Cost of Living in Athens. Prices Updated Dec 2020.

"Индивидуум имеет в себе способность понять факторы своей жизни, которые приносят ему несчастье и боль, и реорганизовать себя таким образом, чтобы преодолеть эти факторы." Карл Роджерс

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Like all cities that have lots of tourists, it’s best to explore a little and get off the well beaten track. There are literally thousands of small cafes and bars that have free, fast WiFi, cheap coffee and good kebabs.


If you stay in the absolute cheapest part of town, you will get a different vibe. There are a lot of AirBnB springing up and in the off-season these are very reasonably priced.


I can’t understand how you could be bored in Athens. So many places to see, so many museums and historic sites, beaches, clubs, mountains, markets and…


Check out some of the closer islands, but steer clear of the ones frequented by Cruise Ships like Mykonos and Santorini. The prices in these places are not really reflective of the rest of the country.

10 months ago

Pretty decent place. I usually spend September and October in Athens when the weather is close to perfect ie. not too hot nor too cold for yours truly.

You can get easily by with nothing but English, though tossing an occasional συγνώμε and παρακαλώ in the mix helps. That, of course, as long as you stay in the pricey parts of the city.

With a bit of luck and some advance planning Athens can be extremely affordable. There are Airbnb listings quite far away from the center, yet close to a metro station — for less than 800€ per month you can get a two bedrooms + a kitchen + a large balcony next to a reasonably quiet street.

This, of course, works only for those who are more or less busy working from Monday to Friday. For something resembling more like a tourist visit, you’ll be paying at least twice for a flat near the center and quite likely end up in somewhere with plenty of motorcycle noises to keep you awake all night, every night.

1 year ago

Great for 2 days to a week. No longer is needed. Was there for a month and frequently went to islands due to Athens being dirty, touristy, and somewhat boring. Foods good though!

1 year ago

Athens is a very interesting city. It is very large, a bit like Tbilisi, very hot in the summer. Refugees everywhere, but everyone is friendly

1 year ago

Athens is very diverse, which is great. As a black digital nomad, it was nice to be treated like a person for the most part rather than as a strange animal. This is more than I can say for so much of Europe. The city has not been well taken care of in recent years, but it is still very charming, as are the people. Almost everyone smokes here and it is difficult to find a completely smoke-free work location. The public transportation system is decent and the facilities are clean. WiFi is pretty fast as well and available in most places.

1 year ago

People and food are just lovely in Greece. Would argue that Greeks are the most friendly and welcoming people in Europe. The city is a disaster. Overrun by migrants, run down by the government, empty buildings and gratifies everywhere. Not far from city center (10min by feet) it feels more like a third world country than Europe.

1 year ago

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We are leaving for Greece in 60 days and need good wifi for the 3 months we plan on staying there, this is a must! I’ve heard mixed reviews and the 8-10 ranking on nomadlist are not super encouraging. Has anyone recently worked from there? What should we expect? We plan on renting an apartment after staying in airbnb and would like to work from the place we are staying in. Thanks so much for helping me decide if we can continue on or change plans.

Any recommendations on cities/islands in Greece for the month of November? Looking for a place that is not cold, with good food, good internet, nice outdoors, and not in complete isolation.

I’ve been here just over a month and have only had to slip a cardie on my arms a couple of times. It’s definitely getting a little cooler at night, but I lot of people I know on the islands say they actually prefer November – it’s still warm and sunny most days, but the majority of tourists have left so they can enjoy the islands without the crowds (I avoided going into Rhodes Old Town during the busy days when cruise ships come in – it’s hell!).

I’ve been chatting to taverna owners to get an idea of what will be open over the winter. Some close at the end of October until April, others end of November until Feb, and some are open all year around. There are a lot of people living here and they still want to do stuff over the winter. It’s won’t be as busy as now but you’ll still have a choice of places to eat out and bars, etc. A lot of the tourist shops and restaurants in the Old Town will close, but the new town will be mostly open, I think.

Hey! I’m currently living in Rhodes and I’m going to be here over the winter. For me it’s a good option as I used to work on a really tiny island off here and I have friends in the area, one of whom managed to secure me a newly refurbished 2-bed house with outdoor space in Rhodes Town, all bills included for €380. Wifi is 6, but I have streamed TV and made video calls without any problems. Yes, it’s getting cooler in the evenings, but I have heating should I need it. But there are still really sunny days – Rhodes famously boasts over 300 days of sunshine per year. And while a lot of the tourist stuff closes down, people still live here and a lot of people from the smaller islands move back here over the winter, so there’s plenty going on – you just need to look a little harder. Having said that, I’m not a party person, so not everybody might agree

300 days of sunshine sounds prettttty nice! And wow, that sounds like a great housing deal. Do you feel as though business and restaurants will close down soon? Or is there a pretty big local presence

@ry | 3yr

Greece will be cold in November (yes, even in the islands). Most islands will be dead and many shops, restaurants, etc will be closed for the winter season. It’s already getting quite chilly here at night in Athens at the moment. I can’t imagine being here in November.

Nahh, everything was definitely open. It’s still a fun time. Just not the party island that it’s known to be. I stayed in Ornos, which was really quiet but also super close to the main jaunt. I loved it. I also really liked Elia beach. Sadly I didn’t get to do to much exploring as I was working at the time, but still, the island itself is beautiful.

I was just in Mykonos this past week. It’s offseason, but it’ll have decent to great weather, great seafood, and amazing views. I’d recommend renting an ATV for getting around if you go! I got mine for $20/day.

My airbnb and every coffee shop around me had trash internet. The Shisha Bar and attached restaurant had incredible internet though… I ended up doing a bunch of file transfers and video calls there.

Awesome, thanks for the response? Did you get the feeling that restaurants and businesses shut down as the off season progresses? ATV sounds like a sweet mode of transportation! Any part of the island you’d recommend?

Has anyone done remote work from Lefkada or Kefalonia in Greece? Heard internet is good on Lefkada, thinking of spending some weeks of September there. Also looking for coliving/coworking peepz to get a house with, posted a tread in the coliving section, check it out in interested

I spent my summer vacation in Lefkada couple of years ago. Your experience is gonna vary depending on if you’re gonna choose west or east side of the island. West side is much more beautiful, beaches are pristine, but the area is desolate (at least it was back then). There are cities on the east side, but beaches there can’t be compared with the west ones.



Hi all –

I’ve recently connected with an interesting community group called the Meraki people, based in a village in the Peloponnese of Greece, only 2 hours from Athens and its airport, and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Kalamata and its airport…full of cultural gems, great beaches and wild mountainous landscapes. They are trying to bring new life and economy to their villages, in a self-sustaining, technologically-innovative, and environmentally-positive way. And they’re interested in hosting digital nomads in a community experience where you could work on your own projects and/or volunteer to help the local communities, depending on your interests and availability. They have received some significant international recognition already.

I’m trying to work out details around a potential gathering approx mid-Nov to mid-Dec. but also want to gauge interest before getting too far. Cost of lodging should be reasonable/ off-season – apts or private rooms with heat and hot water, and there would be a co-working space + potential community kitchen. @alldreamedup and @munly_leong expressed interested in Greece this fall – have either of you made plans? Also, @srajan821 and @bradonomics – the Meraki people are trying to do something similar to an eco-village, so wanted to give you a shout too.

Hope to hear from some nomads interested this fall (or in the future). Thanks!

Susan

I’m thinking Greece for late fall until Christmas, I’ll follow updates

No, sorry – I would e-mail Agata at the address in my previous reply.

OK, it looks like the Meraki group in Greece would prefer to discuss details and needs about a nomad gathering in our FaceBook group – and I’d really prefer they coordinate things instead of me. Again, just search for Nomads for Sustainability and Social Good and I’ll add you. If you’re not on FaceBook, you may e-mail Agata Bez at: [email protected] with your needs and interests. I’ll update this thread when decisions are made. Thanks!

Any updates on the Greece/Meraki project?

I’ve asked a woman from the Meraki People group in Greece to take over coordination with nomads, as I’m unsure if I can make it to Greece in 2016, and would rather someone affiliated directly with the group coordinate this effort to see what people’s needs are. Hopefully she will join this thread but if not I’ll let people know how to contact them.

That still leaves November/ December plans open for me, and I should probably start a new thread, but I’d still love to see if anyone working on a social/ digital project would like to gather somewhere for mutual inspiration. I have a “cleanweb” project I’ve been kicking around for a while, would love feedback. Maybe we could choose a city where a Global Climate March will take place end of November – I was thinking Valencia?

Nice initiative! I definitely agree that we need more of this.

I would be interested in joining it (or a similar initiative) starting mid-March 2016.

xavier AT antoviaque.org

Just requested access to the FB Nomads for Sustainability group (100th member, w00t). My wife and I would potentially be interested in this late summer / early fall 2016. contact: tyler -at- owlandbear.org

Yes, judging from the number of people who have joined our Nomads for Sustainability and Social Good group on FB this past week (after I posted about it here), I think there is a hunger in the nomad community for more opportunities like this. So again, feel free to join the group and post your own ideas. (Btw, I’m also open to hosting the group somewhere other than FB but these days it’s hard to know where… I love the simplicity of this forum and am tempted to request group functionality here, but don’t want to add to Pieter’s already long feature request list… lol)

Thanks for trying anyway.

Doesnt have to be Greece, maybe at least for now we can all be mindful of freeing up some time for something similar next year, hopefully with better internet. Everyone can forget Australia on that front lol along with the costs.

Hey,

Im currently in Greece, just arrived back here. Im in Corfu as a way in to Albania and have no solid plans after here. €500 a month is a lot to pay in Greece, I was here earlier this year for 2 months on the islands and stayed in hotels for a little over half that… But, if there is a group of like like minded people and co working space then I would be interested for sure. What dates are you thinking now?

Damn, this sucks big time. I’m booked up this year

Hey @nomadic-geek and all – I’m happy to take feedback on prices, but I’m also surprised to hear that 500 Euro per month for a whole apartment is high. What do you think would be standard/ reasonable? I’m in Croatia off-season and paying 600 (for a beautiful 2 BR, negotiated rate) and we are all paying about that here or more. I did look on AirBnB for this area in Greece and prices were way higher for apts during this timeframe.

Anyway, to recap (I know this is a long thread), I’m not organizing anything for this fall. Wifi isn’t up to snuff and I have other stress right now (father going into surgery) so I am just letting this go now. Maybe Spring 2016.

Hey @suuzin I actually thought the opposite and think that 500 Euro per month with WiFi included is pretty reasonable. Granted I live in Austin, Texas and would love to be paying that here!

Thank you for doing all of the research to help pull this together. I hope works out in the spring of 2016.

Is there a way to keep updated on this? I’d be interested for Spring ’16

I’ve sent a request for your FB group and will keep my eyes peeled for further developments.

So, the latest is the Internet might be upgraded in December or January. I’ll update this thread in the future if there is a new opportunity. Thanks, everyone, who expressed interest.

I agree, @wanderingdev. Here in Croatia it’s always the upload speed that’s a problem (when there is a problem), and I think it could even be an issue for Skype calls. I’ll let them know and keep the thread updated if they suggest anywhere else.

I’m interested in theory! I’m beginning to think about where to spend December and this seems like an interesting option, conditional on quality of accommodation, internet speed, etc.

that upload speed would be a deal killer for many people. it’s not enough for video. Especially if you have multiple people on the network like in the coworking space.

I don’t know – I think the issue is we’re talking about a group of 20 villages that have been partially abandoned due to Greece’s economic troubles. I thought they were putting us in the main village with the best wifi and services, but they probably tried to find a better housing arrangement for us elsewhere.

Sorry – they switched villages from the original proposal, and assured me fast wifi, but I think the speedtest results of this one is not adequate: http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4746671536

@psedillo @vodafon @andrewkent – what do you think? They mentioned potentially getting some upgrades to wifi soon but I’m inclined not to rush for this fall.

Its still better than my third world Australian internet.

I cant wait to move to a developing country to get proper first world internet compared to this BS. Seriously never ever come to Australia. Ever. Ridiculous costs, tin can and string communications infrastructure.

I am told by my friend who runs muniwireless.com that both Australia and New Zealand have issues (Internet wasn’t great for me in Indonesia either) because they get cut off from the rest of the world’s more stable high-speed cable supply under water. http://submarinecablemap.com/

thanks for the submarine cable map. I actually still have a non profit I’m trying to get back to working on, www.worldbroadbandfoundation.org aiming to map this sort of thing around the world so we can look up internet quality and that’s and I dont think I have that map in the internal wiki we’ve been keeping

Cool – I just Googled to find that map, and not to get this thread off-topic, but you may be interested in this original article by my friend, Esme, where she talks about this issue (however a few years old now): http://www.muniwireless.com/2013/08/21/broadband-experience-europe-asia-latin-america-the-us/ @jerriep

Yeah, I think Australia and South Africa has very similar problems in this regard. They have to be connected by underseas cables, and because they are so far away from Europe and the US it becomes a very expensive exercise.

This means slower and more expensive internet access…

Not every country has high population densities to make the cost of laying fiber cables everywhere a reality. Our internet infrastructure is also entangled in our country’s politics. Go find another connection mate.

We’ve lived decades of growth, economic and political stability – it’s driven up the cost of living & the rise of a happy affluent society.

Go for a surf or go find a kangaroo. Just sit an relax and enjoy one of the most politically & socially free countries in the world.

Possibly late winter or early spring would be better. When do you think they will have the wifi upgraded?

Ha! You should see the upload speeds in Guatemala I agree though, with multiple people on a network like that, it might not work so well.

@psedillo – I will try to put up a web page tomorrow with all the info I’ve received, including apartment photos. In the mean time, let me know if you have specific questions. You can read a little here about the Meraki people – http://www.livinlovin.gr/the-meraki-people-go-global/. They were originally going to host us in Paralio Astros, but now the exact village would be Xiropigado Arcadias. https://www.google.gr/search?q=xiropigado&newwindow=1&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CD4Q7AlqFQoTCO6mmJ2jwMgCFQFKFAodqfEDAg&biw=1680&bih=949

I might be interested in heading to Greece for this opportunity. Right now I have a farelock on a flight to Beijing during the second week of November. I’ll need to make a decision in the next 5 days. I’m not a Facebook user so no access to your group. Do you have more information elsewhere that I can check out?

In December I’ll be headed to France for the last two weeks of the year.

Wow, Guatemala! Feel free to message me with specific questions, @andrewkent or anyone else. This community organization is in the early stages, but they envision remaking their somewhat abandoned villages with green “factory” and technology efforts. They hosted Dr. Gunter Pauli recently – you can Google him to learn more about him.

I’m seriously considering this if I can find a reasonably priced flight from Guatemala to Athens. I’ll dig around and let you know.

Damn, this would be sweet for maybe in the new year, but I’ll be in Las Palmas for November and December!

I understand. Right now, just 1 month, but there might be flexibility for folks who wish to stay longer. I can inquire.

I think it’s likely this village will want to continue to host digital nomads next year. But actually the main details are already worked out for this year if anyone wants to come. A group of six apartments for 500 Euro single occupancy/ 600 double for 1 month. I have pictures and the places look very comfortable, 100 meters from the sea. If I can find nomads to take four apts, I’ll take the fifth, and the sixth has been offered to us for free as a co-working space (they would outfit it with tables/ desks) and community meal space. High-speed wifi. The organic food on offer sounds amazing! And there are tavernas in town too.

Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, Mycenae, Nemea Games and numerous monasteries as well as a lot of trekking, mountain biking, forest hiking, snorkeling, tai chi lessons, and excellent cultural events. They are trying to roll out the red carpet for us, and I’ve gotten a tiny bit of interest from some FB groups, but would need more to move forward. So please do chime in if the Nov-Dec timeframe works for you. Thanks!

What’s the duration? 2-3 months?

Never say never but at the moment I’m only half way as far as the portable income that I would like, wish I wasn’t tied down. I’m also running behind in launching my store and at this point its doubtful whether I can get it launched in time for xmas or sooner.

This year will be out for me too. I still have a govt grant that ties me down till end of Feburary (unless I manage to replace it with something remote and more lucrative) and Im looking to set up base in Panama first before any real nomadic travel. Later next year could be doable though, sounds like it would all be a bit rushed to work out by this year anyway.

Also, for all who are reading and interested in this general kind of opportunity, a few other nomads and I started a group on FaceBook called Nomads for Sustainability and Social Good – https://www.facebook.com/groups/494385280736762/ Feel free to send me a request there and I’ll add you!

This all sounds very interesting. I’m trying to start something similar in Samoa (helping local villagers), and then link them to Chattanooga TN, where I currently reside, and in the south of Italy. Glad to hear more people are doing this sort of thing.

@iv | 5yr

It’s interesting. Where I can find more info about this village?

Thanks for your interest!

If you mean the community group, The Meraki People, they have a FaceBook page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/269767659843100/. They are actually trying to revitalize several villages, some in a nearby mountainous area near Paralio Astros – that seaside village is likely where we would stay if this happens in November, because it is already set up with the best wifi.

Here are a couple of links on the general area:


Yep, I hear you on Schengen. I hope some other spontaneous nomads will respond here!

I’m all about last minute, it’s just hard with schengen limits.

OK, I had a feeling most nomads weren’t as last-minute with their travel plans as me. But if it doesn’t work out for a group in the near term, I or someone will definitely keep you posted.

sounds cool. i have to get out of schengen and I’m going to volunteer but good luck!

Aww this sounds great but in the end I settled for Lisbon instead so I’m all booked up until Xmas, so not this time round but definitely another time! Keep us posted when you’re there please, that’s very inspiring!

I think it sounds interesting too, but my travel is booked until next autumn. Anyway now I’m investigating it. Maybe next year!



Hi,


I’m ready to start traveling again (looking at May through August, about). I have a little more money to spend and would like an island experience in Southern Europe. I’m a little older and looking for a little more comfort these days. I would plan to rent a 1 bedroom apartment if possible. Places that come to mind are Formentera or Santorini. I’d like to stay for 2 or 3 months. Does anyone have any experiences to share with these two locales. One concern I have about Greece is safety given the economic crisis. Any insight into there would be appreciated.

Thanks

I live close to Formentera, in Javea where I run a coliving space called Sun and Co (www.sun-and-co.com).

As far as I know, Formentera is quite naturally reserved, so not a lot options to live, what means it’ll be more expensive than any other island.

It’s beautiful, though.

Maybe you can find more info here: http://www.formenteraliving.com/en/home/

Good luck!

Both islans are incredibly beautiful but quite different. While in Formentera you can find clear blue/turquoise water and white sand beaches making you think that you are on a Caribbean island, it doesn’t have much else to offer in terms of restaurants, bars and places to hang out. It’s a rather quiet island. We never had any safety issues there, tourists and locals are quite laidback.


As for Santorini, I found it more varied in terms of beaches, villages, restaurants, people and places to visit or do. The landscape can change dramatically, it has more culture and you are more likely to meet interesting people. Just because it is bigger and becaise there are more people living there you are more exposed than Formentera, otherwise it’s a pretty safe island.

Don’t be afraid of your safety in Greece, just stick to the basic cautious behavior. I’m in Greece for 2 months already and I haven’t got any problem. In fact people here are really friendly.

Hello. I am fifty years old and have been in Greece for 8 weeks (Athens, Crete, Halkida). The people are great and I have no concerns about safety because of the economy. Although I did get my phone stolen out of my hand while walking late at night in Athens. But perhaps I was flashing it around too much.

I haven’t made it to Santorini, but can imagine it is quite nice. It is one of the more popular islands and with tourism I would think safety there is no problem.

Good luck

Thanks, that’s good to hear. Would you share how much you are paying for housing?

✅ Very safe

✅ Fast internet

✅ Lots of fun stuff to do

✅ Warm in the spring

✅ Good air quality today

✅ Nomad List members liked going here a lot

✅ Many Nomad List members here all year round

✅ Easy to make friends

✅ Easy to do business

✅ High quality of education

✅ Great hospitals

✅ Roads are pretty safe

✅ Freedom of speech

✅ Democratic

✅ People can speak basic English

✅ Safe for women

✅ Family friendly

✅ LGBTQ+ friendly

❌ Cold now

❌ Gets cold in the winter

❌ Very humid now

❌ Feels crowded

❌ People smoking tobacco a lot



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