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Market guide · Greece

Buying property in Greece as a foreignerGreece is open to foreign buyers. Two tax breaks expire in December.

Foreigners can buy almost anywhere in Greece, and prices are still rising about 6% a year. But the pause on capital gains tax and on VAT for new homes runs only to 31 December 2026, and the residence visa now costs up to EUR 800,000.

3-minute read · checked 9 October 2026

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Apartment prices in one year
+5.7%
Bank of Greece, first quarter 2026
Transfer tax paid by the buyer
3.09%
Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE)
Golden Visa minimum in Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos and Santorini
€800,000
Law 5100/2024
Last day of the pause on capital gains tax
31 Dec 2026
Law 5162/2024

Can foreigners buy property in Greece?Open almost everywhere, except near the borders.

What this means for youIf you are from outside the European Union and looking at Santorini or another border area, apply for approval before you agree a price.

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Foreigners may generally buy property in Greece. Buyers from outside the European Union need state approval first in designated border areas.

Santorini is one of those areas. Attica (the Athens region), Thessaloniki, Mykonos and Crete are not on the list.

Every buyer needs a Greek tax number, called an AFM, before completing a purchase. It is applied for online.

From: Law 1892/1990; Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE); European Land Registry Association

Property taxes in Greece for foreign buyersLow tax to buy, and a window that closes in December.

What this means for youA sale agreed in 2027 may be taxed differently from one agreed now. Ask for both sets of numbers before you fix your timing.

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The buyer pays transfer tax of 3.09% of the taxable value. Registering the sale costs a further 0.5% to 0.6% of the price.

Two reliefs run to 31 December 2026: capital gains tax on a sale is suspended, and developers may sell new homes without the 24% value added tax (VAT). Whether either continues is not known.

Rent is taxed at 15% on the first EUR 12,000 a year, rising in steps to 45% above EUR 36,000. A yearly ownership tax, called ENFIA, also applies.

From: Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE); Ministry of National Economy and Finance; Hellenic Cadastre

Greece property market in 2026Prices are still rising, but more slowly.

What this means for youGrowth has slowed from 8% to under 6%. Price your purchase on today's values and rents, not on last year's rise.

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Apartment prices rose 5.7% in the year to early 2026, after 8.1% in 2025. Athens rose 5.2% and Thessaloniki 6.4%.

New and older apartments rose at nearly the same pace, 6.0% and 5.5%.

The Bank of Greece builds these figures from information supplied by banks and property investment companies.

From: Bank of Greece

Greece Golden Visa and short-term rental rulesThe Golden Visa and holiday letting no longer mix.

What this means for youDecide which you want: the residence permit or the holiday-let income. A home bought for the visa cannot be let for stays under 60 days.

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The Golden Visa is a five-year residence permit for property buyers. It needs EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands, and EUR 400,000 elsewhere, in one property of at least 120 square metres.

A lower EUR 250,000 route covers buildings converted to homes and listed buildings to be restored. Letting a Golden Visa home for under 60 days brings a EUR 50,000 fine and loss of the permit.

Other owners must register short lets with the tax authority. No new registrations are accepted in central Athens (municipal districts 1, 2 and 3) during 2026.

From: Law 5100/2024; Ministry of Migration; Ministry of Tourism; Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE)

Wildfire, flood and earthquake risk in GreeceInsure for fire, flood and earthquake.

What this means for youGet an insurance quote for the exact property before you commit. Full cover also cuts your yearly ownership tax by 10% to 20%.

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Wildfire risk is high from April to October, and winter brings flooding and heavy snow.

A home insured for earthquake, fire and flood for the full year earns a 20% cut in the yearly ownership tax where its taxable value is up to EUR 500,000, and 10% above that.

From: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE)

Questions buyers ask

Buying property in Greece: short answers.

Can foreigners buy property in Greece?

Yes. Foreigners may generally buy property in Greece. Buyers from outside the European Union need prior state approval in designated border areas, which include Santorini but not Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos or Crete.

How much is the Greek Golden Visa in 2026?

EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants, and EUR 400,000 elsewhere, in a single property of at least 120 square metres. A EUR 250,000 route covers conversions to residential use and listed buildings to be restored.

What taxes do you pay when buying property in Greece?

The buyer pays transfer tax of 3% of the taxable value plus a municipal levy of 3% of that tax, 3.09% in all. The 24% VAT on new buildings is suspended to the end of 2026 where the developer has applied.

Is there capital gains tax on property in Greece?

Capital gains tax on property sales by individuals is suspended until 31 December 2026 under Law 5162/2024. Whether the suspension continues after that is not established.

Can I rent out my property in Greece on short stays?

Yes, if it is registered with the tax authority and meets the 2025 standards. New registrations are barred in Athens municipal districts 1, 2 and 3 during 2026, and a Golden Visa property may not be let for stays under 60 days.

Are property prices rising in Greece?

Yes. The Bank of Greece's provisional index shows apartment prices 5.7% higher in January to March 2026 than a year earlier, after an 8.1% rise in 2025.

The evidence

What this guide rests on.

Every sourced fact we hold on Greece (36)
  • Athens is the capital.
  • The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) reports population-wide coverage for a core set of health services in its 2025 review.
  • Compulsory schooling comprises two years of pre-primary education, six years of primary education and three years of lower-secondary education.
  • The estimated resident population was 10,372,335 on 1 January 2025.
  • The US travel advisory is Level 1 (exercise normal precautions), issued on 23 October 2025.
  • A Golden Visa property may not be let for stays under 60 days; breaking this brings a EUR 50,000 fine and withdrawal of the permit.
  • The Ministry of Migration’s circular of 21 April 2026 confirms the 2024 Golden Visa thresholds and accepts a lawyer’s certificate that registration has been applied for, because registrations are much delayed.
  • Border-area approval requires, among others, a criminal record under 6 months old, a certified passport copy, proof of lawful entry or residence, a birth certificate and an engineer-signed map; foreign documents need an apostille or consular stamp and an official translation.
  • The new Golden Visa regime prohibits short-term letting and subletting; properties qualifying under earlier rules or specified transitional provisions are excluded from this ban.
  • Gross domestic product (the value of annual economic output) was US$280.64 billion in 2025.
  • The property Golden Visa generally lasts five years and is renewable while ownership and the other legal conditions continue.
  • Athens International Airport reported 34.0 million passengers in 2025.
  • On 27 August 2026 Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Transport Minister Christos Dimas opened the Thessaloniki Metro extension to Kalamaria, adding five stations ending at Mikra. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport said the trip from Mikra to the city centre takes about 15 minutes and expects at least 60,000 riders a day. Studies have begun for a further line to the west of the city.
  • Greek is the official language.
  • The same review reports unmet healthcare needs for 12.1% of the population, compared with an OECD average of 3.4%.
  • The political system is a parliamentary republic.
  • Mandatory prepaid financing covered 61% of healthcare spending in the OECD's 2025 review.
  • Membership of the European Union began in 1981; the euro became the currency in 2001.
  • The country has been part of the Schengen area (the shared European border-control area) since 2000.
  • Public school education is provided without tuition fees.
  • The January 2025 population was 0.03% below the revised January 2024 estimate.
  • The advisory identifies petty crime in tourist areas and possible disruption from demonstrations.
  • The January 2025 estimate comprised 5,094,094 men and 5,278,241 women.
  • In January 2025, 12.8% of residents were under 15, 63.5% were 15–64 and 23.7% were 65 or older.
  • In 2024, there were 68,309 births and 125,873 deaths, producing a natural population decrease of 57,564.
  • Estimated net migration in 2024 was positive 54,135 people (arrivals minus departures).
  • The Greek Golden Visa lasts 5 years and renews while the property is kept; periods of absence from Greece do not prevent renewal, and it gives no right to work.
  • Economic output per person was US$26,948 in 2025; this is not household income.
  • The Greek Golden Visa for property requires at least EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands over 3,100 inhabitants, and EUR 400,000 elsewhere, in a single property of at least 120 m² of main space if built (Migration Code Art. 100 as replaced by Law 5100/2024).
  • Real economic output rose 1.9% from a year earlier in April–June 2026; the seasonally adjusted estimate is provisional.
  • The April–June 2026 labour-force survey reported 7.9% unemployment; this quarterly figure is not seasonally adjusted.
  • A EUR 250,000 Golden Visa threshold applies to a building converted to residential use or a listed building to be restored, with no 120 m² minimum.
  • The survey counted 4,414,364 employed people and 379,670 unemployed people in April–June 2026.
  • The airport reported connections to 164 destinations in 55 countries during 2025.
  • Athens International Airport reported 15.75 million passengers in January–June 2026, up 4.5% from a year earlier.
  • Internet use covered 86% of the population in 2024.

European Union · OECD · European Commission Eurydice · Hellenic Statistical Authority · US Department of State · Law 5100/2024 replacing Migration Code Art. 100 (hosted by the Ministry of Migration) · Ministry of Migration Circular 1, 72019/21.04.2026 on Migration Code Art. 100 · Joint Ministerial Decision FEK B 1893/26.03.2024 on border-area approvals · Varnavas Law · World Bank · Amoiridis Greek Law Firm · Athens International Airport · Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport press release, posted by Thessaloniki Metro, 27 August 2026, checked 17 October 2026

How a review works

The same six steps, in every market.

  1. DefineClarify intended use, decision participants, timing and constraints.
  2. MapIdentify the property, proposed right and jurisdiction-specific route.
  3. OrganiseAssemble the available title, project, contract, payment and cost evidence.
  4. SeparateLabel what is known, missing, concerning or requires professional confirmation.
  5. CoordinateKeep legal, tax, valuation, immigration and engineering conclusions attributed.
  6. DecidePresent a plain-language record so you can proceed, compare, pause or walk away.

This guide is general. What applies to you depends on your nationality, where you pay tax and the property itself, and that is what a review of your own purchase in Greece establishes.

Already have a property in mind? Get it reviewed.

Last checked 17 October 2026.

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