In short
Athens is the cheaper capital: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,500 a month, against about €2,185 in Lisbon. Portugal offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Greece offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Citizenship takes about 10 years of residence in Portugal and 7 in Greece. 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 Portugal if…
- You live on a pension or savings and want the lower bar: D7 visa — passive income from €920 a month (2026).
- You will run a company — corporate tax is 19% in 2026, falling to 17% by 2028.
- You are a founder: Startup Visa — accepted by an IAPMEI-certified incubator.
Choose Greece if…
- You want lower costs — about €680 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 work remotely and want the lower bar: Digital nomad visa — €3,500 net a month; 12-month visa, then a 2-year permit.
Investor Residence
Both Offer Open Golden Visas
| Portugal | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Golden (investor) visa | PortugalGolden visa — €500,000 in funds or a company, €250,000 for culture; real estate closed since 2023 | Greece€800,000 property in Athens and popular islands, €400,000 elsewhere, €250,000 to convert or restore a building; 5-year permit |
| Retirement / passive-income visa | PortugalD7 visa — passive income from €920 a month (2026)✓ | GreeceFinancially independent person — €3,500 a month; no work |
| Apply from inside the country | PortugalNo — enter on the right visa; a tourist stay cannot be turned into residence | GreeceNo — D visas from a Greek consulate before travel |
Cost of Living
Athens Is About €680 a Month Cheaper
| Portugal | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment, city centre | Portugalabout €1,425 (Lisbon) | Greeceabout €665 (Athens)✓ |
| 1-bed apartment, outside centre | Portugalabout €1,063 (Lisbon) | Greeceabout €575 (Athens)✓ |
| Everyday costs, single person (no rent) | Portugalabout €760 (Lisbon)✓ | Greeceabout €835 (Athens) |
| Total a month — single, central 1-bed | Portugalabout €2,185 (Lisbon) | Greeceabout €1,500 (Athens)✓ |
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
| Portugal | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | PortugalAfter 5 years, with A2 Portuguese | GreeceLong-term residence after 5 years, with Greek language and civics |
| Citizenship | Portugal10 years since May 2026 (7 for some nationalities) | Greece7 years, B1 Greek and civics exam; dual citizenship allowed✓ |
| Public healthcare | PortugalLegal residents can use the public SNS | GreecePublic cover through social-security contributions; FIP and golden-visa holders need private insurance |
Tax & Business
Taxes & Company Rules
| Portugal | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | Portugal12.5% to 48% (2026) | Greece9% to 44% (top rate above €60,000) |
| Special tax regime | PortugalIFICI — 20% flat for 10 years on qualifying skilled jobs; not for pensions | Greece7% flat on all foreign income for retirees with a foreign pension, up to 15 years |
| Usual company | PortugalLda — capital from €1; same-day formation | GreeceIKE — capital from €1; no notary with standard articles |
| Corporate tax | Portugal19% in 2026, falling to 17% by 2028✓ | Greece22% |
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 Lisbon and Athens
| Portugal | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Population (capital) | PortugalAbout 576,000; 2.9 million in the metro area | GreeceAbout 643,000; 3.8 million in Attica |
| Public transport (capital) | PortugalNavegante pass €40 (metro area) or €30 (Lisbon only) | GreeceMonthly pass €27; metro to the airport €9 |
| Nonstop flights to the US | PortugalTAP nonstop from 8 US cities, plus United and Delta | GreeceAbout 10 hours nonstop from New York — year-round and seasonal routes |
| Currency | PortugalEuro | GreeceEuro |
FAQ
Portugal or Greece? Your questions
Is Lisbon or Athens cheaper?
Athens is cheaper: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,500 a month there, against about €2,185 in Lisbon (Numbeo, 2026). Rent for a central 1-bedroom is about €1,425 in Lisbon and €665 in Athens.
How much do the Portugal and Greece golden visas cost?
Portugal: Golden visa — €500,000 in funds or a company, €250,000 for culture; real estate closed since 2023. Greece: €800,000 property in Athens and popular islands, €400,000 elsewhere, €250,000 to convert or restore a building; 5-year permit.
How long until I can get citizenship?
Portugal: 10 years since May 2026 (7 for some nationalities). Greece: 7 years, B1 Greek and civics exam; dual citizenship allowed.
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.
Portugal vs Greece: key factsLast verified 1 October 2026
| Portugal: Lisbon rent | 1-bedroom about €1,425 a month in the centre and €1,063 outside (Numbeo, September 2026) Source: Numbeo: Cost of living in Lisbon |
|---|---|
| Portugal: Lisbon living costs | A single person spends about €760 a month without rent — about €2,185 with a central 1-bedroom (Numbeo, September 2026) Source: Numbeo: Cost of living in Lisbon |
| 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) |
| Portugal: Golden visa (ARI) | Five routes in 2026: €500,000 in qualifying non-real-estate funds, €500,000 research, €250,000 culture, €500,000 company capital with 5 jobs, or 10 jobs; real estate and €1.5M capital transfer closed since October 2023 Source: Lei 23/2007 consolidated text (PGD Lisboa) art. 3 · Lei 56/2023: Diário da República |
| 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 |
| Portugal: D7 passive income visa | Passive income of at least €920 a month in 2026 (+50% for a spouse, +30% per child); consulates usually expect about 12 months of that (€11,040) in a Portuguese bank Source: What Portugal's 2026 Minimum Wage Rise Means for Visas: Portugalist · Portugalist: D7 visa requirements 2026 |
| 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) |
| Portugal: Entering as a tourist | Since 4 June 2024 you can no longer switch from a visa-free stay to residence (manifestação de interesse abolished) — you need a residence visa from a consulate first Source: Estrangeiros: Extintas as manifestacoes de interesse: APCMC |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Permanent residence | After 5 years of temporary residence, with A2 Portuguese, means of support and accommodation Source: Lei 23/2007 art. 75 (PGD Lisboa) |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Citizenship | Since 19 May 2026: 10 years of legal residence (7 for EU and Portuguese-speaking countries), counted from when the first permit is issued; applications pending before then keep the old 5-year rule Source: Lei Organica n.o 1/2026: Diario da Republica · Portugal Citizenship Law Published: LiveinPT |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Healthcare | Legal residents can use the public SNS with a user number; private hospital plans cost about €13–77 a month at age 40 Source: gov.pt: Pedir o número de utente do SNS · DECO PROteste: Seguros de saúde Multicare, Médis |
| 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) |
| Portugal: Income tax | 12.5% to 48% in 2026 (top rate above €86,634), plus a 2.5% / 5% solidarity surcharge above €80,000 / €250,000 Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Portugal individual · CIRS art. 68-A: Portal das Financas |
| Greece: Income tax | 9% to 44% (top rate above €60,000) Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Greece — personal income tax |
| Portugal: IFICI (successor to NHR) | 20% flat tax for 10 years on income from qualifying highly skilled jobs, research and startups, with most foreign income exempt — not pensions; you must not have lived in Portugal in the previous 5 years Source: Incentivo fiscal a investigacao cientifica e inovacao: AT leaflet · Startup Portugal: Legal Bites #03 IFICI |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Usual company type | Lda or single-member Unipessoal Lda: capital from €1 per share; same-day Empresa na Hora (€360) or Empresa Online (€220 with standard articles) Source: Decreto-Lei 33/2011 (Diário da República) · InvoiceXpress: Como criar uma empresa em Portugal em 2026 |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Corporate tax | 19% in 2026 (18% in 2027, 17% in 2028); 15% on the first €50,000 for SMEs, 12.5% for certified startups; plus up to 1.5% municipal surcharge Source: CIRC art. 87 (Portal das Finanças) · PwC Tax Summaries: Portugal corporate income |
| Greece: Corporate tax | 22% Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Greece — corporate income tax |
| Portugal: Lisbon population | 575,739 in the city (2024 estimate); about 2.9 million in the metropolitan area Source: INE: Retrato municipal Lisboa 2025 · Renascença: Censos 2021 Área Metropolitana de Lisboa |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Lisbon transport | Navegante monthly pass €40 for the whole metro area or €30 for Lisbon only; free for under-18s, students up to 23 and Lisbon residents over 65 Source: Carris: Frequent travellers (Navegante prices) |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Flights from the US | TAP flies to Lisbon from Newark, New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles; United and Delta add more Source: TAP: Flights from United States · Echo Boomer: United reforça Lisboa-Washington Verão 2026 |
| 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 |
| Portugal: Startup Visa | For non-EU founders accepted by an IAPMEI-certified incubator; leads to a residence permit Source: Portaria 344/2017 (Informador) |
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