We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The Tripadvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.

Greece - HOW expensive??

London, United...
Level Contributor
63 posts
112 reviews
134 helpful votes
Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

I am truly shocked by the prices encountered so far - visiting the Cyclades has been a real eye opener, the restaurants, accom, day to day living is prohibitively expensive, this is from someone who had a well paid job in London - it's more expensive than London's West End.

EG: an espresso, single shot is 3 euro, a small beer, 2.50 euro, a simple lunch in a bar is going to set you back at least 25 euro, dinner more so.

Fish! Crikey - 70 euro a kg, the fish are jumping out of the water, whats going on? Mackeral - one of the cheapest fish and easist to catch is 35 euro a kg?

Went to the supermarket, bought a punnet of figs, couple of peaches, 4 plums, tub of yoghurt and a case of wine (this was a bargain at 7 euro) the total for this shop was 22 euro - WTF?

All over the island are fig trees, full of figs which are turing rotten due to the amount on the tree - just ridiculous!

I'm wondering whether theres a two pricing system in operation - one for locals and one for the tourists, is there?

Currently on Milos and once we docked we were approached by an older woman offereing a room and would we like to see it... Off we went to be shown a room, no bigger than a double bed - with no inside toilet, nor shower - 40 euro she wanted, in September?

Annoyed, Milos.

Ljubljana, Slovenia
Level Contributor
2,546 posts
322 reviews
249 helpful votes
1. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

Your perceptions are not entirely correct.

I live in Slovenia, I have an average paid job and I've been visiting Greece since 1993. Every year I spend 3 weeks on the Cyclades. The prices in Greece are lower or the same as the prices in Ljubljana.

I know Greece well and I usually book hotels a few months in advance. I always manage to get a very decent double room at a good location (with a bathroom, a kitchenette and breakfast included) for 40-60 EUR/night.

A very good dinner for 2 usually costs 25 EUR. Coffee costs 1.5-2 EUR and a glass of good red wine 1 EUR/glass. I admit, we almost never eat fresh fishes. Also, we never choose to eat at the places which are known to be extremely expensive (some places in Oia or Fira facing caldera for example).

The fuel is indeed expensive (about 1.7 EUR/litre), also some of the drinks at posh touristy places visited by the passengers of the cruise ships (this year cappuccino fredo near the cable car in Fira costs 6 EUR for example).

Edited: 12 years ago
South Pole
Level Contributor
15,974 posts
2. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

I don't agree that Greece is over-expensive but it does reap rewards if you shop around. I don't know the Cyclades, but elsewhere can get double rooms from €25, light lunches for 2 for under €10 & an ample evening meal with wine & ouzo for 2 for under €25.

One question though - WHY should Greece offer cheap holidays? No-one makes anyone go there!

Surrey, United...
Level Contributor
5,927 posts
116 reviews
119 helpful votes
3. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

From the point of view of tourists the Greeks adopting the Euro and ditching the Drachma has been a catastrophe. In the old days (I've been travelling to Greece for over 30 years now) they used to adjust the exchange rate every summer to lure the tourists in and Greece had the reputation of being a bargain destination.

Being based in the UK the weak performance of the pound against the euro has been a headache, but if things are no cheaper than in London they are at least no dearer with the exception of fuel as Marjan Jerman points out. I was on a Greek island the week before last and found prices to be pretty much as I expected, but in many establishments I was given complimentary drinks and when I bought an expensive gift in a shop I was given a couple of free gifts in addition.

It is always possible to bargain in Greece, particularly at hotels, I've done this and I know it works - believe me they won't turn away a paying customer if they have empty rooms.

Stockholm, Sweden
Level Contributor
963 posts
91 reviews
63 helpful votes
4. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

I dont think it is overly expensive in Greece, prices are far lower on most things compared to Sweden, only thing that i encountered that is really expensive is petrol, 1,67 a litre for 95 okt is cheapest i found here on Naxos, (amounts to 15.01 SEK, thats like 2 -3 SEK a litre more than home)

A lunch , that is a greek sallad, softdrink and bread cost about 8 , cheapest i paid 7 and most expensive 9 (out of town in Halki)

Dinner about 8 - 12, ie a maincourse and a glass of wine / beer,

Logging in nice studio with ac wc shower etc 25 per night (no view to speak but one cant get everything) and rentcar 23 a day incl full insurance (a fiat panda a bit old but no probs)

The supermarkets aimed for tourist are expensive, i shop at the bigger one at main road, but some items especially imported and dairy produce are somewath expensive (again i compare to home :) )

High Wycombe
Level Contributor
183 posts
11 reviews
5 helpful votes
5. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

I tend to agree with you, Greece is expensive for us Brits. €3 for a frappe is expenisive, €4.50 a can of beer and €2.50 for a can of Fanta is extortionate but that is what we pay on our our Greek holidays(prices charged in Marchello Beach Paros last week). I too have often wondered if there are two prices becuase for us it is no longer chaep although no more expensive in 2011 that 2010.

Whilst I agree with the comment about the drachma Greece has moved on a long way since those days and I think it is unlikely it will ever be a cheap destination again.

South Pole
Level Contributor
15,974 posts
6. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

I did not find prices this year (apart from petrol) much different from past 3 or 4 years (some even cheaper!) -

500ml beer from €1.70

Frappe from €1.50

Mezes & ouzo for 2 from €3

Perceived price rises stem from the exchange rate. 5 years ago something that cost €2 was the equivalent of £1.40, today that same €2 item is costing us £1.80-ish. The price has not gone up, but the cost has!!

And it all depends where you go. Go to the special purpose resorts with their expensively furnished accomodation & luxury facilities & of course it has to be paid for. Stay in simple village rooms, eat at the village taverna, shop where the locals shop & you pay the local prices. It's the same wherever you go!

London, United...
Level Contributor
63 posts
112 reviews
134 helpful votes
7. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

Thanks for everyones comments, though in the main I have to disagree. Yes pre-euro was cheaper, much cheaper. Now however it's just exorbitant - a comment above states an ample evening meal, with wine and ouzo is 25e, I'm sorry - it's not that price on neither Sifnos nor milos and no doubt it's not that price on Naxos either. A good glass of wine for 1e, where? Coca cola is three times that price.

As for accom, yes it pays to shop around and whereas a Greek will try and get top euro off of you (see my opening post) we've found other eoropean owned guest houses being better value.

Take a staple drink tea/coffee, how can such a simple beverage cost 3e plus?

From where I'm sat, I can see fishing boats - the distance between seller (fisherman) to buyer (restaurant) to customer is 70 metres, why then is fish averagely 70e a kilo? There's no road miles/minimal transport cost?

If as someone mentioned above that Slovenia is more expensive then London - a major world city and tourist destination is significantly cheap in comparison.

Regardless, I've chosen to come though it doesn't preclude me from an opinion. I'm currently on the Greek islands and very surprised St how expensive it - even the basics.

High Wycombe
Level Contributor
183 posts
11 reviews
5 helpful votes
8. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

Craig, interesting that the prices we have quoted have been on Sifnos, MIlos & Paros. maybe other islands are significantly cheaper?

London, United...
Level Contributor
63 posts
112 reviews
134 helpful votes
9. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

I'm really beginning to think that these partic islands are more expensive than others.

It's not that I'm expecting 'cheap' though I do expect there to be a diffence between a capital city and a very small town/village - which begs the question I asked earlier re different prices for locals.

I see plenty of 'young' Greeks in bars, o assume they're locals, majority of whom are having several coffees/cocktails etc whereas I'm nursing a single drink because £8 (8e?) is a little expensive - I'm sure that whatever job theyre doing isn't paying a huge amount of euros so how do the locals afford it?

Out of curiosity, what is the national average wage in Greece is? I ask as I'm utterly bewildereded that anyone can afford to live here.

South Pole
Level Contributor
15,974 posts
10. Re: Greece - HOW expensive??
Save

AFAIK the Cyclades have the reputation of being one of the most expensive destinations in Greece. They are heavily promoted in the US - with of course a perception that if people can afford to holiday in Greece as a long haul destination then they must be quite wealthy. And if the target market for a place is very specific then the destination will price itself accordingly . . . . because it has to accomodate people with higher expectations than us from the UK used to B & B rooms. Many long haul tourists expect the sort of 5* hotel they get back home, with queen size beds & lavish & palatial bathrooms. Some of the most expensive holiday destinations in the world are in the poorest countries. Go figure!

Re the fish . . . . well they are not deep sea trawlermen fishing bulk catches out of Greek harbours. Whatever a fisherman catches has to be economic to sustain himself & his family & I never yet saw a fisherman drive away from the quay in a Rolls Royce so I don't imagine they are making a metaphorical killing!! Fish is expensive everywhere in Greece, but it is fresh caught, landed locally & not transported in bulk freezer lorries to be processed by cheap labour in huge factories. There is a lot of waste on a fish - head, tail, fins, skin, bones, guts etc - so what landed as a decent weight fish has shrunk quite considerably by the time the actual edible product is ready for cooking. How do I know this? My brother is a fisherman in Scotland - it is not a cosy life by any means!!

© 2024 Tripadvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.