Housing
Renting in Greece
The advertised rent is not what you will pay. Add utilities, add koinochrista, and arrive with roughly four months' rent in hand for the deposit, the agency fee and the first month.
Last verified 12 September 2026 · 1 day ago · checked by spec-import Every figure on this page was checked against its source on this date.
Where to look
Spitogatos, XE.gr, Tospitimou, Xrisi Efkairia (Χρυσή Ευκαιρία), Ktimatagora and HomeGreekHome. Spitogatos and HomeGreekHome have the strongest English interfaces. Listings do not overlap completely, so use more than one — property that never appears on the portal you chose is the commonest reason people conclude there is nothing available.
What you pay up front
- Deposit: . Greek practice allows up to two. Foreign tenants who cannot evidence local income are sometimes asked for more. The amount must be stated in the signed agreement.
1 to 2 months — source and verification date
Rental deposit
Greek practice allows up to two months. Foreign tenants who cannot evidence local income are sometimes asked for more. The amount must be stated in the signed agreement and returned at the end of the lease less legitimate deductions.
- Agency fee: plus VAT, payable on signature, where an agent is used.
1 month — source and verification date
Letting agency fee
One month's rent plus VAT, payable on signature, where an agent is used.
- First month's rent, in advance.
What the law gives you
A written private lease is strongly advised though not strictly mandatory. For a primary
residence, a tenant who meets their obligations has a right to stay up to Minimum protected term for a primary residence lease A tenant who meets their obligations has a right to stay up to three years even where the written term is shorter.3 years — source and verification date
The landlord is legally obliged to register the lease on the AADE electronic platform,
reported as within Deadline for the landlord to register a lease with AADE Reported as within 30 days of signature, whether or not there is a written contract.30 days — source and verification date
Five things to do before you sign
- View in person. Never sign a long lease sight-unseen. Photographs hide noise, smell, damp and the street.
- Photograph every existing defect and attach the list to the contract. This is what protects your deposit.
- Ask for the koinochrista figure in writing.
- Demand receipts for the deposit and every payment.
- If you do not read Greek, pay someone who does to read the contract. A few hundred euros against a year of a bad lease is not a close decision.
What it costs
One-bedroom flats run One-bedroom, central Athens One-bedroom, central Thessaloniki One-bedroom, central Heraklion or Chania One-bedroom, central Larissa or a comparable inland town€550 to €750 a month — source and verification date
€400 to €650 a month — source and verification date
€420 to €650 a month — source and verification date
€250 to €400 a month — source and verification date
Worth saying plainly: Athens rents have risen sharply, central supply is constrained partly through conversion to short-term rental, and local wages have not kept pace. If you are arriving on foreign income this will feel affordable. That is not the same as it being affordable.
Related
- Getting an AFM — you cannot sign a lease without one
- Getting an AMKA — the lease is your proof of address for it
- Buying instead of renting
- Which area to choose
Questions people actually ask
Which portals should I use?
Spitogatos, XE.gr, Tospitimou, Xrisi Efkairia, Ktimatagora and HomeGreekHome. Spitogatos and HomeGreekHome have the strongest English interfaces. Listings do not overlap completely, so checking only one means missing property — use at least three.
How much deposit will I be asked for?
Commonly one to two months' rent, and Greek practice allows up to two. Foreign tenants who cannot evidence local income are sometimes asked for more. The amount must be stated in the signed agreement and returned at the end of the lease less any legitimate deductions.
What are koinochrista?
Koinochrista (κοινόχρηστα) are the building's common charges: maintenance, shared lighting and often central heating, billed separately from rent at €30 to €150 a month. They are not in the advertised rent and they are not optional. Always ask for the monthly figure before signing — on a cheap flat they can be a tenth of the rent again.
Do I need a written contract?
A written private lease is strongly advised though not strictly mandatory. What is mandatory is registration: the landlord is legally obliged to register the lease on the AADE electronic platform, reported as within 30 days of signature, whether or not there is a written contract. If a landlord resists registering, that is a signal about the rest of the arrangement.
How long can I stay?
For a primary residence, a tenant who meets their obligations has a right to stay up to 3 years even where the written term is shorter. This is a real protection and worth knowing before you accept a one-year term as final.
Is an agency fee normal?
Where an agent is used, typically one month's rent plus VAT, payable on signature. Together with a two-month deposit and the first month's rent, that means arriving with something like four months' rent in hand.
What should I do before I sign?
Photograph every existing defect and attach the list to the contract. Demand receipts for everything. View in person — never sign a long lease sight-unseen. And if you do not read Greek, budget for a bilingual agent or lawyer to read the contract. It is cheap insurance against a bad one.
Can I pay in cash?
Greece is reported to be moving rent payments away from cash towards traceable bank transactions registered with AADE, from an April 2026 starting point, alongside a unified digital property register. We have marked this as unverified because the operational detail is not clear enough for us to tell you what to do. Ask your landlord what they are doing and get it in the contract.