Greece uses the euro. As of 2024, one euro equals approximately 1.10 United States dollars, though exchange rates fluctuate daily. ATMs dispense euros in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euro notes, though 200 and 500 euro notes are increasingly rare and often refused by merchants. Most Greek ATMs charge withdrawal fees between 2 and 5 euros per transaction for foreign cards. Banks in Greece include National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, Eurobank, and Piraeus Bank, all of which operate ATM networks across the country. Credit cards are widely accepted in Athens, Thessaloniki, and major tourist areas, but many small tavernas, rural businesses, and island shops operate cash-only. Contactless payment limits in Greece are 50 euros per transaction.
Budget accommodation in Athens averages 15 to 30 euros per night for a hostel dormitory bed in neighborhoods like Monastiraki, Psyrri, and Exarcheia. Private rooms in budget hotels in Athens range from 35 to 60 euros per night in areas such as Metaxourgio and Omonia. Mid-range hotels in Plaka and Syntagma Square charge 80 to 150 euros per night for a double room. Four-star hotels near the Acropolis cost 150 to 300 euros per night, while five-star properties like Hotel Grande Bretagne and King George Palace charge 350 to 800 euros per night. On Santorini, hostel beds in Fira cost 25 to 45 euros, mid-range cave hotels in Oia charge 150 to 400 euros, and luxury suites with caldera views cost 500 to 2,000 euros per night. Mykonos accommodation runs 30 to 50 euros for hostel beds, 100 to 250 euros for mid-range hotels in Mykonos Town, and 400 to 3,000 euros for beachfront resorts and villas. Crete offers lower prices: hostel beds in Heraklion cost 12 to 25 euros, family-run hotels charge 40 to 80 euros, and resorts in Elounda and Agios Nikolaos range from 120 to 500 euros per night. Rhodes Town hostels charge 15 to 30 euros, mid-range hotels near the old town cost 60 to 120 euros, and beach resorts charge 150 to 400 euros. Thessaloniki accommodation costs 20 to 35 euros for hostels, 50 to 100 euros for mid-range hotels, and 120 to 250 euros for upscale properties near Aristotelous Square. On smaller islands like Naxos, Paros, and Milos, expect 15 to 30 euros for hostel beds, 40 to 90 euros for simple hotels, and 100 to 250 euros for better properties. Corfu charges 20 to 40 euros for hostels, 70 to 150 euros for mid-range hotels, and 200 to 600 euros for luxury resorts. Rural guesthouses in Meteora, Delphi, and Olympia cost 35 to 80 euros per night. Airbnb rentals in Athens start at 30 euros for shared rooms and 50 to 120 euros for entire apartments. Camping at organized sites costs 8 to 15 euros per person per night, with additional charges of 5 to 10 euros for tent space and 3 to 8 euros for vehicle parking.
A meal at a basic taverna in Athens costs 8 to 15 euros for dishes like moussaka, pastitsio, or grilled chicken with rice. Souvlaki wraps from street vendors in Monastiraki and Syntagma cost 2.50 to 4 euros. Gyros pita costs 2.50 to 3.50 euros at shops like Kostas in Plaka and O Thanasis near Monastiraki Square. Greek salad at tavernas costs 5 to 8 euros for a large portion. Spanakopita or tiropita from bakeries costs 1.50 to 3 euros per piece. A plate of grilled octopus costs 12 to 18 euros at coastal tavernas. Fish priced by weight typically costs 45 to 70 euros per kilogram for sea bream and sea bass, resulting in dishes of 15 to 30 euros depending on size. Meze platters with tzatziki, taramasalata, melitzanosalata, and bread cost 8 to 14 euros. Traditional fasolada or lentil soup costs 4 to 7 euros. Dolmades cost 6 to 10 euros for a portion of six to eight pieces. A Greek coffee costs 1.50 to 3 euros at traditional kafeneions and 3 to 5 euros at tourist-oriented cafes. Freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino cost 2.50 to 4.50 euros. Bottled water costs 0.50 euros at supermarkets and 1 to 2 euros at restaurants. A 500ml beer at tavernas costs 3 to 5 euros for brands like Mythos, Alpha, and Fix. House wine by the carafe costs 5 to 8 euros per half liter. Ouzo costs 3 to 6 euros for 50ml. Mid-range restaurants in Athens charge 15 to 28 euros for main courses. Upscale restaurants in neighborhoods like Kolonaki charge 25 to 50 euros per main course. A full meal with appetizers, main course, dessert, and wine at a traditional psistaria costs 20 to 35 euros per person. Fast food chains like Goody's Burger House charge 6 to 9 euros for burgers with fries. Supermarkets like Lidl, AB Vassilopoulos, and Sklavenitis sell bread for 0.80 to 1.50 euros per loaf, feta cheese for 5 to 8 euros per kilogram, tomatoes for 1 to 2 euros per kilogram, olive oil for 5 to 10 euros per liter, and Greek yogurt for 2 to 4 euros per 500 grams. Prepared supermarket meals cost 3 to 6 euros.
Athens Metro single tickets cost 1.40 euros and are valid for 90 minutes across all metro lines, buses, trams, and trolleybuses within the city zone. A 24-hour ticket costs 4.50 euros, and a 5-day ticket costs 9 euros. Airport metro tickets to and from Athens International Airport cost 9 euros for single journeys and 16 euros for return tickets valid for 48 hours. Buses operated by KTEL connect Athens to destinations across mainland Greece. A bus from Athens to Thessaloniki costs 32 to 45 euros and takes approximately six hours. Athens to Delphi costs 16 to 20 euros with a journey time of three hours. Athens to Nafplio costs 14 to 18 euros over two and a half hours. Athens to Olympia costs 28 to 35 euros with a trip of five to six hours. Trains operated by Hellenic Train connect major cities. Athens to Thessaloniki by intercity train costs 25 to 55 euros depending on class and takes four and a half to five and a half hours. Athens to Patras costs 12 to 20 euros over three and a half hours. Ferries from Piraeus to Santorini cost 35 to 70 euros for economy deck seats on conventional ferries with journey times of seven to nine hours, and 60 to 120 euros for high-speed ferries taking four and a half to five and a half hours. Piraeus to Mykonos costs 30 to 65 euros for conventional ferries over five to six hours, and 55 to 110 euros for high-speed options taking two and a half to three and a half hours. Piraeus to Crete via Heraklion costs 35 to 75 euros for deck seats on overnight ferries lasting nine to ten hours. Rafina port to Mykonos costs 25 to 60 euros. Inter-island ferries between Cyclades islands like Santorini to Mykonos cost 30 to 75 euros and take two to three hours. Ferry companies include Blue Star Ferries, SeaJets, Golden Star Ferries, and Minoan Lines. Cabin upgrades on overnight ferries cost an additional 15 to 60 euros depending on cabin type. Vehicle transport on ferries costs 40 to 80 euros for cars under 4.25 meters. Domestic flights from Athens to Santorini cost 40 to 150 euros depending on season and booking time, with flight duration of 45 minutes. Athens to Crete flights cost 35 to 130 euros and take 50 minutes. Athens to Rhodes costs 45 to 160 euros over one hour. Airlines include Aegean Airlines, Olympic Air, and Sky Express. Taxi rates in Athens start at 1.30 euros with a daytime rate of 0.74 euros per kilometer and nighttime rate of 1.30 euros per kilometer between midnight and 5 AM. Minimum fare is 3.50 euros. Airport taxis to central Athens cost a flat rate of 38 euros during the day and 54 euros at night. Car rentals start at 20 to 35 euros per day for economy cars like Fiat Panda or Toyota Aygo, 35 to 60 euros for mid-size cars, and 60 to 120 euros for SUVs. International agencies include Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Europcar. Local agencies often offer lower rates. Gasoline costs approximately 1.80 to 2 euros per liter. Scooter and ATV rentals on islands cost 15 to 30 euros per day depending on engine size and season.
The Acropolis of Athens charges 20 euros for general admission from April to October and 10 euros from November to March. A combined ticket covering the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and Aristotle's Lyceum costs 30 euros in high season and 15 euros in low season, valid for five consecutive days. The Acropolis Museum charges 10 euros for general admission and 5 euros from November to March. Students from European Union countries enter for free with valid student ID. The Ancient Agora costs 10 euros individually or is included in the combined ticket. The Temple of Olympian Zeus costs 8 euros for separate entry. Delphi Archaeological Site and Museum charge 12 euros from April to October and 6 euros from November to March. Olympia Archaeological Site and Museum cost 12 euros in summer and 6 euros in winter. Epidaurus Ancient Theatre costs 12 euros in high season and 6 euros in low season. Knossos Palace in Crete charges 15 euros from April to October and 8 euros from November to March. The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion costs 12 euros in summer and 6 euros in winter. A combined ticket for Knossos and the museum costs 20 euros in high season and 12 euros in low season. Mycenae costs 12 euros for site entry including the Treasury of Atreus. The Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes costs 8 euros. Mystras Byzantine site costs 12 euros in summer and 6 euros in winter. Meteora monasteries charge 3 euros per monastery, meaning visiting all six active monasteries costs 18 euros total. Mount Athos requires a diamonitirion permit costing 25 euros for Orthodox visitors and 35 euros for non-Orthodox visitors, issued through the Mount Athos Pilgrims' Bureau in Thessaloniki. Beach access in Greece is generally free, though organized beaches with sunbeds and umbrellas charge 8 to 20 euros per set depending on location and season. Beaches on Mykonos and Santorini charge 15 to 40 euros for sunbed sets at popular spots. National parks like Olympus National Park, Parnassus National Park, and Vikos-Aoös National Park do not charge entrance fees. Samaria Gorge in Crete charges 5 euros entrance fee at the beginning of the trail. Guided walking tours in Athens cost 15 to 40 euros for group tours lasting two to three hours. Private guides charge 150 to 300 euros for half-day tours. Cooking classes in Athens cost 60 to 120 euros per person for three to four hour sessions. Wine tasting tours in Santorini cost 40 to 80 euros per person visiting three to four wineries. Catamaran cruises around Santorini cost 80 to 150 euros per person including meals. Day cruises to Delos and Mykonos from other islands cost 60 to 100 euros. Scuba diving introductory dives cost 60 to 90 euros, and full-day diving trips for certified divers cost 80 to 120 euros. Kayaking tours cost 40 to 70 euros for half-day trips. Horseback riding tours cost 35 to 60 euros for two hours.
A basic daily budget covering hostel accommodation, supermarket food, public transportation, and limited paid attractions ranges from 35 to 50 euros per day in Athens during low season and 45 to 65 euros during high season. On expensive islands like Santorini and Mykonos, the same budget level requires 50 to 80 euros per day. Mid-range budgets with private hotel rooms, restaurant meals twice daily, inter-city transportation, and regular site visits range from 80 to 130 euros per day on the mainland and 120 to 200 euros per day on premium islands. High-end budgets with upscale hotels, fine dining, private tours, and rental cars start at 250 to 400 euros per day. Greek ATMs accept cards from Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and Cirrus networks. Bank branches in Athens include National Bank of Greece headquarters at 86 Aiolou Street, Alpha Bank branches throughout Syntagma Square area, and Eurobank locations near Omonia Square. Exchange offices near tourist areas charge commission rates of 3 to 8 percent and offer less favorable exchange rates than ATMs. Travelers' checks are rarely accepted and difficult to exchange. Tipping in Greece is discretionary. Rounding up taxi fares by one to two euros is common. Restaurant bills do not include service charges, and leaving 5 to 10 percent is appreciated for good service, though not obligatory. Hotel porters receive one to two euros per bag. Tour guides receive 5 to 10 euros per person for group tours and 20 to 40 euros for private tours.