the highest rate of the 27 EU countries, against an EU average of 7.6%. Among people below the poverty threshold the rate was 82.6%. Buying is getting dearer too. The Bank of Greece puts apartment prices 5.5% higher in the second quarter of 2026 than a year earlier, 5.0% in Athens and 4.7% in Thessaloniki, after a rise of 8.3% in 2025.
Prices and inflation
Greece is cheaper than the EU average overall. Eurostat put household consumption prices at 84 in 2025, with the EU at 100. Housing and energy were at 76.6 and restaurants at 86.1, but food was above the EU level at 105.3.
Inflation has risen in 2026. Annual HICP inflation in Greece was 5.1% in September 2026, up from 3.7% in August, and Eurostat's flash estimate for October is 5.6%, against 4.0% in the euro area. The Bank of Greece links the September rise mainly to energy, up 25.4%, and services, up 6.4%. Food prices were 0.2% lower than a year earlier.
| Annual inflation, September 2026 | Greece | Euro area |
|---|---|---|
| All items | +5.1% | +3.8% |
| Actual rents for housing | +5.9% | +2.6% |
| Electricity, gas and other fuels | +26.6% | +9.4% |
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks | -0.2% | +1.0% |
| Transport | +6.8% | +9.8% |
| Restaurants and accommodation | +12.2% | +4.1% |
What households spend
Greek households spent an average of €1,820.20 a month in 2025, 5.5% more than in 2024, according to ELSTAT. Half of households spent more than €1,414.60. Per person, spending was €9,225.12 a year, about €768.76 a month. Food takes the largest share, 20.4%, followed by housing at 14.7% and transport at 13.6%. These figures count what households buy, so owners who live in their own home show little housing spending.
Where people live matters. Households in Attiki, the Athens region, spent €2,081.78 a month, 114.4% of the national average, and households in Notio Aigaio, the South Aegean islands, €1,997.11. Rural households spent 26.8% less than urban ones. A person living alone under 65 spent €1,595.86 a month, and a couple with 2 children up to 16 €2,726.21.
| Region, 2025 | Household spending a month | Against the national average |
|---|---|---|
| Attiki | €2,081.78 | 114.4% |
| Notio Aigaio | €1,997.11 | 109.7% |
| Kentriki Makedonia | €1,779.95 | 97.8% |
| Ionia Nisia | €1,777.29 | 97.6% |
| Kriti | €1,721.17 | 94.6% |
| Dytiki Ellada | €1,656.03 | 91.0% |
| Voreio Aigaio | €1,640.73 | 90.1% |
| Dytiki Makedonia | €1,637.62 | 90.0% |
| Anatoliki Makedonia and Thraki | €1,627.31 | 89.4% |
| Peloponnisos | €1,557.96 | 85.6% |
| Thessalia | €1,552.08 | 85.3% |
| Ipeiros | €1,458.18 | 80.1% |
| Sterea Ellada | €1,372.96 | 75.4% |
Transport and energy
Households spent €247.93 a month on transport in 2025, 13.6% of the total, up 7.9% on 2024. Transport prices were at 89.3 against the EU average of 100, and 6.8% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier. Energy is the fastest rising cost: electricity, gas and other fuels were 26.6% more expensive in September 2026 than a year earlier, against 9.4% in the euro area. Public transport fares and local charges are set locally, so there is no single national figure.
What it means for pay and hiring
Full-time private-sector employees in Greece earned an average of €1,397.95 a month in December 2025, according to e-EFKA, and the minimum wage is €920 a month from April 2026, both paid 14 times a year. Average household spending of €1,820.20 a month is about 1.3 times the average full-time monthly salary. Spending per person, about €768.76 a month, is about 55% of it. With rents and energy prices rising, candidates who rent, especially in Athens and on the islands, will look closely at the salary. See average salary in Greece, the Greece minimum wage and our guide to hiring in Greece for employer costs.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Greece?
No official national average rent in euros was available for this page. ELSTAT's survey shows that renting households spent 17.3% of their monthly spending on rent in 2025, and Eurostat's harmonized index shows rents 5.9% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier.
How much does a household spend a month in Greece?
€1,820.20 on average in 2025, according to ELSTAT, 5.5% more than in 2024. Half of households spent more than €1,414.60. In Attiki, the Athens region, the average was €2,081.78.
Is Greece cheaper than the rest of the EU?
Yes, overall. Eurostat put Greek household consumption prices at 84 in 2025, with the EU at 100. Housing and energy (76.6) and restaurants (86.1) were below the EU level, but food (105.3) was above it.
What is the inflation rate in Greece?
5.1% in September 2026 on the harmonized measure (HICP), and 5.6% in October on Eurostat's flash estimate. Energy prices drove the rise: electricity, gas and other fuels were up 26.6%.
How many people in Greece struggle with housing costs?
In 2025, 26.4% of people lived in a household that spent more than 40% of its disposable income on housing, the highest rate in the EU, according to Eurostat. The EU average was 7.6%.
Sources
- ELSTAT, Household Budget Survey 2025, press release. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Eurostat, HICP annual rates of change (prc_hicp_minr). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Bank of Greece, Note on the Greek economy, 23 October 2026. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Bank of Greece, Indices of residential property prices: Q2 2026. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Eurostat, Price level indices (prc_ppp_ind_1). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Eurostat, Housing cost overburden rate (ilc_lvho07a). Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- e-EFKA, Monthly employment statistics, December 2025. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
- Ministry of Labour, Minimum wage. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
