Housing costs consume over a third of Greek household income

In Greece, households allocate about 36 % of their disposable income to housing, the highest share among EU members where the average is 19 %. Eurostat data show that 28.9 % of Greeks spend more than 40 % of their income on rent, compared with 8.2 % across the EU.

Since 2019, rents have surged: in many areas of Athens they rose 55‑70 %, while in Thessaloniki increases exceed 50 %. The 2025 rent index shows a further 10.1 % rise, ranking Greece among the EU's top performers in rent growth. Although the statutory minimum wage has risen roughly 39 % in the same period, the increase is largely absorbed by housing costs, leaving many workers with less than 60 % of net earnings after rent. The burden now affects not only low‑income renters but also the middle class, and home‑ownership rates have fallen dramatically from around 80 % two decades ago.