Average Salary in Greece 2026 — Net Take-Home by Profession

TL;DR — Greece Salary Snapshot 2026

• Median gross full-time salary: ~EUR 1,150/month (paid over 14 salaries → ~EUR 16,100/year), per ELSTAT and Eurostat projected to 2026.
• Average gross full-time salary: ~EUR 1,500/month (~EUR 21,000/year over 14 payments) — pulled up by Athens, shipping, finance, and tech.
• Median net (single): roughly EUR 980/month after EFKA contributions and income tax.
• Top 3 highest-paid sectors: Shipping and maritime; finance and insurance; ICT and software.
• Top 3 cities by gross pay: Athens (Attica), Thessaloniki, Heraklion.
• Minimum wage 2026: ~EUR 920/month gross paid over 14 salaries, set by ministerial decision.
• Context: Wages are among the lower in the EU, youth unemployment remains high (~20%+), and the 14-salary system (12 months + Easter, summer, and Christmas bonuses) shapes annual pay.

Informational content, not financial or tax advice. Salaries vary by employer, experience, and city. Verify current rates locally before relying on any figure.

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1. Minimum Wage — Κατώτατος Μισθός 2026

• Minimum wage 2026 (indicative): ~EUR 920/month gross, paid over 14 salaries (so annual gross ~EUR 12,880).
• Daily wage equivalent (ημερομίσθιο): ~EUR 41/day for waged workers.
• The minimum wage is set by ministerial decision after consultation with social partners and has risen steadily from post-crisis lows.

Eligibility:

• All private-sector employees on a labour contract, pro-rated for part-time.
• The minimum applies before EFKA contributions and tax.
• Collective agreements (where in force) may set higher sector floors.

A large share of Greek workers sit near the minimum, which is why the median is well below the average.

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2. Median and Average Salaries

Greek pay is conventionally quoted as a monthly figure over 14 payments: 12 monthly salaries plus a Christmas bonus (one extra salary), an Easter bonus (half a salary), and a summer holiday allowance (half a salary).

• Median gross 2026 (estimated): ~EUR 1,150/month, ~EUR 16,100/year (14 payments).
• Average gross 2026 (estimated): ~EUR 1,500/month, ~EUR 21,000/year (14 payments).

The gap between median and average reflects a labour market with many low-paid service jobs and a smaller cluster of high earners in shipping, finance, and tech.

By sector (median gross EUR/month over 14 — 2026 indicative)

Source basis: ELSTAT, Eurostat structural earnings.

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3. Top-Paying Professions (Gross EUR/month over 14, annual in brackets)

Figures are gross before EFKA and income tax. Annual numbers assume the 14-salary convention.

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4. By City (Gross + CoL Index)

Athens (and Piraeus for shipping) carries the clearest wage premium; rents in central Athens have risen fast on short-let and digital-nomad demand.

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5. Tax and Social Security on Salary

Greek payroll combines EFKA social contributions with progressive income tax and a solidarity-history (now suspended for private income).

EFKA employee contributions

• ~13.87% of gross (pension ~6.67%, health ~2.55%, supplementary and other ~4.65%), within a contribution ceiling.
• Employer pays roughly an additional ~22% on top of gross.

Income tax (2026 indicative, applied on annual taxable income)

• 9% up to EUR 10,000
• 22% from EUR 10,000 to EUR 20,000
• 28% from EUR 20,000 to EUR 30,000
• 36% from EUR 30,000 to EUR 40,000
• 44% above EUR 40,000

Tax credits reduce liability for lower incomes and scale with the number of dependent children.

Real take-home (single, no special regime)

Because pay is spread over 14 instalments, the regular monthly amount is lower than (annual ÷ 12); the bonus months top it up.

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6. Expat-Specific Regime — Non-Dom and Employment Incentives

Greece runs several inbound tax incentives designed to attract talent and capital:

• Article 5C (relocating employees/self-employed): A 50% exemption on Greek employment or business income for up to 7 years for individuals who transfer their tax residence to Greece, were non-resident in 5 of the prior 6 years, and commit to stay. This roughly halves the taxable base on salary.
• Non-dom (Article 5A): Flat EUR 100,000/year lump-sum tax on foreign income for high-net-worth individuals investing in Greece — aimed at the wealthy, not typical employees.
• Pensioner regime (Article 5B): Flat 7% on foreign pension income for retirees transferring residence.

For a recruited professional, the Article 5C 50% exemption is the most relevant and can materially raise net pay for the eligible years.

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7. Negotiation Context

• 14 salaries: The default in the private sector — Christmas (1 salary), Easter (½), summer (½). Always clarify whether a quoted monthly figure is over 12 or 14.
• Bonus typical %: Modest in most roles; higher in shipping, finance, and senior tech.
• RSUs: Appearing at international tech presences in Athens and Thessaloniki.
• Meal/transport allowances: Common supplements.
• Holiday: Statutory ~20–22 working days, rising with tenure, plus public holidays.
• Youth context: With youth unemployment elevated, junior negotiating leverage is limited outside high-demand tech and maritime roles.

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8. Worked Example — Senior Software Engineer, EUR 56,000 Gross/Year, Athens

Standard taxation

• Gross per pay (over 14): EUR 4,000.
• Monthly-equivalent gross (÷12): ~EUR 4,667.
• EFKA (~13.87%, capped): ~EUR 575/month.
• Income tax withholding: ~EUR 1,340/month.
• Net monthly-equivalent: ~EUR 2,750.
• Rent (Athens 1-bed, Koukaki/Pangrati): ~EUR 650/month = ~24% of net.
• Savings target: 25% of net = ~EUR 690/month into ETFs.
• Discretionary: ~EUR 1,410/month.

Under Article 5C (50% income exemption)

• Taxable employment income is halved, cutting income tax sharply.
• Net monthly-equivalent rises toward ~EUR 3,250–3,350 for the eligible years — a strong incentive for relocating senior talent.

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9. Compared to Poland (Same Role)

At senior tech levels, Athens and Warsaw gross pay are similar in EUR, but Polish B2B IT delivers a higher net-after-rent. Article 5C narrows the gap for relocating professionals, and Greece adds strong lifestyle multipliers (climate, food, islands).

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10. Where to Look Up Data

• ELSTAT (Hellenic Statistical Authority, statistics.gr) — earnings and labour data.
• AADE (Independent Authority for Public Revenue, aade.gr) — income tax rules and inbound regimes.
• EFKA (e-efka.gov.gr) — social-security contribution rates.
• Ministry of Labour — minimum wage decisions.
• Eurostat — structural earnings and minimum-wage comparisons.
• Kariera.gr, Skywalker.gr, LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor — employer-reported pay.
• Levels.fyi — Athens tech total compensation.

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11. Polish Reader Angle — Pole Working in Greece

• Social security aggregation: ZUS years count toward Greek pension under EU Regulation 883/2004; EFKA reconciles totalisation.
• S1 form: Posted Polish workers can keep NFZ; the S1 lets dependants register with the Greek health system.
• AMKA and AFM: You need a Greek social-security number (AMKA) and a tax number (AFM) for payroll and most administrative steps.
• Double taxation: The Poland–Greece DTT credits Greek tax against Polish liability; once Greek tax-resident, Greece taxes worldwide income (or the Article 5C base if you qualify).
• 183-day rule: Crossing 183 days plus a Greek contract and home typically flips residency. Article 5C requires transferring tax residence to Greece.
• 14-salary planning: Budget around the lower regular month plus the bonus months — useful if you keep PLN obligations in Poland.
• Seasonality: Outside Athens, much hiring (tourism) is seasonal; plan income smoothing accordingly.

Sidebar — Tracking cross-border net income, cost of living, and savings rate: Freenance (freenance.io) is a multi-currency income and net-worth tracker that lets you log EUR salary alongside PLN expenses and see a single net-worth view across two jurisdictions.

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FAQ

What is a good salary in Greece for IT in 2026?

For Athens mid-level developers, EUR 2,300–2,800/month gross (over 14) is competitive. Senior engineers reach EUR 3,500–4,500, with international presences and the Article 5C regime improving net take-home.

What is the minimum wage in Greece in 2026?

The statutory minimum is ~EUR 920/month gross, paid over 14 salaries (so ~EUR 12,880/year), set by ministerial decision and rising from post-crisis lows.

What is the 14-salary system?

Greek private-sector pay is conventionally spread over 14 instalments: 12 monthly salaries plus a Christmas bonus (1 salary), an Easter bonus (½), and a summer allowance (½). Always check whether a quoted figure is over 12 or 14.

How does the Article 5C regime work?

Individuals who transfer their tax residence to Greece (and were non-resident in 5 of the prior 6 years) can exempt 50% of Greek employment or business income from tax for up to 7 years, roughly halving the taxable base on salary.

Do I pay tax in Poland if I move to Greece?

After becoming Greek tax-resident, Greece taxes your worldwide income, with Polish tax credited under the double-taxation treaty. Article 5C beneficiaries are taxed on the reduced base. Notify Polish authorities to avoid dual residency treatment.

Is the high youth unemployment a problem for hiring?

Youth unemployment remains elevated (~20%+), so junior leverage is limited outside high-demand sectors. Tech, shipping, and specialist healthcare are the clearest exceptions with strong demand and pay growth.

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12. Deeper Sector Spotlights

IT and software in Greece 2026

The Greek tech scene has grown quickly. Local product companies and scale-ups (Viva Wallet, Blueground, Workable, Skroutz, Beat legacy talent) pay EUR 2,300–3,500/month for mid-to-senior developers. International engineering presences (Microsoft's Greece data-center and engineering investment, Pfizer's Thessaloniki digital hub, TeamViewer, and others) plus remote-to-Greece contracts push senior total compensation toward EUR 4,000–4,500+ with equity. Athens and Thessaloniki are the main hubs; the Article 5C regime is actively used to repatriate Greek engineers and attract foreign talent. Premium 2026 skills: platform/SRE, ML engineers with production LLM stacks, and fintech/payments engineers.

Healthcare and medicine

Most doctors work in the ESY (national health system). Hospital specialists (eidikevmenoi) earn EUR 1,800–4,200/month including on-call (efimeries), with private practice possible in parallel. Junior/training doctors (eidikevomenoi) sit lower, around EUR 1,400–1,800. Nurses (nosileftes) in ESY earn EUR 1,100–1,800 with shift allowances. Public-sector pay scales constrain growth, and emigration of medical staff (including to Germany and the UK) keeps domestic shortages and upward pressure in specialist roles.

Shipping and maritime

Shipping is Greece's flagship industry, centered on Piraeus. Shore-based commercial, operations, chartering, and technical roles pay well above the national average — EUR 1,800 for juniors rising to EUR 5,500+ for senior operators and chartering managers — and many roles carry tax-efficient structures. The cluster of Greek shipowners, brokers, and maritime services makes this the highest-paying mainstream career path in the country.

Tourism, finance, and energy

Tourism and hospitality is the largest employer but sits near the minimum wage and is highly seasonal, concentrated on the islands and coast. Finance (Alpha Bank, Eurobank, Piraeus Bank, National Bank of Greece) pays analysts EUR 1,500 rising to EUR 4,500+ at senior grade in Athens. Energy — PPC (DEI) and a fast-growing renewables sector — lifts demand for grid, solar, and wind engineers, one of the better-paying growth areas outside Athens.

Sources

ELSTAT earnings and labour data; AADE income tax and inbound-regime guidance (Articles 5A, 5B, 5C); EFKA social-security contribution rates; Ministry of Labour minimum-wage decisions; Eurostat structural earnings and minimum-wage comparisons; OECD Taxing Wages; Kariera.gr, Skywalker.gr, Glassdoor and LinkedIn Salary employer-reported pay; Levels.fyi total compensation database.

Informational content, not financial or tax advice. Salaries vary by employer, experience, and city. Verify current rates locally before relying on any figure.