What Does Buying a Home in Greece Cost?
Written by: Marcus M. Araz, MBA, PhD · Updated:
Set against the price of a Greek home, the cost is roughly 6.73% of the price plus about €684 in fixed items. On a €250,000 flat that means about €17,500 on top. The largest item is the 3.09% transfer tax.
The costs item by item
| Item | How much | When it is paid |
|---|---|---|
| Property transfer tax | 3.09% of the price | Before the transfer |
| Notary | 1.70% of the price | On signing the contract |
| Legal fees and due diligence | 1.24% of the price | In stages, with an advance at the outset |
| Land registry | 0.70% of the price | At registration, after the transfer |
| Civil engineer due diligence | 300 € | Before the contract |
| Power of attorney | 160 € | At the start of the process |
| E9 declaration | 124 € | After the transfer |
| Postage and documents | 100 € | Throughout the process |
| Opening a bank account | €500, optional | At the start of the process |
For your own numbers, the Greece Purchase Cost Calculator page shows the amount item by item.
Transfer tax, not VAT
A newly built building in Greece carries 24% VAT. Where an existing building has been converted into housing there is no VAT; a 3.09% transfer tax applies instead. The gap is about 20 percentage points, which on a €250,000 flat runs into tens of thousands of euros. Which regime a scheme falls under is on its own enough to set your budget.
What the residence application itself costs
If you take the Golden Visa route, application items land on top of the property costs: €2,000 in state fees for the main applicant, €150 per family member, €16 per person for the residence card and health insurance of €160 to €750 a year depending on age.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to travel to Greece to buy? No. From the tax number to the transfer of title, the process can be run under a power of attorney costing €160.
How do I get a tax number (AFM)? Everyone who buys property in Greece needs a tax number, and it can be obtained from Türkiye under a power of attorney.
Is there an annual property tax? Yes. ENFIA runs from roughly €2 to €16.20 per square metre depending on the zone value of the location.
Does the buyer pay the agency commission? On the schemes in our portfolio the commission comes from the developer, so nothing is added for the buyer.
The next step
To see the figure for your own scenario, use the calculator . For the Golden Visa tiers and the process, see our Greece Property Guide page.
If you want to compare the purchase costs of the three countries in a single table, see our what costs are added when buying abroad page.