City guide

🇬🇷 Living in Athens

Capital of Greece, in the Attica region, in a country where the household price level sits below the European Union average.

Not sure Athens is your city? Take the 2-minute quiz →

At a glance

Population
643,000 (metro: 3.6M)
Currency
EUR
Avg. salary
€27,000–€59,000
Effective tax
25–36%
Climate
Hot-summer Mediterranean
Tax regime
Progressive 9–44%; national rate
Nomad visa
Yes

Net salary calculator

Calculate your take-home pay in Athens with our detailed tax calculator.

Net salary in Greece →

Cost of living

Rent (1-bed, center)€625/mo
Rent (1-bed, outside centre)€519/mo
Groceries (single)€241/mo
Groceries (family)€490/mo
Transport pass€27/mo
Restaurant (2 people, mid-range)€60
HealthcarePublic cover runs through EOPYY, the sole purchaser of health services, which covers healthcare costs for over 95 percent of the domestic population and is funded by the health insurance contributions EFKA has collected and transferred since January 2017. Care is delivered through the ESY network of rural surgeries, local health units, health centres and public hospitals, alongside a private sector financed mainly from out-of-pocket payments and, to a lesser extent, private health insurance.
Frugal
€760
/month
Moderate
€1,010
/month
Comfortable
€1,340
/month

Budget calculator

Build a detailed monthly budget for Athens based on your lifestyle.

Build your budget →

Why choose Athens?

Greece is a European Union member state and has used the euro since 2001, so EU citizens settle there under freedom of movement and without a currency change.

Eurostat puts the price level for household final consumption expenditure in Greece at 86 in 2024, against 100 for the European Union average.

The 2025 EF English Proficiency Index places Greece 20th of 123 countries and regions, with a score of 592, in its high proficiency band.

Article 5C of the Greek income tax code provides a 50 percent exemption for seven years for individuals who transfer their tax residence to Greece, subject to conditions.

Article 5B provides a flat 7 percent rate on foreign-source pensions for fifteen years, subject to conditions.

Article 68 of the Migration Code (Law 5038/2023) sets out a Z.1 national entry visa for digital nomads, granted for up to twelve months, followed on request by a two-year I.8 residence permit.

Quality of life

Overall
7
Safety
7
Healthcare
6.5
Education
6.5
Air Quality
6
Culture
8
Expat Community
7.5
English Proficiency
7.5

Moving to Athens : checklist

  1. 1The AFM tax number and the kleidarithmos access key are requested exclusively online through the AADE digital application; identity is then verified by an AADE officer, either by video call through myAADElive or in person at a tax office (DOY or YFE). The procedure is free.
  2. 2The AMKA social security number is applied for in person at a Citizens' Service Centre (KEP) or an e-EFKA local directorate, with a valid EU identity card or passport and the AFM; it is free and has been mandatory by law since October 2009.
  3. 3EU, EEA and Swiss citizens residing in Greece for more than three months as employees or self-employed persons appear in person, once that three-month period has passed, before the competent police immigration department to obtain a registration certificate; the Hellenic Police stamp is 0.50 euro.
  4. 4Non-EU remote workers apply for the Z.1 national visa at the competent Greek consular authority, with proof of stable monthly resources of 3,500 euros, taken net of tax where they come from employment or a services contract, increased by 20 percent for a spouse or partner and by 15 percent for each child, and a national visa fee of 75 euros.
  5. 5The Z.1 visa comes with a declaration that no work or service will be provided to an employer established in Greece; a two-year I.8 residence permit is then applied for, before the visa expires, at the Directorate of Aliens and Migration of the Decentralised Administration of the place of residence.
  6. 6EU citizens moving to Greece request an S1 form from their home health insurance body and register with e-EFKA to obtain an EU-AMKA; care is then delivered through the public ESY network and through private providers contracted by EOPYY, the National Organization for the Provision of Health Services.
  7. 7The landlord files the lease information declaration with AADE by the end of the month following the start of the lease; the tenant accepts or rejects it electronically in the myAADE portal within thirty days of the notification, after which it is treated as accepted.
  8. 8Fares run on the ATH.ENA ticket and card across metro, bus, trolleybus and tram: 1.20 euro for a 90-minute ticket, 27 euros for a 30-day pass and 300 euros for a 365-day pass in the urban zone, airport services being priced separately. OASA states that long-term fare products are loaded only on a personalised ATH.ENA card.

Frequently asked questions

What income tax applies in Athens?+
Greece applies a progressive income tax scale with six bands in 2026: 9 percent up to 10,000 euros, then 20, 26, 34, 39 and 44 percent above 60,000 euros. A single person without children has a tax reduction of 777 euros. Employee social security contributions to EFKA are 13.37 percent since 1 January 2025, capped on monthly earnings of 7,761.94 euros in 2026. For a personal situation, the analysis is a matter for a qualified professional.
Is Athens expensive to live in?+
Eurostat puts the price level for household final consumption expenditure in Greece at 86 in 2024, against 100 for the European Union average, which places the country below that average. That index is national and does not isolate Athens. On the transport side, OASA sets the fare at 1.20 euro for a 90-minute ticket and 27 euros for a 30-day urban pass.
Is English spoken in Athens?+
Greek is the official language. The 2025 EF English Proficiency Index places Greece 20th of 123 countries and regions, with a score of 592, in its high proficiency band. On the administrative side, the national registry of administrative procedures is published in Greek and in an English version.
What tax frameworks exist for people transferring their tax residence to Greece?+
Two frameworks are set out in the Greek income tax code. Article 5C provides a 50 percent exemption for seven years for individuals transferring their tax residence to Greece. Article 5B provides a flat 7 percent rate on foreign-source pensions for fifteen years. Both are subject to conditions, and eligibility is assessed case by case with a qualified professional.
Which number comes first on arrival, the AFM or the AMKA?+
The AFM comes first, since it is one of the supporting documents listed for the AMKA application. The AFM and the kleidarithmos access key are requested exclusively online through the AADE digital application, with identity verified by an AADE officer either by video call through myAADElive or in person at a tax office. The AMKA is then applied for in person at a KEP or an e-EFKA local directorate. Both procedures are free of charge.

Compare Athens with

🇬🇷vs🇵🇹
Athens vs Lisbon
+5% cost
🇬🇷vs🇨🇿
Athens vs Prague
−5% cost
🇬🇷vs🇩🇪
Athens vs Berlin
+31% cost

These figures are indicative and based on public datasets. They are not tax advice. Consult a licensed tax advisor or financial professional before making relocation or employment decisions.

EXPATRIATION.IO

Going further with your move?

Explore expatriation.io for the guides, tools and resources to plan your expatriation, all in one place.

Explore expatriation.io