Chios on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Chios is easy on a budget: a careful day costs about €65 per person (bed €25, food €20, sights €5, transport €15). Staying in town and using buses on some days brings it down further.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €25 | €55 | €120 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €35 | €65 |
| Sights & tickets | €5 | €15 | €30 |
| Local transport | €15 | €25 | €45 |
| Per person, per day | €65 | €130 | €260 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Chios day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the lanes of the Kastro, the walled medieval quarter of Chios town
- The Aplotaria market lane and the long seafront promenade
- The painted xysta façades of Pyrgi
- The arched lanes of Mesta and Olympoi
- The Daskalopetra at Vrontados, with views over the strait
- Swimming at Mavra Volia, Komi, Nagos and Karfas beaches
Cheap eats
- Grilled mastelo cheese and salad in a taverna, a few euros a dish
- Taverna meal with wine, about €15–25 per person
- Mastic ice cream in town, a few euros
- Bakery pies for breakfast, a few euros
- Vegetable fritters and wild greens at a village taverna, sharing plates
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Chios town, close to the bus station and port, in rooms at about €40–70 a double (roughly €20–35 each when sharing). Karfas and Agia Ermioni have mid-priced studios by the beach.
Getting around cheaply
KTEL buses connect Chios town with the main villages a few times a day for a few euros. A small rental car shared by two or more is the cheapest way to see the villages and the north. The airport is about 4 km from town.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Kastro walk and the Giustiniani Palace (a few euros)
- Lunch: Bakery pie and coffee, about €6
- Afternoon: Bus or drive to Pyrgi and Mesta (free to wander)
- Evening: Swim at Mavra Volia, dinner in Mesta, about €18
- Total: about €65 including a shared town room and a car share
More ways to save
- Visit in May, June or September for lower room and car prices.
- Combine Pyrgi, Mesta, Olympoi and Mavra Volia in one day trip south.
- Bring a picnic for the north, where tavernas and shops are few.
- Use the town's market lane for snacks, nuts and coffee.
- Choose rooms with a kitchenette for breakfast and light meals.
- Check bus timetables at the KTEL station, as services are few on Sundays.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can I visit Chios on a budget?
Yes: about €65 a day per person, staying in Chios town and sharing a car.
Can I get around Chios without a car?
Partly: KTEL buses reach the main villages a few times a day, but not the remote beaches, Anavatos or much of the north.
What is free on Chios?
The Kastro, the seafront, Pyrgi, Mesta, the Daskalopetra and the beaches.