Greek Study Links Cohabitation Motives to Relationship Satisfaction and Divorce Risk

A five‑year longitudinal study of 485 Greek adults tracked the reasons couples chose to cohabit and measured relationship outcomes. Participants who moved in together to "test" their partnership were significantly more likely to split, with nearly 29% of the sample divorcing by the study's end. In contrast, couples who cohabited to spend more time together reported higher satisfaction, stronger commitment and less negative communication. Practical considerations such as saving money did not affect relationship quality.

National divorce statistics for 2024 released by ELSTAT show 15,532 divorces in Greece. The majority (7,380) involved marriages lasting 10–24 years, while early divorces (within the first four years) accounted for only 17% of cases. Notably, divorces among long‑term marriages have risen sharply: 515 divorces in marriages of 25–29 years, 1,278 in 30–34 years, 821 in 35–39 years, and 519 in marriages over 40 years—a 64% increase since 2019. This trend of later‑life separations is being described as "gray divorces."