Property taxes in Greece for non-residents.
What a foreign owner actually pays across the life of a Greek property, as of 2026: the tax on the way in, the annual charge to hold it, the bands on the rent, and the question mark over the gain on the way out.
In brief.
- On the way in. Most resale purchases carry a transfer tax of 3.09 per cent on the property's taxable value. A new-build first sale can in principle fall under 24 per cent VAT instead, though that VAT has been suspended in recent years, so confirm the current status before you sign.
- Every year you hold it. ENFIA, the national property tax, is assessed on the property's tax-assessed value, location, size and characteristics, and is owed by every owner, resident or not.
- What non-residents owe. Greece taxes a non-resident only on Greek-source income. Rent from a Greek property is taxed here on progressive bands from 15 to 45 per cent, and the 15 per cent tax on the gain from a sale exists in law but is currently suspended.
What a non-resident actually pays
A non-resident who owns Greek property meets the tax system at three points: when they buy, each year they hold, and when they let or sell. Greece taxes a non-resident only on Greek-source income, so the property and the rent it earns sit inside the Greek base, while income earned elsewhere does not. Everything below is framed as of 2026, and the rates and suspensions in this area move from one budget to the next.
The tax authority is the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, or AADE, which administers transfer tax, ENFIA and income tax on rent. The figures and thresholds here should be read against AADE's current guidance, because several of them are set annually rather than fixed in law for good.
On purchase: transfer tax, and the VAT question
Most resale purchases carry a property transfer tax of 3.09 per cent — a 3 per cent national rate plus a municipal surcharge — assessed on the taxable value of the property rather than, necessarily, the figure written on the contract. For a straightforward second-hand flat or house, this is the tax a non-resident buyer should expect on the way in.
New-build first sales are the exception. A first sale of a newly built property can in principle fall under VAT at 24 per cent instead of transfer tax. In practice, VAT on new builds has been suspended in recent years — currently through 31 December 2026 — which leaves most transactions on the 3.09 per cent transfer-tax route. But the suspension is a policy that is renewed rather than permanent, so the current status is worth confirming with AADE, or a Greek accountant, before a new-build purchase rather than assumed either way.
Holding the property: ENFIA
The annual holding tax is ENFIA, the national property tax. It is assessed on the property's tax-assessed value together with its location, size and characteristics, and it is owed by all owners on the register. A non-resident owner is liable in the same way as a resident one.
Because ENFIA is built from the assessed value and the physical attributes of the property rather than from any income it produces, it is due whether the property is let, used or left empty. It is the standing cost of holding Greek real estate, and for most owners it is the tax they meet every year regardless of what else they do with the asset.
Rental income: the bands
Rent from a Greek property is Greek-source income, so a non-resident landlord is taxed on it in Greece. For individuals, residential rental income is taxed on a progressive scale, as of 2026, set out below.
| Annual rental income band | Tax rate |
|---|---|
| Up to €12,000 | 15% |
| €12,001 – €24,000 | 25% |
| €24,001 – €36,000 | 35% |
| Above €36,000 | 45% |
The bands apply to the taxable rental income for the year. The scale is progressive: income above €36,000 is taxed at 45 per cent at the margin, while the slices below it are still taxed at their own lower rates, as with any banded schedule. A non-resident landlord files and pays on this Greek income in Greece.
Selling: the suspended capital-gains tax
A 15 per cent capital-gains tax on individuals' property sales exists in Greek law, but it has been repeatedly suspended rather than collected, and is currently deferred through 31 December 2026 under Law 5162/2024. As of 2026, it is not, in practice, a charge a non-resident seller should assume they will pay — but nor should they treat it as abolished. Like the new-build VAT, it is a measure that sits on the books and is deferred budget by budget, so its status should be confirmed at the point of sale rather than read off an old summary.
One base, and the structures around it
Because Greece taxes a non-resident only on Greek-source income, the rent and, in principle, a taxable gain fall inside the Greek base, while the owner's income in their home country does not. Where the home country also taxes that Greek income, a double-taxation treaty between the two states may relieve or credit the tax at home, so the same rent is not taxed twice over. Which treaty applies, and how, depends on the owner's country of residence.
There is also a separate charge worth knowing about: a special annual real-estate tax of 15 per cent aimed at certain non-transparent offshore ownership structures, meaning property held through entities that do not disclose their ultimate individual owners. It is, in effect, a reason to hold Greek property in a transparent structure, so that ordinary transfer tax, ENFIA and income tax are the whole of the bill rather than this surcharge on top of them.
This is general information, not tax advice. Greek property rates, thresholds and suspensions change from one year to the next, and several of the figures here — the new-build VAT, the capital-gains tax, the ENFIA calculation — depend on measures that are renewed or deferred annually. Confirm the current position with a Greek accountant, and against AADE, before you rely on any of it.
Frequently asked
What taxes does a non-resident pay when buying property in Greece?
Most resale purchases carry a property transfer tax of 3.09 per cent (a 3 per cent rate plus a municipal surcharge) on the property's taxable value. A first sale of a new-build can in principle fall under 24 per cent VAT instead, though that VAT has been suspended in recent years, so the current status is worth confirming with AADE before a new-build purchase.
What is ENFIA?
ENFIA is Greece's annual national property tax. It is assessed on a property's tax-assessed value, location, size and characteristics, and is owed by every owner on the register, including non-residents, whether or not the property earns any income.
How is rental income taxed for non-residents in Greece?
Rent from a Greek property is Greek-source income and is taxed in Greece. For individuals it is taxed on progressive bands, as of 2026: 15 per cent on income up to €12,000, 25 per cent on the €12,001 to €24,000 band, 35 per cent on the €24,001 to €36,000 band, and 45 per cent above €36,000.
Is there a capital-gains tax when a non-resident sells Greek property?
A 15 per cent capital-gains tax on individuals' property sales exists in Greek law but has been repeatedly suspended, so as of 2026 it is generally not collected. Treat it as a measure whose status should be confirmed at the point of sale rather than as abolished.
Are non-residents taxed differently from residents?
The property taxes themselves — transfer tax, ENFIA and income tax on rent — apply in the same way. The difference is scope: a non-resident is taxed in Greece only on Greek-source income, and a double-taxation treaty with their home country may relieve the tax owed there.
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