Destination guide
Moving to Greece
Islands and mountains, Schengen access, Europe's boldest tax incentives.
Greece combines EU and Schengen membership with relocation incentives unmatched in Europe: a flat-rate regime for high earners, a 7% flat tax on foreign pensions, a 50% income-tax cut for digital nomads, and a Golden Visa built on property. The pace of life runs from island slow to Athens fast.
Currency
Euro (€)
Language
Greek
Residency routes
Golden Visa · Digital Nomad D visa
Tax highlight
7% flat tax on foreign pensions
Greek personal income tax runs from 9% to 44% — with middle bands cut from 2026 and lower rates for families and under-30s — with a low annual property tax (ENFIA) on top — which is precisely why high earners look at the special regimes. Newcomers who transfer their tax home can elect the non-dom route: a flat €100,000 a year covers all foreign income for up to 15 years.
Two further regimes reward ordinary movers. Foreign-source pension income can be taxed at a flat 7% for 15 years for retirees who relocate, and workers who move with a remote job or to start a business pay half the normal income tax for seven years.
- Personal income tax 9–44% (middle bands reduced in 2026)
- Non-dom: flat €100,000/year on all foreign income, up to 15 years
- 7% flat tax on foreign pension income, 15 years
- 50% income-tax discount for relocating workers, 7 years
- ENFIA annual property tax, low by EU standards
Public healthcare runs through EOPYY, backed by the EFKA insurance fund, and becomes accessible once you register and contribute — voluntary contributions are possible when your income comes from abroad. Quality is strong in Athens and Thessaloniki and thinner on remote islands, where private clinics and air-ambulance cover fill the gaps.
Private insurance is inexpensive — roughly €150–400 a year for a healthy adult on a basic plan — and private hospitals in Athens rival any in Europe. Most expatriates pair a state or voluntary registration with a private policy.
- EOPYY public system via EFKA contributions
- Voluntary cover available for expat income
- Private plans from ~€150–400/year
- Strong private hospital sector in Athens
- EU visitors covered by EHIC
State retirement runs through EFKA: about fifteen years of contributions (4,400 days) are needed for a pension, with the standard age at 67. The headline for arrivals is the 7% flat tax on foreign pension income — UK, EU and US pensions alike — locked in for fifteen years once you become Greek tax resident.
Foreign state pensions are paid into Greek accounts without tax deducted at source, and the pensioner regime has made Greece one of Europe's fastest-growing retirement destinations.
- State pension via EFKA, ~15 years of contributions
- Standard retirement age 67
- 7% flat tax on foreign pensions for 15 years
- No tax withheld at source on pensions paid to Greece
- Passed by Parliament, not yet in force: 15% flat tax on pensions from recognised international organisations (EU, UN, NATO), expected from tax year 2027
EU/EEA nationals register for a residence certificate on arrival. Non-EU movers choose between the Digital Nomad Visa — a national D visa for remote workers and freelancers — and the Golden Visa: residency for the whole family through a property purchase of €400,000, rising to €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands. A €250,000 route remains only for converting commercial buildings to homes or restoring listed properties. Digital nomads must now apply for the visa at a Greek consulate before arriving — applying from inside Greece on a tourist entry ended in February 2026. A bill before Parliament would raise property transfer tax from 3% to 15% for buyers tax resident outside the EU/EEA from 1 July 2027.
The permit lasts five years and renews indefinitely for as long as the property is held, and holders travel freely across the Schengen area.
- Golden Visa from €400,000 (€800,000 in prime areas; €250,000 for conversions)
- Covers spouse, children and parents
- Five-year residency, indefinitely renewable
- Digital Nomad D visa — apply at a Greek consulate before arrival
- Proposed, not yet in force: 15% property transfer tax for non-EU/EEA tax residents from July 2027
- Full Schengen travel freedom
Also consider
Cyprus
Mediterranean light, EU structure, a famously friendly tax regime.
Dubai
Zero income tax, year-round sun, residency routes for every profile.
These guides are general information, current to early 2026, and are not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change and personal circumstances matter — confirm the specifics with a licensed advisor before you act.
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