Moving to Greece from United States
What to Expect
Considering a move from United States to Greece? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United States to Greece, you would find that Greece is 21.3% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States 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 United States 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 26.6% less
Groceries
pay 26.1% less
Transportation
pay 20.9% more
Housing
pay 43.0% less
Childcare
pay 69.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.9% 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 49% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United States to Greece.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Greece compared to United States.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Greece performs significantly better than United States 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 United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
Greece generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°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 United States?
On average Greece is about 35% less expensive than United States, 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?
Connectivity is usually fine (Greece: 43.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Greece offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Greece safe for expats?
Greece performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Greece is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Greece compared to United States?
Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index. There are 63.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Greece, compared to 36.1 in United States. Greece scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Greece compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Greece?
The official language in Greece is Greek. In United States, the official language is English.
