How to Visit Greece on a Budget
We traveled to Greece this past October and spent 14 days island hopping from Athens, Milos, Santorini, and Crete. We did all of this on a pretty tight budget, and found the best ways to save money on your Greek adventure.
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Visit During the Shoulder Season
We traveled to Greece in October, when tourism is starting to slow down. The shoulder season in Greece runs from mid-April-May and then September-October. Choosing to go during these months can save you almost 50% on some hotel rates. Many of our hotel stays only ended up being around $50 a night.
Visit Less Popular Islands
The price of car rentals, restaurants, and hotel stays really depends on which island you are visiting. Santorini and Mykonos are very popular islands to visit, and can be much more costly. We encountered this price difference after traveling from Milos to Santorini. In October, the tourism in Milos was slowing down for the season, and we were able to book a beautiful hotel with views of the sea for less than $50 a night. We then traveled to Santorini and stayed in Oia, and hotel prices were practically double. We noticed an increase as well in taxi prices and renting a vehicle. Oia is much more expensive than some of the villages in Santorini, and if you want to stay in a luxurious cliff hotel overlooking the caldera, Fira or Imerovigli are more affordable options.
Take the Ferry
If you are planning on island hopping in Greece, taking the ferry can be much cheaper than flying. There are two different ferry speeds, and the slower ferry is less expensive than the faster ferries, ran by SeaJets. Flying is faster than taking either ferry option, but you then you are looking at higher prices and paying for each bag in addition to the fare. The ferries do not charge extra for baggage and we found out that booking online, rather than paying in person, saved us around $20 per ticket.
Hop on the Bus
Depending on the island you visit in Greece (and when you are visiting), you might be able to take the bus to all of the destinations you had in mind. Many if the islands have extensive bus systems catering to tourists, that are extremely cheap. Although renting a car or ATV in Greece is also very affordable, the petrol prices in Greece were around $7.50/gallon USD when we visited. If you are driving around a large island like Crete, that can really add up. We took the bus often while visiting Santorini and Crete and it was really easy to navigate. Ride share was not an option in Greece when we visited, and taxis ended up being pretty expensive, due to the high petrol prices. Taking the bus is also a much cheaper option than taking an excursion to some of the popular destinations.
Exchange Currency Beforehand
Although Greece is becoming more card friendly, we noticed that cash is preferred in many places still, especially in Athens. You will need cash for tips at restaurants, hotels, and excursions, as well as on the bus if you are not able to purchase a ticket beforehand. We did not exchange money prior to our visit, and ended up paying for it in awful ATM feels, exchange rates, and foreign transaction fees. Most bank cards and credit cards have these foreign transaction fees, and it is typically 3%. Some credit cards also charge you for a cash advance, so this is something to also consider before you withdraw. If you have to exchange currency in Greece, it is best to avoid banks and currency exchange offices, especially ones in touristy locations and the airports. We used the ATM each time, but different ATMs offer different exchange rates. We regretted using the ATM in Athens airport, and compared exchange rates and ATM fees when we had to withdraw cash again in Milos. We took out more cash than we really needed at our last withdrawal, as cash is preferred, and we just used it for everything that we were purchasing toward the end of our trip.
Purchase a SIM Card
This may seem like an obvious one, but many cell phone companies now offer international data plans for a flat rate per day. For example, Verizon gives us 1GB a day at high speeds for $10/day internationally. We tried this for a few days in Iceland, and realized that we ran out of high speeds halfway through the day. SIM cards are much more affordable and you will not be capped daily for your data allowance. Out of connivence, we purchased our SIM cards at Verifone in Athens airport. It was around $60 USD for each of our plans, and they lasted us the entire 14 days in Greece.
Eat Street Food
Greece is well known for its street food (souvlakis, gyros, etc.) and you will find these everywhere you go. However, restaurants in general are pretty affordable in Greece, and we were rather surprised at how cheap it was to eat out. Often times for breakfast I would purchase a traditional spinach pie for around $2 USD and find a falafel wrap for dinner or lunch for around $5. We also visited the grocery stores to buy snacks to bring with us to the beach or on our daily excursions. Often times we would order a plate at a restaurant, and they were large enough for us to split.
