Skip to content

Greece · Housing & Relocation

Renting in Greece

Partially verified Last verified June 15, 2026 Reviewed by Henry van de Vorming

In Greece, residential leases carry a legally mandated three-year minimum term, and most long-term apartments in cities like Athens are rented furnished or part-furnished. Newcomers generally need a Greek tax number (AFM) before signing, and the written contract must be registered with the tax authority for the tenant to have full legal protection.

The rental basics

Typical lease
3 years
Deposit
—
Furnished
Furnished common
Mid-term market
Moderate mid-term market
Address registration
Required

Agency fee: When a real estate agent is involved, the tenant typically pays the agency a commission of roughly one month's rent (plus VAT). Fees are not legally fixed and are negotiable; owners who list directly (e.g. via Facebook groups) often charge no agency fee.

Address registration

There is no single municipal address-registration like a German Anmeldung. Instead, EU/EEA citizens staying over three months apply for an EU registration certificate at the local police/immigration authority, and non-EU residents register through their residence permit. A Greek tax number (AFM) is required to sign a lease, and the lease itself must be declared/registered with the tax authority (AADE, via Taxisnet) for the tenant to be fully protected.

Your rights as a tenant

Residential tenants benefit from a mandatory three-year minimum lease (binding even if a shorter term is written) and cannot normally be evicted without legal cause during that term; rent cannot be raised mid-term unless the contract contains an escalation clause, and evictions require a court order.

Good to know

  • Most city apartments come furnished or part-furnished, easing arrival for newcomers
  • The legal three-year minimum lease gives long-term tenants strong security of tenure
  • Security deposits are not legally fixed but customarily run one to two months' rent (negotiable)
  • Large, English-friendly listing portals (Spitogatos, XE) plus active Facebook expat groups make searching easy

Watch out for

  • You usually need a Greek tax number (AFM) before a landlord will sign, so arrange it early
  • Insist the lease is registered with the tax authority (Taxisnet/AADE) - without registration your legal protection is limited
  • If an agent is used, budget roughly one extra month's rent as commission on top of the deposit and first month
  • Furnished mid-term/short-term supply is increasingly tight and pricey in nomad-popular Athens neighbourhoods (Koukaki, Pangrati, Kolonaki); watch for deposit-return disputes and online rental scams

Where to look

Spitogatos.grXE.grTospitimou.gr / Spiti24.grFacebook Marketplace & expat groupsBlueground / Flatio (furnished, mid-term)

Platforms are listed for orientation only — we don't endorse or rank them.

Renting in Greece: FAQ

Renting in Greece: FAQ

How much deposit do I need to rent in Greece?

There's no single published norm — deposits vary by landlord. Expect at least one month's rent held as security, plus the first month upfront, plus any agency fee (when a real estate agent is involved, the tenant typically pays the agency a commission of roughly one month's rent (plus vat). fees are not legally fixed and are negotiable; owners who list directly (e.g. via facebook groups) often charge no agency fee.).

Do I have to register my address in Greece?

Yes — There is no single municipal address-registration like a German Anmeldung. Instead, EU/EEA citizens staying over three months apply for an EU registration certificate at the local police/immigration authority, and non-EU residents register through their residence permit. A Greek tax number (AFM) is required to sign a lease, and the lease itself must be declared/registered with the tax authority (AADE, via Taxisnet) for the tenant to be fully protected.

Can I find furnished or short-term rentals in Greece?

Furnished common and the mid-term market nomads rely on is moderate mid-term market. Start your search on Spitogatos.gr, XE.gr, Tospitimou.gr / Spiti24.gr.

Sources