Category: Relocation

WEATHER IN GREECE
With more than 250 days of sunshine per year, you can literally enjoy a Mediterranean climate all year round in Greece.

GREEK WAY OF LIFE

Oikogenia - Patris kai Thriskia
Proud, warm-hearted, traditional, and extremely sociable. They love their country, their family, music, dances, and food. The Greek way of life is strongly influenced by tradition, culture, and the Greek Orthodox Church.ESSEN

 

FOOD
The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. Fresh ingredients, especially the high-quality olive oil used in large quantities, make the dishes both deliciously wholesome and healthy.

COST OF LIVING
With an average cost of living that is at least 20-50% lower than the Central European average, Greece proves to be an affordable destination. The less of a tourist hotspot, the lower the cost of living.

LOCALS
The Greeks have earned a unique reputation for hospitality and generosity. Filoxenie – a love for strangers – will make you feel immediately at home here.

CULTURE
As one of the oldest, most influential, and diverse cultures, Greece is the product of cultural and political encounters, a convergence of ideas, customs, knowledge, and peoples in Southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean since antiquity. Familiarizing yourself with its key traits will make your arrival in Greece easier.

The so-called "remote working," which involves working over cloud systems on the internet, has seen a significant rise in recent years.

Digital nomads typically work on the go and can perform their tasks independently of a fixed workplace, thanks to the internet.

Some European countries have recognized this new trend and offer very attractive incentives if you relocate.

Greece has two programs designed to attract digital nomads. The application forms are only available in Greek, but we are happy to handle this for you!

1. 50% Income Tax Reduction

Active since the beginning of 2021, this program offers a 50% income tax reduction for a period of 7 years, but only for certain nationalities and with a commitment to reside in Greece for at least 2 years.

- Not a tax resident of Greece in the last five out of six years.
- Available for EU/EEA citizens or citizens from a state that has an administrative cooperation agreement with Greece in the tax area.
- 50% reduction in income tax and social security contributions. The top tax rate, which would normally be 44% for earnings over 40,000 EUR, is reduced to 22%.
- Exemption from property tax (real estate transfer tax for the first residential property) and private car use (motor vehicle tax).

         2. Digital Nomads Visa

Since early October 2021, Greece has introduced the "Digital Nomads Visa" for non-EU/EEA citizens (Law 4825/2021). This allows you to work in Greece for a foreign employer or your own company based abroad.

Legislation: 5038/2023, Article 68, Paragraph 4 and Article 12, Paragraph 7
Submission: To the Decentralized Administration based on residence
Age: Adult
Duration: Up to two years
Work: No right to access employment
Fee: €1000

Required Documents:

1. (*) A copy of a valid passport or travel document recognized by our country.
2. (*) National visa (VISA D) category Z1 or Uniform Visa or admission under a visa exemption regime.
3. (*) Insurance policy from a private insurance provider.
4. (*) A Declaration of Intent stating the applicant’s intention to reside in the country for remote work and a commitment not to provide any work, services, or projects to an employer based in Greece.
5. (*) Employment contract or proof of employment relationship with an employer, natural or legal person, based outside the Greek territory. The contract should be either open-ended or, in the case of a fixed-term contract, have a remaining duration that covers the requested residence permit period. Additionally, details showing the applicant’s role in the company and the ability to perform work using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) outside of Greece are required. If the applicant is self-employed, more than one (1) contract is required. The details must include the company’s name, headquarters, field of activity, corporate purpose, and its active and current operation outside the Greek territory. These details may include registration in a service equivalent to the General Commercial Registry (GEMI) in the country where the company is based, information from the company’s website, or other public sources. If the third-country national applicant is self-employed in their own company, details about their role in the company, as well as details regarding the company’s name, headquarters, field of activity, and corporate purpose outside the Greek territory are required. These details should particularly include registration in a service equivalent to the General Commercial Registry (GEMI) in the country where the company is based, information from the company’s website, or other public sources.
6. (*) Proof that the applicant has sufficient resources, in terms of stable income, to cover living expenses during their stay in the country without burdening the national welfare system. The amount of sufficient resources is set at three and a half thousand (3,500) euros per month and is proven by: a) the employment contract or proof of employment relationship, in the case of dependent employment, services, or projects; or b) a bank account statement. If sufficient resources come from salaried services of dependent employment, services, or projects, the above minimum amount refers to net income after the payment of required taxes in the country where the work is provided. This amount increases by twenty percent (20%) for a spouse or partner and by fifteen percent (15%) for each child.
7. (*) Accommodation details, which may include either a rental agreement, a property purchase contract, or a usage agreement.

These programs make relocating to Greece economically attractive. But does the infrastructure support digital work?

The internet connection in larger cities and even in rural, touristy areas is generally fast, but on smaller islands and in remote regions, it is significantly slower.

Greece offers everything digital nomads love: space and freedom, reasonable living costs, plenty of sunshine, good food, decent internet speed, rich history, and culture.

With the Digital Nomads Visa, Greece wants to convey the message: "We warmly welcome you!"

Co-working spaces can be easily researched online.

We also offer this service in Pylarinoy 66 , Korinthos in the Peloponnese, and we would be delighted to welcome you.

 

• A German pension can be transferred seamlessly to a Greek bank account. As part of the SEPA zone within the EU, transfers from Germany to Greece take the same amount of time as domestic transfers. You can also keep your pension payments in Germany.
  
  Paying bills such as rent, electricity, and insurance is possible with a German bank account. There are many ATMs (even in areas without a bank branch), ensuring reliable access to cash.
  
  For those who want a more affordable account in Greece, a German online bank can offer an account with German deposit insurance if you have a residence in Greece. We can provide more detailed advice on this.

Outside major cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, high-rise residential buildings are rare, and industrial structures are usually located in peripheral areas. Living in smaller towns and rural areas is often more attractive to many people.

The housing market can be challenging due to limited availability. Rental prices, like in other European countries, depend on the popularity of the city districts.

There is no official rent index, such as in Germany, and rent prices are set freely by landlords. However, compared to other Western European countries, rent levels in Greece are relatively low, making it an affordable place to live.

The security deposit is legally set at two months' rent, but the landlord does not have to keep it in a separate account (trust account). It is common practice to not pay rent for the last two months before moving out to effectively "retrieve" the previously paid deposit, as one cannot always be sure that the landlord will return it upon departure.

In general, the rental property must be returned in the same condition it was in when taken over.

Similar to German rental law, Greek law allows for private autonomy. Landlords and tenants can generally draft rental agreements freely. However, Greek law has several specificities regarding rental contracts.

According to Law 1703/1987, leases are valid for a minimum of three years, even if the agreement is for a shorter period or for an indefinite term. A lease term of less than three years can be agreed upon due to private autonomy, with the background being tenant protection.

A landlord can only terminate long-term leases under very limited circumstances (e.g., for personal use).

Permissible rent increases are set by the National Statistical Service of Greece (Εθνική Στατιστική Υπηρεσία της Ελλάδος) and are based on current living costs. Of course, rent increases can also be individually negotiated within the framework of rental agreements.

If you are interested in a rental property, we look forward to advising you successfully.

We Love Greece Consulting

Before purchasing a property in Greece, you should be clear about your reasons for buying. Is it a vacation home, a second residence, or a retirement property? Buying real estate abroad can be an excellent investment. Property prices in Greece are still quite low and have only moderately recovered after the ten-year catastrophic economic crisis.

Once you've found a house, the property must be thoroughly examined and assessed.

A lawyer should check the land registry entries to ensure that there are no third-party rights attached to the property (debts, inheritance issues, etc.) or that the property is generally available for purchase (e.g., no building permit).

For instance, trees located on the property may belong to another owner, requiring you to grant them lifelong access rights.

It is highly recommended to also involve a civil engineer who can inspect the property and check for any construction defects.

EU citizens face no restrictions when purchasing property in Greece, except in border areas where a permit from the local authorities is required (this is typically granted automatically).

Non-EU citizens face various restrictions for security reasons when buying property in certain regions, including border areas on the mainland and the islands of Lesbos, Chios, and Samos. Special permits are possible but entail a very high bureaucratic burden, significant costs, and long waiting times, making it practically impossible in most cases.

 

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