Imagine waking up to the charm of Greece, where every day brings the scent of the sea and the echoes of ancient history. But for those planning to make Greece home, it’s important to prepare for the realities of this new lifestyle. This article delves into the disadvantages of living in Greece, exploring various aspects that might affect your quality of life as a foreign resident.

Those weighing the options between Greece and the UK know that Greece can be far cheaper than the UK and many other European countries regarding property pricing and living expenses. Even in Athens, where prices are higher, living costs are 33% lower than in London. Beyond the much lower prices, there are many advantageous reasons for living in Greece. We’ll follow the considerations on general expenses, the money balance needed to close the month positively, and what a comfortable lifestyle in Greece looks like—all to help us answer why living in Greece is cheaper.

Because of the Greek crisis you’ll find that – despite surprisingly low rents – overall cost of living in Greece is actually pretty high and almost reaching UK level.

In Greece, the official language is Greek, spoken by 98% of the population. The largest minority language is Macedonian, spoken by 1.8% of the population. Others include Albanian, spoken in the centre and the south, and Turkish, spoken by Muslim communities around the Aegean. These minority languages do not have official status. There are some minority dialects also spoken, like Cypriot Greek and Cretan Greek.

After trying to drive in Greece you may opt to use public transportation instead. You may be the only person on the road who has actually taken and passed a driving test, as many people simply use bribes to save themselves the trouble. So drive defensively.

IKA is the largest Social Security Organisation, which covers the expenses for medical care in Greece. The Greek social security institute (IKA-ETAM) will be able to provide information:

You may have birthplace of philosophy in mind when you’re relocating to Greece, but the fact is that even though the ancient Greeks had wisdom, in modern Greece they have lived for the present. Entire generations have eluded the tax inspectors – or paid them off. Unemployment soars -16.5%. Consulting the internet to ascertain where the day’s strikes are likely to be is an essential part of life just now. The worst thing in the air is the loss of hope for ordinary people.