Moving to United Kingdom from Greece

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Greece to United Kingdom — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Greece to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 58.1% more expensive than Greece overall. A €67,000 salary in Greece would need to be roughly £89,600 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Greece to United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → £89,600

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 28.1% more

Groceries

pay 12.1% more

Transportation

pay 37.4% more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 3.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 0.8461 GBP (October 2026)

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 United Kingdom cost about 61% more than cities in Greece.

Greece

Xanthi 43%
Kavala 42%

United Kingdom

Surrey 79%
Harrow 74%
Ealing 72%
Wigan 68%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Greece to United Kingdom, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2019
8,857

people moved from Greece to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Greece and United Kingdom stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GR
0.8
GB
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
GB
2.4

Greece generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
GB
$6,606
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

GR
65.8
GB
33.0

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom 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

GR
23.0
GB
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
GB
4.2t

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Greece across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GR
44.7
GB
42.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.3%
GB
14.3%

Greece generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
8.5%
GB
4.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$26,948
GB
$57,602

United Kingdom performs significantly better than Greece across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GR
81.8 yrs
GB
81.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.2
GB
4.1

Greece generally does better on family life, though United Kingdom leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), GSIS, Greece (2016), HM Revenue & Customs (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens London
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Athens London
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Greece passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Greece 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 United Kingdom than Greece?

Day-to-day costs in United Kingdom run about 58% higher than Greece on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around £22,400 in United Kingdom for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

With 42.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Kingdom can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Greece and United Kingdom.

Is United Kingdom safe for expats?

Greece generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Greece.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Greece?

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 65.8 in Greece. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Greece?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Greece, the official language is Greek.

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At a Glance

GR GB
Population 10,413,962 69,487,000
Currency Euro (€) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages Greek English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +30 +44
Time zones 1 9
Emergency number 112 999