Greece vs Portugal

Greece is ahead on cost of living, housing, infrastructure. Portugal is ahead on money & crypto, healthcare, language. Full criterion-by-criterion data below.

Verified Jul 15, 2026

Greece Portugal

Scoreboard

The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.

Portugal leads on 5 of 7

	Greece	Portugal
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)	★$766/mo i ELSTAT — Household Budget Survey 2023 Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method ELSTAT HBS 2023: average annual expenditure per person = €8,358.24 = €696.52/month (monetary purchases, excludes imputed owner rent). Subtracted the actual-rent component (~€24.6/person) → €671.9/person excl. rent × 1.1399 = $766. Same low-reading per-capita HBS basis as peers. Notes Greek monetary household consumption is genuinely depressed (ELSTAT reports it ~20.5% below 2008), so the per-capita figure lands near Czechia despite Greece feeling pricier in tourist zones. Rent shown separately.	$1,166/mo i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average). Notes National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
Rent: 1-bedroom (city avg)	★$604/mo i Spitogatos Property Index — Greece rental report Q4 2025 Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2025 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Spitogatos Q4 2025 metro-Athens average asking rent ~€10.2/m² × a ~52 m² one-bedroom → ~€530 → $604 at 1.1399. Asking prices, not transacted rents. Notes Wide spread: national average outside Attica ~€8.5/m² (~$485 for a 1-bed), while central/nomad-preferred Athens neighbourhoods and southern suburbs run €12–21/m² ($680–1,080+); islands spike seasonally. Rents rose sharply post-2021. The per-city rent matrices live on the city pages.	$1,020/mo i idealista/news — Portugal rental market report, May 2026 (asking rents) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of May 31, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method idealista national median asking rent May 2026 = €16.3/m². A central 1-bedroom of ~55 m² ≈ €897/month ≈ $1,020 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02). City medians: Lisbon €21.8/m², Porto €16.4/m². Notes National median across listed stock (asking, not transacted). Central Lisbon 1-beds run well above this (~€1,200+). Rents fell ~2.9% year-on-year in May 2026. idealista is the major national listing portal; INE/central-bank transaction series lag and were not used to keep the figure current.
Freelancer tax burden	30.9% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Law 5246/2025 income-tax scale + e-EFKA Class 1) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Standard freelancer scheme at €60,000, single (scheme gr-freelancer-standard): EFKA Class 1 = 3,006/yr (deductible); income tax on 56,994 via the 2026 scale (9/20/26/34/39%) = 15,528. Levies 18,534 → 30.9%. NOTE: a relocating new tax resident gets the 50% income-tax exemption (Article 5C, scheme gr-freelancer-newresident-50) for 7 years, cutting this to ≈13.5% — but the 30.9% standard figure is the unconditional, steady-state burden shown as the headline.	★30% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
Homicide rate	0.78/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=EL) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (0.78). Very low by global standards (world average ~5.8) and down over the series (1.29 in 2008 to 0.68–0.88 recently). One of the safer countries in the set.	★0.68/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
Internet speed	37 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Greece Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for GR in 2023 = 37.3 Mbps (268,076 download tests; daily medians ranged 21.3–47.3). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads below Ookla-style tests — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API. Notes Greece's fixed broadband is improving as fibre rolls out; the single-stream M-Lab median is used only for cross-country comparability on one consistent method.	★40 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle. Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
English proficiency	High i EF EPI 2025 — Greece (score 592, rank 20/123, High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Greece scores 592, rank 20/123 — top of the 'High' band, just below the 'Very High' threshold (~600); global average 488. English is widely functional in tourism, services and among younger Greeks, though the score slipped 10 points from the prior edition.	★Very high i EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
Private healthcare cost	$1,368/yr i Curated from Greek private insurers' comprehensive-tier plans (e.g. Ethniki Insurance) — market survey Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 15, 2026 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Midpoint of local comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) annual premiums for a healthy 35-year-old, €600–1,800 from major Greek insurers (mid-range €100–180/month) → ~€1,200/yr × 1.1399 = $1,368. Notes Public cover exists via EOPYY (funded through EFKA contributions), but waiting lists and gaps drive a large private market. Local plans run cheaper than international/expat plans ($2,000–4,000+/yr). Greek insurers raised premiums ~14% in 2025 — a rising curated midpoint, not a firm quote.	★$650/yr i Médis / Multicare / AdvanceCare / Allianz comprehensive (with-hospitalization) plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote. Notes Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.

Verdict

Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.

Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.

Portugal fits better — 3 of 5

	Greece	Portugal
Freelancer tax burden	30.9% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Law 5246/2025 income-tax scale + e-EFKA Class 1) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Standard freelancer scheme at €60,000, single (scheme gr-freelancer-standard): EFKA Class 1 = 3,006/yr (deductible); income tax on 56,994 via the 2026 scale (9/20/26/34/39%) = 15,528. Levies 18,534 → 30.9%. NOTE: a relocating new tax resident gets the 50% income-tax exemption (Article 5C, scheme gr-freelancer-newresident-50) for 7 years, cutting this to ≈13.5% — but the 30.9% standard figure is the unconditional, steady-state burden shown as the headline.	★30% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
Internet speed	37 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Greece Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for GR in 2023 = 37.3 Mbps (268,076 download tests; daily medians ranged 21.3–47.3). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads below Ookla-style tests — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API. Notes Greece's fixed broadband is improving as fibre rolls out; the single-stream M-Lab median is used only for cross-country comparability on one consistent method.	★40 Mbps i M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle. Notes M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
English proficiency	High i EF EPI 2025 — Greece (score 592, rank 20/123, High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Greece scores 592, rank 20/123 — top of the 'High' band, just below the 'Very High' threshold (~600); global average 488. English is widely functional in tourism, services and among younger Greeks, though the score slipped 10 points from the prior edition.	★Very high i EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)	★$766/mo i ELSTAT — Household Budget Survey 2023 Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method ELSTAT HBS 2023: average annual expenditure per person = €8,358.24 = €696.52/month (monetary purchases, excludes imputed owner rent). Subtracted the actual-rent component (~€24.6/person) → €671.9/person excl. rent × 1.1399 = $766. Same low-reading per-capita HBS basis as peers. Notes Greek monetary household consumption is genuinely depressed (ELSTAT reports it ~20.5% below 2008), so the per-capita figure lands near Czechia despite Greece feeling pricier in tourist zones. Rent shown separately.	$1,166/mo i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average). Notes National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
Domestic delivery quality	Good i Greek carrier networks (ELTA, ACS, BoxNow) — composite Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 15, 2026 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Dense mainland-city coverage: national couriers (ELTA post, ACS, Geniki Taxydromiki, Speedex) plus one of SE Europe's largest parcel-locker networks (BoxNow) and Skroutz Last Mile; cash-on-delivery ('αντικαταβολή') is mainstream. Athens/Thessaloniki are excellent, but ELTA's financial troubles and ferry-dependent island last-mile keep the national rating at 'good' rather than 'excellent'.	Good i CTT Correios de Portugal — express delivery times, coverage and Collectt/Locky network (official service pages) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost).

Relocating with a partner and school-age children.

Portugal fits better — 3 of 3

	Greece	Portugal
Homicide rate	0.78/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=EL) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (0.78). Very low by global standards (world average ~5.8) and down over the series (1.29 in 2008 to 0.68–0.88 recently). One of the safer countries in the set.	★0.68/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
Private healthcare cost	$1,368/yr i Curated from Greek private insurers' comprehensive-tier plans (e.g. Ethniki Insurance) — market survey Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 15, 2026 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Midpoint of local comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) annual premiums for a healthy 35-year-old, €600–1,800 from major Greek insurers (mid-range €100–180/month) → ~€1,200/yr × 1.1399 = $1,368. Notes Public cover exists via EOPYY (funded through EFKA contributions), but waiting lists and gaps drive a large private market. Local plans run cheaper than international/expat plans ($2,000–4,000+/yr). Greek insurers raised premiums ~14% in 2025 — a rising curated midpoint, not a firm quote.	★$650/yr i Médis / Multicare / AdvanceCare / Allianz comprehensive (with-hospitalization) plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote. Notes Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.
English proficiency	High i EF EPI 2025 — Greece (score 592, rank 20/123, High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Greece scores 592, rank 20/123 — top of the 'High' band, just below the 'Very High' threshold (~600); global average 488. English is widely functional in tourism, services and among younger Greeks, though the score slipped 10 points from the prior edition.	★Very high i EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band) Research Data as of Nov 1, 2025 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.

Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.

Portugal fits better — 3 of 3

	Greece	Portugal
Crypto regulation	Legal regulated i Law 5193/2025 (MiCA transposition) + AADE crypto tax guidance; supervised by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) and Bank of Greece Official source Data as of Apr 10, 2025 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Notes EU MiCA applies and was transposed by Law 5193/2025 (10 April 2025), with CASP licensing and EU passporting, supervised by HCMC and the Bank of Greece. Individual crypto capital gains are taxed at a flat 15% (from 1 Jan 2025), with a €500 annual tax-free threshold and 5-year loss carry-forward. Fully legal and now clearly regulated/taxed rather than a grey area.	★Legal friendly i Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo) Official source Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed.
Financial control level	Moderate i Bank of Greece (capital-controls abolition, 1 Sep 2019) + Greek Income Tax Code €500 cash-payment limit (AADE) Official source Data as of Dec 31, 2025 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Composite: EUR (eurozone), full EU free movement of capital; the 2015 crisis-era capital controls were fully lifted on 1 September 2019, so funds move abroad without restriction. Offsetting this: Greece has the STRICTEST cash-payment cap in the EU (€500 for consumer transactions; breaches fined at double the amount) plus routine AML/CASP reporting. The open capital account alone reads 'low', but the €500 everyday-cash restriction pulls the composite up to 'moderate'. Notes A 2025–26 proposal to cut the cap to €200 was withdrawn; the €500 limit remains.	★Low i ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital Official source Data as of Jul 4, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows.
Freelancer tax burden	30.9% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Law 5246/2025 income-tax scale + e-EFKA Class 1) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Standard freelancer scheme at €60,000, single (scheme gr-freelancer-standard): EFKA Class 1 = 3,006/yr (deductible); income tax on 56,994 via the 2026 scale (9/20/26/34/39%) = 15,528. Levies 18,534 → 30.9%. NOTE: a relocating new tax resident gets the 50% income-tax exemption (Article 5C, scheme gr-freelancer-newresident-50) for 7 years, cutting this to ≈13.5% — but the 30.9% standard figure is the unconditional, steady-state burden shown as the headline.	★30% i SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jan 1, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.

Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.

A close call for this plan

	Greece	Portugal
Homicide rate	0.78/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=EL) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (0.78). Very low by global standards (world average ~5.8) and down over the series (1.29 in 2008 to 0.68–0.88 recently). One of the safer countries in the set.	★0.68/100k i Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101) Open data Data as of Dec 31, 2024 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Notes Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)	★$766/mo i ELSTAT — Household Budget Survey 2023 Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method ELSTAT HBS 2023: average annual expenditure per person = €8,358.24 = €696.52/month (monetary purchases, excludes imputed owner rent). Subtracted the actual-rent component (~€24.6/person) → €671.9/person excl. rent × 1.1399 = $766. Same low-reading per-capita HBS basis as peers. Notes Greek monetary household consumption is genuinely depressed (ELSTAT reports it ~20.5% below 2008), so the per-capita figure lands near Czechia despite Greece feeling pricier in tourist zones. Rent shown separately.	$1,166/mo i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average). Notes National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.

Details

Taxes

CriterionGreecePortugal

Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile30.94.8305.0

What this measures

Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.

Lower is better· % effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile· re-verified every 365 days

Greece

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Law 5246/2025 income-tax scale + e-EFKA Class 1)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Jan 1, 2026
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Method: Standard freelancer scheme at €60,000, single (scheme gr-freelancer-standard): EFKA Class 1 = 3,006/yr (deductible); income tax on 56,994 via the 2026 scale (9/20/26/34/39%) = 15,528. Levies 18,534 → 30.9%. NOTE: a relocating new tax resident gets the 50% income-tax exemption (Article 5C, scheme gr-freelancer-newresident-50) for 7 years, cutting this to ≈13.5% — but the 30.9% standard figure is the unconditional, steady-state burden shown as the headline.

Portugal

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Jan 1, 2026
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Method: Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.

Legalization

CriterionGreecePortugal

Remote-work legalization easeDedicated nomad visa10.0Dedicated nomad visa10.0

What this measures

Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.

Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days

Greece

Hellenic Republic MFA — Digital Nomad Visa (Law 4825/2021)

Official source

Data as of: Jan 1, 2026
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Notes: Greece runs a dedicated digital-nomad visa (Law 4825/2021): a 12-month visa then a 2-year residence permit for non-EU remote workers earning ≥ €3,500/month net from abroad. Paired with the 50% new-resident income-tax exemption it is one of the EU's most marketed relocation deals for mid-income freelancers, though the income bar is higher than in Albania or Bulgaria. EU citizens simply register.

Portugal

AIMA — residence authorization for remote professional activity (Nómadas Digitais, Art. 88.º/1 Law 23/2007)

Official source

Data as of: Jul 4, 2026
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Notes: Portugal has a dedicated digital-nomad route (D8): a residence visa for remote professional activity carried out for entities outside Portugal (in force since 2022, Law 18/2022), leading to a 2-year residence permit renewable for 3 years and to permanent residence/citizenship after 5 years. A temporary-stay variant (under 1 year) also exists. Income requirement 4× the national minimum wage (4 × €920 = €3,680/month in 2026).

Cost of living

CriterionGreecePortugal

Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rent7668.71,1666.9

What this measures

Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.

Lower is better· USD/month, single person, excluding rent· re-verified every 365 days

Greece

ELSTAT — Household Budget Survey 2023

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Dec 31, 2023
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Method: ELSTAT HBS 2023: average annual expenditure per person = €8,358.24 = €696.52/month (monetary purchases, excludes imputed owner rent). Subtracted the actual-rent component (~€24.6/person) → €671.9/person excl. rent × 1.1399 = $766. Same low-reading per-capita HBS basis as peers.
Notes: Greek monetary household consumption is genuinely depressed (ELSTAT reports it ~20.5% below 2008), so the per-capita figure lands near Czechia despite Greece feeling pricier in tourist zones. Rent shown separately.

Portugal

INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (Inquérito às Despesas das Famílias), single-person households, CPI-uplifted

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Jun 30, 2026
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Method: INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
Notes: National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.

Monthly spending by category (excl. rent)

Category	Greece i ELSTAT — Household Budget Survey 2023, Table 1 (COICOP shares) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Dec 31, 2023 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method ELSTAT HBS 2023 Table 1 per-household monthly amounts, with €59.5 rent removed from the Housing line, each divided by household size 2.42 and converted at 1.1399. Items sum to ≈$766. Housing here is utilities/energy/water/maintenance only (rent excluded); Greek energy costs are relatively high, keeping that line large.	Portugal i INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (COICOP-2018 structure), CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method INE 2022/2023 COICOP-2018 expenditure shares (food 13.0%, transport 11.3%, restaurants & accommodation 8.3%, furnishings 4.4%, health 4.2%, information & communication 3.8%, personal care/misc 3.4%, recreation 2.9%, alcohol/tobacco 1.7%, clothing 1.2%; housing 41.7% split into ~9% utilities/upkeep kept and rent excluded) applied to the CPI-uplifted single-person monthly total (€1,618) and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Categories sum to the ~$1,166/mo excl-rent aggregate. National average. Notes Structure is the all-household COICOP-2018 split (INE does not publish a full single-person COICOP table); applied to the single-person total as a transparent approximation. Housing utilities are kept; rent/imputed rent is excluded per the cost-of-living definition.
Food & non-alcoholic beverages	$164	$240
Transport	$104	$208
Utilities (electricity, gas, water) & upkeep	—	$166
Restaurants & eating out	—	$153
Health (out-of-pocket)	$61	$77
Restaurants, cafes & hotels	$90	—
Utilities, energy, water & home upkeep (excl. rent)	$84	—
Household goods & equipment	—	$81
Information & communication	—	$70
Miscellaneous goods & services	$67	—
Personal care & misc goods	—	$63
Clothing & footwear	$37	$22
Alcohol & tobacco	$27	$31
Recreation, sport & culture	—	$53
Household durables & equipment	$35	—
Recreation & culture	$35	—
Communications	$34	—
Education	$27	—
Total (excl. rent)	$765/mo	$1,164/mo

Housing

Rent by apartment type

Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).

Apartment	Greece i SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Athens, Thessaloniki) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Mar 31, 2026 Verified Jul 15, 2026 Method Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Athens, Thessaloniki; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.	Portugal i SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Funchal, Lisbon, Porto) Curated by SettleMetric Data as of Jun 30, 2026 Verified Jul 4, 2026 Method Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Funchal, Lisbon, Porto; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
Studio	$381 ($309)	$917 ($677)
1-bedroom	$507 ($412)	$1,441 ($1,064)
2-bedroom	$762 ($618)	$2,095 ($1,548)
3-bedroom	$1,079 ($875)	$2,881 ($2,128)

Safety

CriterionGreecePortugal

Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/year0.89.40.79.6

What this measures

Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).

Lower is better· intentional homicides per 100,000/year· re-verified every 730 days

Greece

Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=EL)

Open data

Data as of: Dec 31, 2024
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Notes: Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (0.78). Very low by global standards (world average ~5.8) and down over the series (1.29 in 2008 to 0.68–0.88 recently). One of the safer countries in the set.

Portugal

Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)

Open data

Data as of: Dec 31, 2024
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Notes: Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.

Healthcare

CriterionGreecePortugal

Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old1,3687.66509.6

What this measures

Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.

Lower is better· USD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old· re-verified every 365 days

Greece

Curated from Greek private insurers' comprehensive-tier plans (e.g. Ethniki Insurance) — market survey

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Jul 15, 2026
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Method: Midpoint of local comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) annual premiums for a healthy 35-year-old, €600–1,800 from major Greek insurers (mid-range €100–180/month) → ~€1,200/yr × 1.1399 = $1,368.
Notes: Public cover exists via EOPYY (funded through EFKA contributions), but waiting lists and gaps drive a large private market. Local plans run cheaper than international/expat plans ($2,000–4,000+/yr). Greek insurers raised premiums ~14% in 2025 — a rising curated midpoint, not a firm quote.

Portugal

Médis / Multicare / AdvanceCare / Allianz comprehensive (with-hospitalization) plans — market midpoint; insurers quote on request

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Jul 4, 2026
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Method: Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
Notes: Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.

Money & crypto

CriterionGreecePortugal

Crypto regulationLegal regulated8.0Legal friendly10.0

What this measures

Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.

Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days

Greece

Law 5193/2025 (MiCA transposition) + AADE crypto tax guidance; supervised by the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) and Bank of Greece

Official source

Data as of: Apr 10, 2025
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Notes: EU MiCA applies and was transposed by Law 5193/2025 (10 April 2025), with CASP licensing and EU passporting, supervised by HCMC and the Bank of Greece. Individual crypto capital gains are taxed at a flat 15% (from 1 Jan 2025), with a €500 annual tax-free threshold and 5-year loss carry-forward. Fully legal and now clearly regulated/taxed rather than a grey area.

Portugal

Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo)

Official source

Data as of: Jan 1, 2026
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Notes: Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed.

Financial control levelModerate7.0Low10.0

What this measures

Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.

Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days

Greece

Bank of Greece (capital-controls abolition, 1 Sep 2019) + Greek Income Tax Code €500 cash-payment limit (AADE)

Official source

Data as of: Dec 31, 2025
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Method: Composite: EUR (eurozone), full EU free movement of capital; the 2015 crisis-era capital controls were fully lifted on 1 September 2019, so funds move abroad without restriction. Offsetting this: Greece has the STRICTEST cash-payment cap in the EU (€500 for consumer transactions; breaches fined at double the amount) plus routine AML/CASP reporting. The open capital account alone reads 'low', but the €500 everyday-cash restriction pulls the composite up to 'moderate'.
Notes: A 2025–26 proposal to cut the cap to €200 was withdrawn; the €500 limit remains.

Portugal

ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital

Official source

Data as of: Jul 4, 2026
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Method: Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows.

Infrastructure

CriterionGreecePortugal

Domestic delivery qualityGood7.0Good7.0

What this measures

Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.

Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days

Greece

Greek carrier networks (ELTA, ACS, BoxNow) — composite

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Jul 15, 2026
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Method: Dense mainland-city coverage: national couriers (ELTA post, ACS, Geniki Taxydromiki, Speedex) plus one of SE Europe's largest parcel-locker networks (BoxNow) and Skroutz Last Mile; cash-on-delivery ('αντικαταβολή') is mainstream. Athens/Thessaloniki are excellent, but ELTA's financial troubles and ferry-dependent island last-mile keep the national rating at 'good' rather than 'excellent'.

Portugal

CTT Correios de Portugal — express delivery times, coverage and Collectt/Locky network (official service pages)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Dec 31, 2025
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Method: National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost).

International delivery easeSeamless10.0Minor friction7.0

What this measures

Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.

Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days

Greece

EU single market / customs union membership (Greece) + integrator coverage

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of: Jul 15, 2026
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Method: Qualitative rating from EU membership: as an EU/Schengen customs-union member, intra-EU parcels move without customs or border VAT, so the bulk of European e-commerce is frictionless, and all major integrators (DHL, FedEx, UPS, ACS/Aramex) operate → 'seamless'. Minor caveats (not enough to downgrade): Greece is geographically peripheral (a day or two longer than core-EU hubs), non-EU imports clear customs normally, and island delivery adds domestic delay.
Notes: Intra-EU frictionless; the geographic periphery and islands add some transit time but not customs friction.

Portugal

European Commission — removal of the €150 customs duty exemption / temporary flat fee on low-value imports

Official source

Data as of: Jul 1, 2026
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Notes: Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market, all major carriers). Non-EU imports: the €150 duty-free threshold was removed on 2026-07-01 — a temporary flat €3/item duty applies to ≤€150 consignments (until the 2028 EU Customs reform); import VAT has applied from €0 since 2021 (IOSS collects it at checkout). Predictable but no longer duty-free — hence minor-friction.

Internet speedMbps, median fixed download37.33.4403.8

What this measures

Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.

Higher is better· Mbps, median fixed download· re-verified every 365 days

Greece

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Greece

Open data

Data as of: Dec 31, 2023
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Method: Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for GR in 2023 = 37.3 Mbps (268,076 download tests; daily medians ranged 21.3–47.3). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads below Ookla-style tests — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
Notes: Greece's fixed broadband is improving as fibre rolls out; the single-stream M-Lab median is used only for cross-country comparability on one consistent method.

Portugal

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal

Open data

Data as of: Dec 31, 2024
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Method: M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle.
Notes: M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.

Language

CriterionGreecePortugal

English proficiencyHigh7.0Very high9.0

What this measures

Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.

Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days

Greece

EF EPI 2025 — Greece (score 592, rank 20/123, High band)

Research

Data as of: Nov 1, 2025
Verified: Jul 15, 2026
Notes: Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Greece scores 592, rank 20/123 — top of the 'High' band, just below the 'Very High' threshold (~600); global average 488. English is widely functional in tourism, services and among younger Greeks, though the score slipped 10 points from the prior edition.

Portugal

EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)

Research

Data as of: Nov 1, 2025
Verified: Jul 4, 2026
Notes: Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.

Deep dives: taxes in Greece ·taxes in Portugal ·net-income calculator