Greece

Southern Europe

EuropeEUSchengen

Sun, islands and one of Europe's most popular Golden Visas, paired with attractive flat-tax regimes for retirees and new HNW residents and a digital-nomad visa - though citizenship still takes seven years.

Overall score

Good · 98% data coverage

Language

Greek

Currency

EUR

Citizenship

7 years

Personal tax

9–44% + solidarity

Cost of living

€1,300 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

64Residence12%

74Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

58Salary and work12%

76Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

60Taxes7%

57Business8%

58Investment5%

Daily life

25%

81Quality of life18%

85Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

85Freedom6%

62Rule of law7%

Pros

Popular Golden Visa (residency by investment)
7% pension & €100k non-dom flat-tax regimes
Digital nomad visa; great lifestyle

Cons

7-year citizenship + Greek exam
Lower local salaries
Slow bureaucracy

Best for

Investors (Golden Visa)Retirees & HNW relocatorsRemote workers

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Moderate

Migrant stock14.2% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality0.48 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

Golden Visa (€250k–800k property)Digital NomadFinancially Independent (FIP)Work permit

Student	Student residence; limited part-time work.
Work	Work permits via employer; EU Blue Card for skilled hires.
Self-employed	Self-employment & FIP routes; company formation available.
Permanent	Golden Visa renewable indefinitely; EU long-term residence after 5 years.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Good

Years required	7 years of legal residence
Dual allowed	Yes
Language	Greek language + history/culture exam (Panhellenic test)
Residence	7 years legal residence; Golden Visa years count toward this
Notes	Golden Visa residency does not by itself confer citizenship; the 7-year clock and exams still apply.

Passport

Passport power

Excellent

188 / 198

Mobility

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free141
On arrival38
eTA9
Visa required10

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Moderate

Output per worker$91,705 PPP (2024)

Unemployment8.5% (2025)

Participation52.0% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$1,949 · $3,228 PPP (2024)

Tech (IT & comms)$2,298 · $3,807 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Freelance	Growing nomad hubs (Athens, islands); 50% relocation tax break
Job market	Athens tech scene growing; many earn abroad remotely.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$44,310 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$26,166 PPP (2023)

Price level66 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality33.4 Gini (2023)

Inflation2.5% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Moderate

Price level66 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	€500–1,000 (1BR Athens)
Monthly	€1,300
Cities	Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion

Economy

Economic strength

Good

Output & income

GDP$280.6B (2025)

GDP / person$26,948 (2025)

GNI / person$44,310 PPP (2025)

GDP growth2.1% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation2.5% / yr (2025)

Unemployment8.5% (2025)

Output per worker$91,705 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture3.6% of GDP (2025)

Industry15.2% of GDP (2025)

Services67.4% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

TourismShippingAgricultureFood processingEnergy

Top exports

Refined petroleumAluminiumAgricultural products (olive oil, fruit)Shipping services

Type	High-income, services- and tourism-led
Key sectors	Tourism, Merchant shipping (world-leading fleet), Agri-food
Summary	A services-led economy resting on tourism and one of the world's largest merchant shipping fleets.
Currency	Euro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Personal	9–44% progressive + solidarity contribution
Corporate	22%
Capital gains	15%
Dividends	5%
Exit tax	Corporate exit tax (ATAD); special flat regimes for new residents
Foreign companies	CFC rules apply (ATAD)

Personal tax

Low

Personal	9–44% progressive + solidarity contribution
Freelance	Self-employed (elefthero epangelma); 50% tax break for relocating professionals
Capital gains	15%
Dividends	5%
Exit tax	Corporate exit tax (ATAD); special flat regimes for new residents

Corporate tax

Limited

Corporate	22%
Capital gains	15%
Dividends	5%
Foreign companies	CFC rules apply (ATAD)

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality0.48 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness0.19 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Yes: full foreign ownership
Local company	IKE (private company) with low capital; online options
Freelance	Self-employed (elefthero epangelma); 50% tax break for relocating professionals

Investment

Investing environment

Moderate

Market cap46% of GDP (2025)

Private credit49% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	15% CGT; flat-tax regimes attractive for new residents
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	None (ENFIA property tax applies)
Brokers	Good: local banks & Interactive Brokers
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Moderate

Business

Moderate

Investment

Moderate

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Cost of living

Moderate

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate0.8 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption0.30 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability0.14 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Excellent

Outcomes

Life expectancy81.8 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality3.8 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians6.58 per 1,000 (2022)

Hospital beds4.27 per 1,000 (2022)

Health spending$3,454 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Universal public (EOPYY) + private
Insurance	Residents covered via EOPYY; private common
Average cost	Private cover ~€400–900 / yr

Environment

Environment score

Excellent

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure14.1 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress20.3% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Good

Digital infrastructure

Internet use86.3% (2024)

Internet resilience68 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed74 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed76 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses9.8% of output (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality3.70 / 5 (2022)

Rail density18.1 km / 1,000 km² (2021)

Air connectivity16,096 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Excellent

Attainment

Expected schooling20.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment165% gross (2023)

Education spending3.4% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	Free public (EU students) / low fees
Public university	Public universities tuition-free for EU students
Languages	Greek, English (some programs)
Student work	Limited part-time work for students

HDI

Human development score

Excellent

HDI0.908 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy81.9 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling20.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.6 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025