In short
Athens is the cheaper capital: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,500 a month, against about €2,150 in Madrid. Greece offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Spain offers Americans a digital nomad visa and a retirement visa. Citizenship takes about 7 years of residence in Greece and 10 in Spain. Every figure below is checked against official sources.
The verdict
Which Country Fits You?
Where one side is clearly better for most Americans, it gets the point — the rest depends on your plans.
Choose Greece if…
- You want residence through investment: Golden visa — €800,000 property in Athens and popular islands, €400,000 elsewhere, €250,000 to convert or restore a building; 5-year permit. Spain's is closed.
- You want lower costs — about €650 a month less for a single person with a central 1-bedroom in Athens.
- You want citizenship sooner: 7 years, B1 Greek and civics exam; dual citizenship allowed.
- You will run a company — corporate tax is 22%.
Choose Spain if…
- You work remotely and want the lower bar: Digital nomad visa — about €2,849 a month (€34,188 a year); permit up to 3 years.
- You live on a pension or savings and want the lower bar: Non-lucrative visa — €2,400 a month; no work at all, not even remote.
- You want to apply after arriving visa-free: for the digital nomad and entrepreneur permits — at the UGE, also during a visa-free stay.
Investor Residence
Only Greece Has an Open Golden Visa
| Greece | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Golden (investor) visa | Greece€800,000 property in Athens and popular islands, €400,000 elsewhere, €250,000 to convert or restore a building; 5-year permit✓ | SpainClosed since 3 April 2025 |
| Retirement / passive-income visa | GreeceFinancially independent person — €3,500 a month; no work | SpainNon-lucrative visa — €2,400 a month; no work at all, not even remote✓ |
| Apply from inside the country | GreeceNo — D visas from a Greek consulate before travel | SpainYes for the digital nomad and entrepreneur permits — at the UGE, also during a visa-free stay✓ |
Cost of Living
Athens Is About €650 a Month Cheaper
| Greece | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment, city centre | Greeceabout €665 (Athens)✓ | Spainabout €1,332 (Madrid) |
| 1-bed apartment, outside centre | Greeceabout €575 (Athens)✓ | Spainabout €1,066 (Madrid) |
| Everyday costs, single person (no rent) | Greeceabout €835 (Athens) | Spainabout €820 (Madrid) |
| Total a month — single, central 1-bed | Greeceabout €1,500 (Athens)✓ | Spainabout €2,150 (Madrid) |
Living costs: Numbeo estimates for the capital (2026), as shown with sources on each city guide and in the key facts below.
Settling In
Greece Leads to Citizenship Sooner
| Greece | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | GreeceLong-term residence after 5 years, with Greek language and civics | SpainLong-term residence after 5 years |
| Citizenship | Greece7 years, B1 Greek and civics exam; dual citizenship allowed✓ | Spain10 years for Americans, plus A2 Spanish and civics exams |
| Public healthcare | GreecePublic cover through social-security contributions; FIP and golden-visa holders need private insurance | SpainPublic SNS for workers; others can buy in after 1 year — €60 a month under 65 |
Tax & Business
Taxes & Company Rules
| Greece | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Special tax regime | Greece7% flat on all foreign income for retirees with a foreign pension, up to 15 years | SpainBeckham regime — 24% flat up to €600,000 for 6 years (incl. digital nomads) |
| Usual company | GreeceIKE — capital from €1; no notary with standard articles | SpainSL — capital from €1; online formation through CIRCE |
| Corporate tax | Greece22%✓ | Spain25% (23% or less for smaller companies, 15% for new ones) |
US citizens & Green Card holdersThe US still taxes you
Wherever you live, the US taxes its citizens on worldwide income. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000 at any time in the year.
Daily Life
Daily Life in Athens and Madrid
| Greece | Spain | |
|---|---|---|
| Population (capital) | GreeceAbout 643,000; 3.8 million in Attica | SpainAbout 3.5 million; 7.1 million in the region |
| Public transport (capital) | GreeceMonthly pass €27; metro to the airport €9 | SpainZone A monthly pass €32.70 (2026) |
| Nonstop flights to the US | GreeceAbout 10 hours nonstop from New York — year-round and seasonal routes | SpainIberia nonstop from 8 US cities, plus American, Delta, United |
| English | Greece20th in the world (EF 2025) | Spain36th in the world, "moderate" (EF 2025) |
| Currency | GreeceEuro | SpainEuro |
FAQ
Greece or Spain? Your questions
Is Athens or Madrid cheaper?
Athens is cheaper: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,500 a month there, against about €2,150 in Madrid (Numbeo, 2026). Rent for a central 1-bedroom is about €665 in Athens and €1,332 in Madrid.
How much do the Greece and Spain golden visas cost?
Greece: €800,000 property in Athens and popular islands, €400,000 elsewhere, €250,000 to convert or restore a building; 5-year permit. Spain has no open golden visa.
How long until I can get citizenship?
Greece: 7 years, B1 Greek and civics exam; dual citizenship allowed. Spain: 10 years for Americans, plus A2 Spanish and civics exams.
Do I still pay US taxes if I move?
Yes. The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000. Foreign tax credits and the treaties usually prevent paying twice on the same income.
Greece vs Spain: key factsLast verified 1 October 2026
| Greece: 1-bed apartment, Athens | about €665/month in the centre, €575 outside estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Athens (Sep 2026) |
|---|---|
| Greece: Living costs, single person (Athens) | about €835/month without rent estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Athens (Sep 2026) |
| Spain: 1-bed apartment, Madrid | about €1,332 a month in the centre, €1,066 outside (Numbeo, October 2026) estimate Source: Numbeo – Cost of Living in Madrid |
| Spain: Living costs, single person (Madrid) | about €820 a month without rent — about €2,150 with a central 1-bedroom estimate Source: Numbeo – Cost of Living in Madrid |
| Greece: Golden visa (real estate) | €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands over 3,100 residents; €400,000 elsewhere; one property of at least 120 m² Source: Law 5038/2023 art. 100 (Migration Code): golden visa real-estate thresholds |
| Greece: Golden visa: €250,000 option | Only for converting a commercial building to residential use or restoring a listed building — anywhere in Greece Source: Law 5038/2023 art. 100 (Migration Code): golden visa real-estate thresholds · Mitos (gov.gr): golden visa, change of use — initial issuance |
| Spain: Golden visa | Closed: Organic Law 1/2025 repealed the investor visa from 3 April 2025. Applications filed before that date are decided under the old rules, and existing holders can renew Source: Inversores – Unidad de Grandes Empresas (Ministerio de Inclusión) |
| Greece: Financially independent person (FIP) | €3,500 a month (€42,000 a year), +20% for a spouse and +15% per child; no work in Greece Source: TaxLaw Greece: residence permit for financially independent persons (Feb 2026) |
| Spain: Non-lucrative visa | Passive income or savings of 400% of IPREM — €2,400 a month or €28,800 a year in 2026 — plus €600 a month (€7,200 a year) per dependant; no work of any kind, including remote work Source: Consulate General of Spain in New York – Non-Working Residence Visa · Consulate General of Spain in Chicago – Non-Lucrative Residence Visa |
| Greece: Digital nomads: where to apply | At a Greek consulate before travel — applying inside Greece was abolished by Law 5275/2026 Source: Law 5275/2026 (Government Gazette A 17/06.02.2026) · PwC Greece: new immigration law 5275/2026 |
| Spain: Digital nomad permit length | Visa from a consulate for up to 1 year, or a residence permit of up to 3 years applied for inside Spain at the UGE (also during a visa-free stay), decided in 20 working days; renewals of 2 years with no overall cap Source: Regulación de la residencia de nómadas digitales (Sepin) · Consulate General of Spain in Houston – Telework Visa (Digital Nomad Visa) · Consulate General of Spain in Washington – Telework (Digital nomad) Visa |
| Greece: Long-term residence | After 5 years; absences of at most 6 months in a row and 10 months in total; Greek language and civics, income and insurance needed Source: AIDA (ECRE): long-term residence in Greece |
| Spain: Long-term residence | After 5 years of continuous legal residence (no absence over 6 months, 10 months in total), with health insurance and sufficient resources; card renewed every 5 years Source: Hoja 50 – Autorización de residencia de larga duración UE (Ministerio de Inclusión) |
| Greece: Citizenship | 7 years of legal, continuous residence (usually after long-term residence; 12 years on other permits); PEGP exam (B1 Greek + civics, €150); fee €550; dual citizenship allowed Source: Mitos (gov.gr): naturalisation of foreign nationals · gov.gr: PEGP naturalisation knowledge exam · US Department of State: dual nationality |
| Spain: Citizenship | 10 years of legal, continuous residence for Americans (2 for Ibero-American countries, Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea; 1 if married to a Spaniard), plus the DELE A2 Spanish and CCSE civics exams Source: Código Civil (BOE) arts. 22–23 · Instituto Cervantes – Nacionalidad española (DELE A2 y CCSE) |
| Greece: Healthcare | Public cover (EOPYY) comes through Greek social-security (EFKA) contributions; FIP and golden visa holders need private insurance Source: Argophilia: optional health insurance for third-country pensioners · TaxLaw Greece: residence permit for financially independent persons (Feb 2026) |
| Spain: Healthcare | Workers and the self-employed are covered by the public SNS; others can buy in through the Convenio Especial after 1 year on the padrón — €60 a month under 65, €157 from 65 Source: Convenio especial de prestación de asistencia sanitaria (Ministerio de Sanidad) |
| Greece: 7% regime for pensioners | If you receive a foreign pension, all your foreign income can be taxed at a flat 7% for up to 15 years; not tax resident in Greece in 5 of the previous 6 years; apply by 31 March Source: Income Tax Code art. 5B: 7% regime for foreign pensioners · PwC Tax Summaries: Greece — individual tax incentives |
| Spain: Beckham regime | 24% on employment income up to €600,000 (47% above) for the year of arrival plus 5 years, if you were not resident in the previous 5 years and move for a job, remote work (incl. the digital nomad visa), a directorship or an innovative business — not for non-lucrative visa holders. Optional: file Modelo 149 within 6 months of starting work Source: Artículo 93 Ley del IRPF (Iberley – consolidated text) · Modelo 149 – Instrucciones para cumplimentar la comunicación (Agencia Tributaria) |
| Greece: Usual company type | IKE (private company): capital from €1 or even zero; no notary needed with the standard articles Source: Law 4072/2012 art. 43: IKE capital · Law 4072/2012 art. 49: IKE formation document |
| Spain: SL (limited company) | Minimum capital €1 since October 2022, fully paid in; below €3,000, 20% of profits must go to a reserve and founders are liable for the shortfall up to €3,000 if the company is wound up Source: Uría Menéndez - La Ley Crea y Crece: menos trabas y costes para crear, operar y financiar negocios · Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2010, Ley de Sociedades de Capital (consolidated) |
| Greece: Corporate tax | 22% Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Greece — corporate income tax |
| Spain: Corporate tax | 25% standard; in 2026 companies under €10M turnover pay 23% and under €1M 19% on the first €50,000 and 21% above; new companies 15% for their first 2 profitable years and certified startups 15% for up to 4 Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries - Spain: Taxes on corporate income (reviewed 30 Jun 2026) |
| Greece: Population | Greece about 10.4 million (2025); Athens 643,000 and Attica 3.8 million (2021 census) Source: ELSTAT: estimated population 2025 · ELSTAT: 2021 census results |
| Spain: Madrid population | 3,497,277 (1 January 2026), about 19% foreign nationals; 7.11 million in the Madrid region Source: Ayuntamiento de Madrid – Padrón Municipal: Primeros resultados 2026 · Madrid Economía 2026 (Observatorio Económico, Ayuntamiento de Madrid) |
| Greece: Athens transport | 90-minute ticket €1.20; monthly pass €27; metro to the airport €9 (about 40 minutes from Syntagma) Source: OASA: Athens ticket prices · STASY: metro line 3 timetable |
| Spain: Madrid transport pass | Zone A monthly pass €32.70 in 2026 (40% subsidy on €54.60), €10 under 26, free from 65; discounts confirmed to 31 December 2026 Source: Xataka Móvil – Madrid confirma precios del abono transporte para 2026 · Merca2 – La bonificación del transporte público en Madrid extiende su descuento hasta final de año |
| Greece: Flights from the US | About 10 hours nonstop from New York — year-round on Emirates, seasonal from many US hubs Source: The National Herald: US cities with nonstop flights to Athens |
| Spain: Flights from the US | Iberia flies nonstop to Madrid from New York (JFK and Newark), Boston, Miami, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco; American, Delta, United and Air Europa add more, and United also flies Newark to Barcelona, Málaga, Palma, Bilbao and Santiago (some seasonal) Source: BoltFlight – Iberia evaluates four new nonstop US routes (21 Jul 2026) · Aviación al Día – United Airlines … new cities in Spain for summer 2026 |
| Greece: English | EF English Proficiency Index 2025: 20th worldwide ("high") Source: EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Greece |
| Spain: English | 36th of 123 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index 2025 (moderate) Source: Majorca Daily Bulletin – Balearics fails its English test again (EF EPI 2025) |
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