GreeceBudget & Costs · Greece
Greece Trip Cost: What a Week in Greece Really Costs in 2026
Greece trip cost explained: daily budgets from €60, ferry and hotel prices, plus 7-day totals for budget, mid-range and comfort trips in 2026.
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In this guide
A week in Greece costs about €60 to €80 per person per day on a tight budget, €90 to €160 mid-range, and €220 plus for comfort, excluding international flights. Those bands come from 2026 price guides that track real bookings across the mainland and islands (Far Guides 2026 breakdown, retrieved September 2026). Your exact total turns on three choices: which islands you visit, which month you go, and how many ferries you take. Get those three right and Greece still sits among the best value destinations in the Mediterranean.
How much does Greece cost per day?
Plan by travel style first, then adjust for the island. The bands below cover everything you spend after landing: rooms, food, transport inside Greece and activities. They line up with the 2026 Greek islands budget survey (retrieved September 2026), which puts mid-range travel at €120 to €160 a day.
| Travel style | Per person per day | Typical room | Typical food |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tight budget | €60 to €80 (about $65 to $85, £50 to £70) | Hostel dorm or basic studio | Bakeries, gyros, one taverna meal |
| Mid-range | €90 to €160 (about $100 to $175, £75 to £135) | 3 star hotel or island apartment | Taverna lunch plus a sit-down dinner |
| Comfort | €220 to €350 (about $240 to $380, £185 to £295) | 4 star or boutique hotel | Restaurant dinners with wine, paid activities |
These are mainland and mid-tier island prices. Santorini and Mykonos add roughly 40 to 60% on rooms and 20 to 40% on food, so a budget traveller on Santorini in August can outspend a mid-range traveller on Naxos in May. Browse our Greece travel guides before locking in islands, since the island tier shapes every line of the budget that follows.
None of these daily figures include the flight to Greece. Returns from European cities run about €60 to €150 in shoulder season and €150 to €300 in peak season, with Athens almost always cheapest to reach.
How much do ferries cost in Greece?
Ferries are the swing cost of any island trip. Tickets run from about €8 for a short hop to over €100 for a long high-speed crossing, and the count of crossings matters more than any single fare. Each extra island adds a ticket per person plus transfers and half a day of travel.
The price gap between slow and fast boats is wide. A conventional ferry is the slower ship class on Greek routes: bigger vessels, steadier rides, open decks, and fares roughly half the high-speed price. High-speed catamarans halve the journey time at about double the cost (Far Guides 2026 breakdown, retrieved September 2026).
| Route | Slow ferry | High-speed ferry |
|---|---|---|
| Piraeus to Naxos | €28 to €38 (5.5 hours) | €45 to €65 (3.5 hours) |
| Piraeus to Santorini | €35 to €65 (up to 8 hours) | €55 to €110 (about 5 hours) |
| Piraeus to Mykonos | €28 to €55 (about 5 hours) | €55 to €88 (about 3 hours) |
| Piraeus to Crete (Heraklion, overnight) | €28 to €45 | No fast option |
| Paros to Naxos | €8 to €14 | €12 to €18 |
A two-island trip with a return to Athens adds roughly €80 to €200 per person in ferry fares. A three-island loop adds €150 to €300. Book summer crossings ahead through Ferryhopper, since good sailing times sell out. Before booking any long crossing, check domestic flights too. A short Athens to island hop often costs €60 to €75 in summer when booked early (2026 Athens and island prices, retrieved September 2026). That can match a fast ferry while saving half a day. Our Greece itineraries keep island counts low for exactly this reason.
How much do hotels cost in Athens and on the islands?
Rooms decide the budget more than any other line. Prices can double or triple between May and August on the same island, and the island tier shifts every band at once.
In Athens in July, a no-frills hotel room runs about €90 a night (about $97, £76). A dorm bed in a well-rated hostel costs around €45 (2026 Athens prices, retrieved September 2026). See our mainland Greece and island overviews if you plan to split nights between the city and the coast.
On mid-tier islands such as Naxos, Paros, Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, budget guesthouses run €45 to €90 a night in summer and mid-range hotels €90 to €180. Quieter islands such as Anafi or Skyros dip lower, near €70 to €80 even in July. Santorini and Mykonos sit apart: €100 to €180 budget, €200 to €380 mid-range, and caldera-view suites past €1,000 a night in July.
Apartments often beat hotels for groups. A one-bedroom flat on Paros or Naxos costs €60 to €100 a night in shoulder season, and a Crete villa with a pool for four to six runs €120 to €200.
The Climate Crisis Resilience Fee is a nightly charge Greece adds per room on top of the booked rate, collected at the property, usually at check-out. From April to October expect €2 for 1 to 2 star rooms, €5 for 3 star, €10 for 4 star and €15 for 5 star, plus €8 to €15 for most short-term rentals (current fee tables, retrieved September 2026). Winter rates fall to a fraction of those. On a week in a 3 star hotel in September that adds €35, small but worth knowing before you arrive.
Slow conventional ferries cost far less than high-speed boats on the same route.
How much does food cost in Greece?
Food is the steadiest line in the budget and the easiest to control. Eat where locals eat and Greece feeds you well for less than almost anywhere else in Western Europe. Pay for the view and the same meal can cost triple.
A gyros or souvlaki wrap costs €2.50 to €5 (about $3 to $5.50, £2 to £4.25) anywhere in the country and counts as a full meal (2026 food prices, retrieved September 2026). Bakery pies run €2 to €3.50: spanakopita, tiropita and bougatsa from a fournos make a breakfast that keeps you going past noon. A freddo espresso or cappuccino costs €2.50 to €3.50, or €4 to €5 at a smart Athens spot.
A full taverna meal costs €12 to €18 per person at a neighbourhood spot on the mainland or a backstreet island taverna. That means a salad plus a main such as moussaka or grilled meat, with bread and a half-litre carafe of house wine (Far Guides 2026 breakdown, retrieved September 2026). The same meal runs €20 to €30 at a waterfront tourist restaurant, and €35 to €50 on Santorini with a caldera view. House wine by the carafe costs €5 to €11 and local beers €3 to €5. Cocktails run €8 to €15 in Athens but €18 to €30 on Mykonos and Santorini. Read our Greek food guide for what to order.
A home-style moussaka in the making. Taverna portions of the finished dish run €10 to €15.
Fresh fish is the one menu item that breaks budgets, priced by the kilo at €40 to €70. A grilled portion with sides can reach €25 to €35 per person, so always ask the price before ordering.
Daily food totals land near €20 to €35 per person on bakeries, gyros and one taverna meal. Two sit-down meals plus wine run €45 to €70. Three restaurant meals with a splurge or two reach €80 to €120.
Find experiences for your Greece trip
If you book through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.How much do sights and activities cost?
Beaches, harbours, villages and old towns cost nothing, which keeps this line lower than most travellers expect. Paid sights cluster in Athens and at the big archaeological sites.
The Acropolis costs €30 in high season (about $32, £26), with timed entry slots that sell out summer mornings. Book days ahead on the official platform and aim for the 8am opening (2026 ticketing details, retrieved September 2026). Note that the old €30 combination ticket covering six extra sites ended in April 2025. Those sites now charge separately at roughly €5 to €20 each, so a museum-heavy Athens stay adds up faster than older guides suggest. The Acropolis Museum charges about €20 (about $22, £17) on top.
Delphi and Olympia cost about €12 each, Knossos about €15, and most small museums €4 to €8. EU citizens under 25 enter state sites free with ID, with free days for everyone on fixed dates.
Island activities run €20 to €100 per person. A Delos day trip from Mykonos costs about €20 to €35 including entry. A Santorini caldera sunset cruise runs €75 to €120, a Milos full-day boat trip €60 to €95, and food tours €55 to €90. Beach sunbeds surprise first-timers at €10 to €30 per person on organised beaches, though public sand stays public and your own towel is always free.
Delos runs as a day trip from Mykonos, with the boat and entry costing about €20 to €35 together.
Is the mainland cheaper than the islands?
Yes, clearly. Mainland Greece, meaning Athens, the Peloponnese, Thessaloniki and the north, prices much like Portugal or southern Spain. Mid-tier islands cost a visible step more, and Santorini plus Mykonos price like the French Riviera.
The same salad, grilled dish, bread and wine that costs €12 in a Peloponnese taverna runs about €20 on Naxos and €35 on Santorini. Car hire shows the same split: €30 to €50 a day in shoulder season on the mainland, €40 to €70 plus on islands in August, with fuel near €1.70 a litre everywhere. Scooters run €15 to €35 a day, though island roads punish careless riders, so wear the helmet.
The cheapest trip shape is Athens plus one larger island such as Crete or Corfu. Lefkada connects to the mainland by bridge, which removes ferry fares entirely. The Ionian islands, Crete and the Sporades hold steadier prices than the Cyclades, since local life still sets the pace there.
Chania on Crete. Larger islands spread tourists wider, which keeps rooms and tavernas cheaper.
What does a 7-day trip to Greece cost in total?
These three totals assume summer travel, two people sharing rooms, a few days in Athens plus one island, and no international flights. They track the 2026 one-week cost breakdown (retrieved September 2026), adjusted with the ferry fares above.
| Item (per person) | Tight budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms (6 nights, shared) | €210 to €295 | €450 to €850 | €900 to €1,400 |
| Food and drink (7 days) | €175 to €245 | €315 to €455 | €560 to €840 |
| Ferries or flights plus local transport | €60 to €150 | €150 to €220 | €200 to €300 |
| Sights and activities | €20 to €40 | €80 to €150 | €150 to €300 |
| Climate fee share | €10 to €20 | €15 to €35 | €30 to €60 |
| Total per person | €465 to €730 | €1,085 to €1,615 | €1,850 to €2,900 |
Budget means dorms or basic studios, bakeries and gyros with a few taverna dinners. Mid-range means 3 star hotels, tavernas most days and one paid outing. Comfort means 4 star rooms, restaurants nightly and activities most days. Add Santorini or Mykonos in August to any column and expect roughly €400 to €800 more per person.
Stretch the trip to ten or fourteen days and the maths stay linear except for transport. A second week of rooms and food simply doubles, but extra islands add fresh ferry legs, so slow down instead of adding stops. Our Greece budget advice and Greece travel tips cover the booking tactics, and comparing other European trip costs puts these totals in context.
When should you go to spend less?
The shoulder season is May to early June plus September to October: open businesses, warm seas and rooms roughly 30 to 50% below August. September suits beach trips best, since the water holds summer heat while prices fall.
July and August bring guaranteed sun with the highest rates, the fullest ferries and midday heat that occasionally closes the Acropolis for hours. If August is your only window, book rooms months ahead and pick one island rather than three. Winter is cheapest but many island businesses shut, so keep cold-month trips to Athens and the mainland.
A week split between Athens and one mid-tier island in September delivers tavernas, ruins, beaches and boat days for less than a long weekend on Mykonos in August. Pick the shoulder season and stay put a little longer.
Know before you go
Greece at a glance
Best time to visit
May to June, September to October
- January: cool, some showers
- February: cool, some showers
- March: mild, some showers
- April: mild, mostly dry
- May: warm, some showers
- June: hot, some showers
- July: hot, mostly dry
- August: hot, mostly dry
- September: warm, some showers
- October: warm, mostly dry
- November: mild, some showers
- December: mild, some showers
Mostly dry Some showers
- Capital
- Athens
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- Greek
- Time zone
- EET, UTC+2
- Plugs
- Type C / F, 230 V
- Driving
- On the right
Emergency112
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 7-day trip to Greece cost?
Excluding international flights, about €465 to €730 per person on a tight budget, €1,085 to €1,615 mid-range, and €2,200 plus if Santorini or Mykonos is included in peak season. The island you pick and the month you travel move the total more than anything else.
Is Greece expensive compared to the rest of Europe?
Mainland Greece and mid-tier islands sit below France, Italy and Spain on most daily costs, with cheaper food and rooms. Santorini and Mykonos are the exception and match or beat the priciest Mediterranean destinations in July and August.
Are ferries or flights cheaper between Athens and the islands?
Slow conventional ferries are usually cheapest (€28 to €65 from Piraeus to the Cyclades), while high-speed ferries (€45 to €110) often cost about the same as a budget domestic flight (€60 to €75 booked early). Check both before you book, since flights save half a day.
What is the nightly hotel fee in Greece?
Greece charges a Climate Crisis Resilience Fee per room per night, paid at the property on top of the booked rate. From April to October it is €2 for 1 to 2 star hotels, €5 for 3 star, €10 for 4 star and €15 for 5 star. Rates drop sharply from November to March.
When is the cheapest time to visit Greece?
May, early June, late September and October give the best balance of open businesses, warm seas and prices roughly 30 to 50% below August. July and August bring the highest hotel rates, full ferries and the strongest crowds.
How much spending money do you need per day in Greece?
Once rooms are paid, about €30 to €70 a day covers food, local transport and entry fees on a careful budget, and €80 to €120 mid-range. Fresh fish priced by the kilo and beach clubs with paid sunbeds are the two costs that catch people out.
Useful links (5)
- How much does it cost to travel in Greece, Far Guides 2026— farguides.com
- Is Greece expensive to visit in 2026, Urban and Beyond— urbanandbeyond.co.uk
- How to visit the Acropolis and Parthenon, updated for 2026, EarthTrekkers— earthtrekkers.com
- Greece travel budget 2026, Greek Island Info— greekislandinfo.com
- Athens travel essentials and the Climate Crisis Resilience Fee, Way4i— way4i.com
Photo credits
Thank you to Leeturtle, Jules Verne Times Two, Key West Wedding Photography, Geraki and Moonik for sharing these beautiful photographs and helping bring this guide to life.
Editorial byline
Emma Collins Croatia, Greece and Turkey editor
Emma covers Croatia, Greece and Turkey for Epic Trip Ideas: city breaks, island hops, ferry routes, where to eat and what a trip really costs. Emma Collins is a pen name the Epic Trip Ideas editors use for Croatia, Greece and Turkey; every guide is checked against official sources before it goes live.
