Moving to Greece from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Finland to Greece — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Finland to Greece, you would find that Greece is 10.9% cheaper than Finland overall. A €65,700 salary in Finland would need to be roughly €55,887 in Greece to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Athens averages 72°F vs 48°F in Helsinki, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Finland to Greece.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €55,887

To maintain the same standard of living in Greece

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 24.1% less

Groceries

pay 6.6% less

Transportation

pay 18.5% less

Housing

pay 10.2% more

Childcare

pay 3.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 28.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Finland to Greece, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
784 ↑ 2% vs 2015

people born in Finland live in Greece · UN DESA

Who's moving to Greece?

Top countries of origin for Greece's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Finland to Greece.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.2
GR
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
GR
7.3

Finland generally does better on safety, though Greece leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

FI
$6,433
GR
$3,454
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

FI
43.8
GR
63.7

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

FI
7.0
GR
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
GR
5.0t

Finland generally does better on environment, though Greece leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FI
34.5
GR
43.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
GR
20.7%

Finland generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
7.2%
GR
11.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$57,500
GR
$36,300

Finland generally does better on employment & economy, though Greece leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FI
81.8 yrs
GR
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
2.1
GR
3.5

Finland performs better than Greece across all family life metrics.

Data: Finnish Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Athens
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 57°/42°F (14°/6°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 78°/57°F (26°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 90°/67°F (32°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Athens
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland 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.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
Finland passport holders can enter Greece without a visa.
Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
Greece passport holders can enter Finland without a visa.

Data: 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 Finland?

Yes — Greece is on average about 15% cheaper than Finland. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Greece?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €13,972 in Greece on a €65,700 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Greece?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Greece has 43.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Greece safe for expats?

Finland generally does better on safety, though Greece leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Greece is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Finland.

How is healthcare in Greece compared to Finland?

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Finland leads in health coverage index. There are 63.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Greece, compared to 43.8 in Finland. Greece scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

What's the weather like in Greece compared to Finland?

The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Greece?

The official language in Greece is Greek. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

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At a Glance

FI GR
Population 5,601,547 10,533,871
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Finnish, Swedish Greek
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +358 +30
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112