Greece · Foreign-buyer cost walk-through · 2026
What a UK buyer actually pays on a €400,000 Greek property
The headline number is €400,000. The number you actually write cheques for is closer to €432,527 — about 8.1% on top of the price tag in transfer tax, notary, registry, lawyer, agent, and admin. The annual carry afterwards runs roughly €1,600–€3,400, before any rental-management fee. Below is the line-by-line 2026 breakdown for a UK national buying a single residential unit outside Zone A (so the property also qualifies for the Greek Golden Visa).
One-off acquisition costs
| Item | Basis | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Property price | Headline figure | €400,000 |
| Transfer tax | 3.09% of declared value (3% tax + 0.09% surcharge) | €12,360 |
| Notary fee | 0.80% on first €120K + 0.65% on the remaining €280K, + 24% VAT | €2,447 |
| Land registry fee | 0.50% of declared value | €2,000 |
| Lawyer fee | 1.0% of price (typical for foreign-buyer transactions; min €5,000) | €5,000 |
| Estate-agent fee (if used) | 2.0% + 24% VAT, buyer side (negotiable, sometimes seller-paid) | €9,920 |
| Independent surveyor | Optional but recommended; fixed price | €600 |
| AFM (tax number) + bank account setup | Administrative; lawyer typically includes | €200 |
| All-in | Including the €400,000 price + all overhead | €432,527 |
Estate-agent fee can sometimes be paid by the seller — this depends on the contract. Independent surveyor is optional but strongly recommended for foreign buyers who cannot easily revisit the property pre-completion.
Annual carry
| Item | Basis | Annual range |
|---|---|---|
| ENFIA (annual property tax) | Zone-based €/m² × area + 0.20% supplementary on values >€500K | €800–€1,400 |
| Building / common-area maintenance | Typical apartment building, 80–120 m² | €400–€1,200 |
| Insurance (building) | 0.1%–0.2% of value, depending on cover | €400–€800 |
| Property-management agent (if rented) | 8–12% of gross rent (optional) | varies |
ENFIA varies by zone-price (τιμή ζώνης) — coastal Attica zones run €4–€16 per m² of basic tax, with a 0.20% supplementary on the aggregate value above €500K. The figure on a €400K property held in a single name typically lands €800–€1,400.
The UK side
The Greek line items above are nationality-neutral. What changes for a UK buyer is the home-side obligation. Three things to factor in before completion, all of which a UK accountant should sign off on:
- Rental income, if you let: declarable on UK self-assessment. Greek tax paid is creditable under the UK–Greece double-tax treaty. Note: short-term rental of the Golden Visa property is banned, so only long-term tenancy applies.
- Capital gains on a later sale: Greek CGT is currently suspended (through 2026 as of writing — verify when you are actually selling). UK CGT, however, may still apply on the gain when you are UK-tax-resident. The treaty allocates taxing rights but does not strike out the UK liability.
- Inheritance-tax exposure: a UK-domiciled individual is taxed on worldwide assets including Greek property. Holding via a UK pension, a company, or a non-dom structure changes this — but those are decisions to take before buying, not after.
Work the numbers
Run a different price or region through our Greek property cost calculator, see whether the budget clears the Golden Visa threshold for your target region in the eligibility checker, and compare against Cyprus on the cross-border comparison. Full tax mechanics for foreign owners are in the Greek foreign-buyer tax guide.