Operating Costs in Greece (2025–2026)

What International Companies Should Know About Labour, Energy, Office, and Regulatory Costs Before Expanding to Greece

Executive Summary

Operating costs remain one of Greece’s strongest competitive advantages for foreign companies evaluating nearshore, SSC or BPO expansion. In 2025, Greece sustained a favourable cost structure across labour, office space, utilities and employer contributions, providing stability for strategic multi-year planning. As more DACH, EU and US companies compare Greece with Portugal, Spain, Poland and Romania, Greece continues to stand out for cost predictability and overall resilience.

1. Labour Costs Remain Highly Competitive

Wage Levels 
Salary levels for multilingual CX, Finance, HR, SSC Support and IT Junior/Mid roles remain significantly lower than in Western Europe.

Total Employer Cost
Employer social contributions in Greece remain stable, allowing long-term cost forecasting.
Source: Eurostat – Labour Market Overview
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/labour-market

Talent Availability
A large pool of young professionals (approx. 64,000 graduates annually) supports team expansion at scale.

2. Office Rental Costs: Athens vs Thessaloniki

Athens (CBD)
Approx. €21–€28 per m² Suitable for companies wanting proximity to embassies, financial institutions, and major business clusters.

Thessaloniki
Approx. €12–€16 per m² Lower operating costs, strong access to German-speaking talent, and growing SSC presence.
Source: Bank of Greece – Real Estate Market Indicators
https://www.bankofgreece.gr/en/statistics/real-estate-market

Why Companies Split Teams Between Cities 

• Larger talent pool
•  Cost optimisation 
•  Risk diversification 
•  Strong talent retention in Thessaloniki

3. Energy & Utilities Costs (Stabilised Compared to 2024)

After the volatility of 2022–2023, energy prices in 2024–2025 stabilised and saw a moderate downward trend. This stability supports companies looking for predictable monthly operational costs.
Source: Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) – Statistics
https://www.rae.gr/statistics/

4. Corporate Tax & Compliance Costs

Corporate Tax
Corporate tax in Greece remains stable.

Digital Government Improvements
ERΓΑΝΗ, AADE and GEMI digital platforms significantly reduced the time required for new company registration, payroll updates and compliance tasks.

Why This Matters
Regulatory predictability reduces setup time, legal overhead and administrative cost.

Source: Enterprise Greece – Invest in Greece
https://www.enterprisegreece.gov.gr/en/invest-in-greece

5. Greece vs Alternative EU Nearshore Markets

Compared with Portugal & Spain

• Lower salary levels
• Lower office rental costs
• Higher availability of German-speaking talent 

Compared with Poland & Romania 

•  Better cultural alignment for DACH companies 
•  More stable employer contribution levels
• Stronger hybrid-work acceptance 

Compared with Italy 

• Lower labour cost
• Fewer bureaucratic barriers due to digitalisation

6. Risks to Consider

• Competition for German-speaking specialists during Q2–Q3 
•  Possible upward movement in energy prices depending on global markets
• Need for reliable local HR, payroll and compliance support

Outlook for 2026

Operating costs in Greece are expected to remain stable, with competitive salaries, predictable employer contributions and lower office rental costs compared with most Southern EU and Western EU markets. For international companies seeking long-term predictability and scalable talent access, Greece remains a top European contender.

Verified Sources (Working URLs)

Eurostat – Labour Market Overview 
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/labour-market

Bank of Greece – Real Estate Market Indicators
https://www.bankofgreece.gr/en/statistics/real-estate-market 

 Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) – Statistics
https://www.rae.gr/statistics/

Enterprise Greece – Invest in Greece
https://www.enterprisegreece.gov.gr/en/invest-in-greece