Moving to Greece from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to Greece? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to Greece, you would find that Greece is 30.3% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly €42,819 in Greece to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between California and Greece.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €42,819
To maintain the same standard of living in Greece
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 33.5% less
Groceries
pay 33.8% less
Transportation
pay 3.1% more
Housing
pay 51.3% less
Childcare
pay 75.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.6% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Greece cost about 47% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from California to Greece.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Greece compared to California.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Greece performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Greece across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs better than Greece across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Greece performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Hellenic National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Greece. To live, work, or study long-term in Greece, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Greece's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Greece
Visa Free
Greece passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Greece than California?
On average Greece is about 35% less expensive than California, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Greece?
Budget about €10,705 for 3 months in Greece (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Greece?
From major Greece cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Greece are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Greece compared to California?
Greece performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Greece compared to California?
The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Greece?
The official language in Greece is Greek. In California, the official language is English.
