Property prices are still rising in 2026
According to the latest available data from the Bank of Greece, apartment prices across Greece increased by 5.7% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026.
The increase was:
- 5.2% in Athens
- 6.4% in Thessaloniki
- 5.4% in other major cities
- 6.9% in other areas of Greece
New apartments recorded an annual increase of 6.0%, while prices for older apartments increased by 5.5%.
These figures show two things at the same time.
Property values are continuing to rise, but the pace of growth has slowed. In 2025, apartment prices increased by an average of 8.1%, following an increase of 9.1% in 2024.
In other words, the Greek market has not stopped growing, but it is gradually moving away from the exceptionally rapid increases of previous years.
Athens is no longer the whole story
Athens naturally attracts a large share of international buyers, particularly those looking for investment properties, relocation opportunities or a home with easy access to an international airport.
But one of the interesting features of the current market is that price growth outside Athens is stronger.
In the first quarter of 2026, apartment prices in areas of Greece outside the country’s main cities increased by 6.9% year-on-year, compared with 5.2% in Athens.
This does not mean that every regional property represents a better investment.
It does mean that buyers should look beyond the most obvious locations.
Parts of Attica outside central Athens, the Peloponnese, Evia and selected island and coastal markets can offer a very different combination of price, lifestyle and long-term potential.
For someone buying a home rather than simply an investment product, those differences can be even more important.
International interest in Greek real estate remains strong
Greece continues to attract foreign capital into real estate.
Enterprise Greece reports that real estate activities have been among the significant recipients of foreign direct investment in the service sector in recent years. In addition, private purchases and sales of Greek property by foreign buyers reached a cumulative €6.6 billion between 2015 and 2025.
International interest is not limited to holiday homes.
Buyers come to Greece for very different reasons: permanent relocation, retirement, second homes, rental income, land, commercial opportunities and long-term investment.
That distinction is important because the “best place to buy in Greece” does not really exist.
The right area for a family planning to relocate to Athens may be completely different from the right location for someone looking for a holiday property or an investment.
Is Greece still inexpensive compared with other European markets?
Not everywhere — and certainly not in the way it was ten years ago.
Good properties in desirable locations have become considerably more expensive.
However, Greece can still compare favourably with a number of major Western and Southern European markets. Enterprise Greece notes that residential prices in Athens remain below those found in several major European capitals and Mediterranean cities.
But price per square metre should never be the only criterion.
A cheaper property requiring extensive renovation, with legal issues or in a location with weak demand may ultimately be a worse purchase than a more expensive property with better fundamentals.
This is where the market in 2026 is becoming particularly interesting.
The question is increasingly not simply:
“Is Greece cheap?”
but rather:
“Where does the property still offer good value for what I want to achieve?”
Buying for investment? Look at the property before the trend
A rising market can make almost every purchase look successful on paper.
A slower market is less forgiving.
For an investment property, buyers should consider factors such as:
- realistic rental demand;
- long-term versus seasonal rental potential;
- accessibility and transport;
- condition and renovation costs;
- the characteristics of the neighbourhood;
- future resale demand;
- legal and planning status of the property.
The same applies to land.
A beautiful plot with a sea view may look irresistible, but its real value depends on what can legally be built, access, infrastructure and planning restrictions.
The details matter.
Buying a home is different from buying an investment
Not every property decision needs to be based on maximum financial return.
For someone planning to live in Greece, quality of life may be more important than rental yield.
Proximity to the sea, schools, local shops, hospitals, transport links and year-round services can matter much more than whether an area is currently considered an investment “hotspot”.
This is particularly true outside Athens and on the islands, where two locations only a few kilometres apart can have very different characteristics outside the summer season.
A property should work for the life you intend to have in Greece — not simply look attractive in photographs.
So, is 2026 a good time to buy property in Greece?
There is no universal answer.
Prices are still rising, international interest remains significant, and Greece continues to offer opportunities across residential, holiday and investment property. At the same time, price growth is slowing and buyers are becoming more selective.
That may actually be healthy for serious buyers.
A market in which every property rapidly increases in value rewards speed. A more mature market rewards careful selection.
In 2026, the opportunity is less about buying “something in Greece” and more about identifying the right property, in the right location, at a price that makes sense for its intended use.
And that often requires looking beyond the listing itself.
Looking for property in Greece?
At Your Greek Home, we help buyers look beyond photographs and asking prices.
Whether you are searching for a permanent home, a holiday property, land or an investment opportunity, our approach begins with understanding what you actually need — and then finding the locations and properties that make sense for you.
Tell us what you are looking for, and we can start the search together.
