Moving to Washington from Greece

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Greece to Washington, you would find that Washington is 80.4% more expensive than Greece overall. A €67,000 salary in Greece would need to be roughly $135,000 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seattle averages 60°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Washington cheaper than Greece?

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

Restaurants

pay 42.8% more

Groceries

pay 62.2% more

Transportation

pay 2.8% more

Housing

pay 2.8 times more

Childcare

pay 4.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (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.

What salary do you need in Washington?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → $135,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Washington

Calculate with your salary →

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 Washington cost about 59% more than cities in Greece.

Greece

Xanthi 43%
Kavala 42%

Washington

Redmond 81%
Seattle 81%
Bellevue 80%
Puyallup 76%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Washington

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
1,040 ↑ 14% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

GR
27.4%
WA
31.1%

Greece performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

GR
86.3%
WA
93.1%

Washington performs significantly better than Greece across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
8.5%
WA
5.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$26,948
WA
$87,768

Washington 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
WA
79.2 yrs

Greece performs better than Washington across all family life metrics.

Weather in Washington vs Greece

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Seattle Rain: 37.5 in/yr (952 mm)
60° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Seattle
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 50°/38°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 74°/55°F (23°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 52°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Athens Seattle
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 47°/37°F (8.4°/2.7°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.7°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 54°/39°F (12.1°/4.1°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 58°/42°F (14.7°/5.7°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 65°/47°F (18.2°/8.5°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 70°/52°F (21.1°/11.1°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 76°/56°F (24.3°/13.1°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.3°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.2°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 60°/46°F (15.4°/7.7°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 51°/40°F (10.5°/4.4°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 46°/36°F (7.6°/2.0°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Can you move from Greece to Washington?

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

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting United States

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

United States passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
United States 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 Washington than Greece?

No — Washington is on average about 80% more expensive than Greece. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Washington?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $33,750 in Washington on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Washington?

Usually fine from major cities in Washington. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Washington compared to Greece?

Greece performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Seattle is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Seattle receives around 37.5 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in Washington?

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

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At a Glance

GR
Population 10,413,962 8,001,020
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Greek English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +30 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911