Greece on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Greece is good for budget travellers at about €90 per person per day sharing a room, including buses and ferries. Mainland Greece and islands such as Naxos are much cheaper than Santorini or Mykonos.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €35 | €75 | €200 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €45 | €90 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €15 | €30 | €70 |
| Per person, per day | €90 | €180 | €420 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Greece day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Filopappou Hill at sunset, facing the Parthenon
- Dionysiou Areopagitou pedestrian street and the Anafiotika lanes in Athens
- The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Syntagma
- The National Garden in Athens
- Walking the old footpaths between the Meteora monasteries
- Public beaches all over the islands
Cheap eats
- Souvlaki or gyros pitta: about €4
- Spanakopita or tiropita from a bakery: about €2.50–4
- Koulouri (sesame bread ring): about €0.80–1
- Greek salad in a taverna: about €9–12
- Grilled meat with tsipouro in Kalambaka: about €15–20
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in family-run rooms in Koukaki in Athens or in Kalambaka near Meteora, at about €60–100 a double (around €35 per person sharing). Athens hostels have dorm beds from roughly €20–35; on islands, look for 'rooms to let' (domatia) away from the main beaches.
Getting around cheaply
Use KTEL buses between towns (Athens–Delphi about €20) and island buses at €2–3. Conventional ferries are cheapest; book on the companies' sites or Ferryhopper. In Athens, the metro is about €1.20, and the airport metro or X95 bus costs far less than a taxi.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Acropolis at 8:00 (€30) or a free-entry day
- Lunch: souvlaki in Monastiraki (about €8 with a drink)
- Afternoon: Anafiotika, Plaka and the National Garden (free)
- Evening: sunset on Filopappou Hill and a simple taverna dinner
- Total: about €90 including a shared budget room and transport
More ways to save
- Travel in May, June, September or October.
- Book ferries a few days ahead in summer for the cheaper deck seats.
- Buy combined tickets where available and check the free-entry dates.
- Choose tavernas with Greek families eating in them.
- Refill bottles where tap water is safe; buy large bottles elsewhere.
- Pick one or two islands rather than hopping every day.
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Common questions
Can you visit Greece on a budget?
Yes, at about €90 a day per person sharing a room, staying on the mainland or cheaper islands and using buses and conventional ferries.
Which Greek islands are cheapest?
Naxos, Paros, Milos and many smaller Cyclades are cheaper than Santorini and Mykonos.
How do I get from Athens airport cheaply?
Take the metro (line 3) or the X95 bus to Syntagma; both cost far less than a taxi.