New figures from Eurostat show that food, dining out, and transportation now account for more than half of all household expenses in Greece. The data, reflecting spending patterns as of January 2026, give one of the clearest pictures yet of how Greek families are budgeting their money this year.
Food and non-alcoholic drinks remain the single biggest cost, taking up close to 19 percent of total spending. Restaurants and hotels follow closely at nearly 18 percent, and transportation rounds out the top three at almost 16 percent.
Together, those three categories make up more than 52 percent of what an average Greek household spends.
How household expenses in Greece compare with the wider EU
That pattern sets Greece apart from the rest of the European Union. Researchers at Eurostat found that across the 27-member bloc, the three biggest expenses were food, housing and transportation, making up close to 46 percent of total spending.
Housing carries far more weight in the broader EU budget than in Greece, where housing, water and electricity costs take up just over 11 percent of spending, compared with nearly 15 percent across the EU and the 21 countries that use the euro.
Restaurant and hotel spending is where Greece stands out most. Households there spend nearly 18 percent of their budgets eating and staying out, roughly seven percentage points above the EU average, a gap tied to the country’s deep reliance on tourism.
Leisure spending jumps while dining and insurance costs retreat
The past year also brought sharp shifts. Spending on recreation, sport and culture in Greece nearly doubled its share, climbing 3.8 percentage points, compared with a 1.2 point rise across the EU.
Restaurant spending fell 2.4 points in Greece even as it edged up bloc-wide, and transportation costs rose 1.1 points despite a broader EU decline of 0.4 points.
Not every category grew. Spending on insurance and financial services in Greece was cut by more than half, dropping from 1.3 percent to just 0.5 percent, the steepest proportional decline of any category, while information services and health care also shrank.
Taken together, the numbers show household expenses in Greece moving differently than in the rest of Europe, with tourism and food carrying far more weight than housing does across the bloc.
Rent Crisis in Greece
However, another study by the Center for Liberal Studies (KEFiM), based on 2024 Eurostat data, highlights the unsustainable surge in housing rents in Greece and particularly in Greater Athens (also Attica). The findings reveal a stark reality: renting a home has become financially unviable for the average household.
In the Attica region, the rent-to-income ratio for a typical 60 sq.m. (one-bedroom) apartment has reached 70.2%. For a larger 75–95 sq.m. (two-bedroom) apartment, the ratio skyrockets to 93.6%. In contrast, the European Union averages for these categories are significantly lower, at 31–34% and 46%, respectively.
While Athens’ rental prices, averaging €1,050 (about $1,235) for one-bedroom and €1,400 (abotu $1,650) for two-bedroom units, are comparable to other EU capitals, the vastly lower purchasing power of Greek workers makes these prices prohibitive. Essentially, renting a standard two-bedroom apartment in Athens now requires nearly an entire average monthly salary.
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