Greece Golden Visa Thresholds by Region in 2026: €250k, €400k and €800k

Clients still ask me for “the Greek Golden Visa price” as if there were one number. After law 5100/2024 there is not. The threshold depends on the zone and on the type of investment. Getting the zone wrong is expensive: you either overpay or you buy something that does not qualify.

Below is how I explain the map in consultations, using the figures published on the BRIDGES Greece Golden Visa pages (checked 15 Oct 2026).

The three property tiers

€800,000: premium zones. Attica (including Athens), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands with a population over 3,100 residents. One property, main living area of at least 120 square metres, paid by bank transfer.

€400,000: the rest of the country. Mainland regions and islands outside the premium list, still one property of at least 120 m². Many families look at places such as parts of Crete outside crowded islands, the Peloponnese or smaller islands under the population cut-off. Always confirm the island’s current population status before you reserve anything.

€250,000: narrow exceptions. This floor survives only for converting a commercial property into residential use, or for restoring a listed building. The 120 m² rule does not apply to this option. Conversion must be completed before you file for the residence permit, and BRIDGES notes that the reduced threshold cannot simply be reused by the next buyer of the same converted unit in the same way.

Rules that apply across zones

I repeat these in every call because they cause the most refusals and wasted deposits:

1. One property. You cannot stack several cheaper units to hit the threshold.
2. 120 m² of main spaces for the €400,000 and €800,000 routes. Storage and parking bought in the same contract can count toward value but not toward the area, according to clarifications summarised in practice notes around Article 100 of law 5038/2023.
3. Bank transfer and valuation. Cash stories and informal discounts that do not appear in the contract will not help you.
4. Short-term letting ban. Programme properties cannot be let on short-term platforms. BRIDGES cites a €50,000 fine and cancellation of the permit for a breach.

Non-property alternative: €500,000

If you do not want Greek real estate, BRIDGES also lists a route through a term deposit, fund units or securities from €500,000. The holding period is the whole time the status is in force. I treat this as a separate product discussion: liquidity, yield and bank compliance look different from a flat by the sea.

How I choose a zone with a family

I start from the goal, not from the brochure photo.

• Need the card mainly for Schengen access and a Plan B, and want the lowest qualifying entry: we check whether a lawful €250,000 conversion exists that clears due diligence, otherwise we price real €400,000 stock.
• Want Athens or a famous island lifestyle: budget for €800,000 plus taxes and fees, not the headline alone.
• Russian or Belarusian passport holders: the programme itself has no nationality ban, but banking and source-of-funds checks decide the timeline. We map that before any reservation fee.

For the full budget on top of the purchase price, see costs and fees. For the purchase steps, see the application process.

Last checked 15 Oct 2026. Zone lists and population cut-offs can change; confirm against current official guidance and the contract lawyer before you pay a deposit.