Moving to Greece from Ireland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Ireland to Greece — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Ireland to Greece, you would find that Greece is 24.9% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €65,700 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €44,268 in Greece to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Athens averages 72°F vs 56°F in Dublin, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Ireland to Greece.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €44,268
To maintain the same standard of living in Greece
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 25.2% less
Groceries
pay 15.8% less
Transportation
pay 29.6% less
Housing
pay 41.8% less
Childcare
pay 32.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.8% 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 34% less than cities in Ireland.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Ireland to Greece, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ireland to Greece.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ireland performs better than Greece across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Ireland generally does better on environment, though Greece leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Ireland generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Ireland performs better than Greece across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Ireland generally does better on family life, though Greece leads in education spending.
Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dublin | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) | 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) | 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) | 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dublin | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) | 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) |
| Feb | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) | 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) |
| Mar | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) | 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) |
| May | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) | 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) | 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) |
| Aug | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) |
| Sep | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) | 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) |
| Oct | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) |
| Nov | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) | 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) |
| Dec | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) | 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) |
Data:
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service,
Hellenic National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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.
Ireland passport holder visiting Greece
Visa Free
Greece passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa FreeData: 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 Ireland?
Yes — Greece is on average about 33% cheaper than Ireland. 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 €11,067 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?
Ireland performs better than Greece across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Greece is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland.
How is healthcare in Greece compared to Ireland?
Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in health coverage index. There are 63.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Greece, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. Greece scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).
What's the weather like in Greece compared to Ireland?
The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.
What language do they speak in Greece?
The official language in Greece is Greek. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.
