Pros and Cons of Moving to Greece
Living and moving to Europe can be much cheaper than most think. Greece is a good example of living the European life and owning a piece of European real estate. Greece has a lot going for it when it comes to tourism, summer getaways as well as retirement living. It is one of Europe’s most beaten paths along with France and Italy, but it’s a path not easily worn. Let’s briefly explore the pros and cons of moving to Greece.
Lower cost of living is one of the many reasons why it’s a good idea to purchase Greek real estate. Greece has one of the lowest costs of living in Europe which is at least 20% cheaper than the cost of living in the US. Renting an apartment prior to getting your own property costs 70% less than it would cost in the US. Expats working in Greece can make do with just $2000 a month.
However, to be able to work in Greece, it’s important to be able to speak Greek. It would be a struggle to find regular employment with English alone but for retirees, things should be okay. When moving, one must learn the local language anyway to fully enjoy life and engage in casual conversation.
Another wonderful pro about moving to the country and purchasing real estate Greece (https://www.bluehomes.com/Immobilien-Griechenland-kaufen+verkaufen/kat.html) is that Greeece allows foreigners to own land without much restriction and actually encourages it, to bolster their economic recovery. They a Golden Visa program wherein foreigners can invest a minimum of 250,000 euros or 280,000 dollars to own a property and get a renewable five-year residency permit. This allows qualified foreigners to enter and exit Greece without restrictions.
There are hardly any cons for this except that property prices will get very high the closer the property is to a well-known tourist destination. Also watch out for properties that might require extensive renovations.