🇮🇹 Italy vs 🇬🇷 Greece: moving abroad in 2026
Italy and Greece side by side for a move in 2026 — 8 visa and residency routes between them, a comfortable month from $1,700, and how each system treats a new resident. Information with official sources, not advice.
Visa route figures checked against official government sources · July 2026
At a glance
The tinted cell marks the lower figure (or the higher care-standard label) — a factual comparison, not a recommendation. The right country depends on your situation.
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇬🇷 Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa & residency routes | 4 | 4 |
| Lowest income route | $2,800/molower | $3,750/mo |
| Lowest investment / deposit route | $290,000 | $290,000 |
| Second passport possible? | Yes — see routes | Yes — see routes |
| Comfortable month (one person) | $1,900–2,900 · Rome | $1,700–2,600 · Athenslower |
| Rent, 1-bed | $1,000–1,700 | $650–1,050lower |
| Healthcare system | Universal public | Public + private mix |
| Care standard | Stronghigher standard | Good |
| Private health cover | $50–110/mo | $50–120/mo |
The routes, side by side
The most accessible active program per route type. Full requirements and official sources are on each country's page.
Italy
- Digital nomadDigital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa$2,900/mo income
- RetirementElective Residence Visa$2,800/mo income
- InvestmentInvestor Visa (Startup Route)$290,000 investment
- AncestryCitizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)Italian parent or grandparent born in Italy (post-2025 reform: great-grandparent line generally no longer qualifies)
Greece
- Digital nomadDigital Nomad Visa$3,750/mo income
- RetirementFinancially Independent Person (FIP) Visa$3,750/mo income
- InvestmentGolden Visa (Real Estate)$290,000 investment
- AncestryCitizenship by Descent (Greek Ancestry)Greek parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent, evidenced by an unbroken chain of registration in a Greek municipality (dimos)
What living there costs
🇮🇹 Italy
- Comfortable month
- $1,900–2,900
- Rent (1-bed)
- $1,000–1,700
- Reference city
- Rome
- Private health cover
- $50–110/mo
Unmatched culture, cuisine and pace of life, with mid-size and southern towns far cheaper than the headline cities.
🇬🇷 Greece
- Comfortable month
- $1,700–2,600
- Rent (1-bed)
- $650–1,050
- Reference city
- Athens
- Private health cover
- $50–120/mo
Some of the lowest costs in the Eurozone outside the islands, plenty of sun, and an easygoing Mediterranean lifestyle.
Directional 2026 bands for the main expat city — a starting point, not a quote. Information only, not financial or medical advice.
Which one do you actually qualify for?
Run your income, savings, or heritage against every route in both countries — free, 2 minutes, nothing filed.
Weighing Italy against Greece?
Add your email for new Italy and Greece guides and a heads-up when either country's rules or figures change. We never file anything ourselves.
Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
Italy vs Greece: FAQ
Is Italy cheaper to live in than Greece?
Greece generally starts lower: about $1,700–2,600/month for one person around Athens, versus $1,900–2,900 in Italy around Rome. These are directional bands — the city you pick matters more than the flag.
Which is easier to qualify for, Italy or Greece?
On the published income bars alone, Italy's most accessible route starts lower — about $2,800/month versus $3,750/month. That's the entry figure, not a verdict: each government makes the actual eligibility decision.
Do both Italy and Greece have digital nomad visas?
Yes. Italy's Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa asks about $2,900/month; Greece's Digital Nomad Visa asks about $3,750/month. Both figures reset and drift with exchange rates — verify at the official source.
How does healthcare compare between Italy and Greece?
Italy runs a universal public system (Strong care standard; private cover about $50–110/month), Greece a public + private mix one (Good; about $50–120/month). Italy carries the higher care-standard label in our dataset. The labels are directional, not medical advice — resident access rules are on each country's page.
Are these figures official?
Every visa program and healthcare profile links its official source, and visa figures are 2026 USD-equivalents that drift with exchange rates and annual resets. Cost-of-living bands are directional estimates — no single source is authoritative for those. Treat this as a starting point for a shortlist — verify with the official source or a licensed advisor before acting on any of it.