Student housing costs can reach 1,200 euros a month, with prices varying by city and size

For many Greek families, sending a child to university now means budgeting for as much as 1,200 euros a month in rent and household bills. That total stands well above the minimum wage and has made student housing a major concern after the national entrance exams.

A small 40 to 45-square-meter apartment generally costs between 400 and 600 euros a month. Prices rise above 1,000 euros for larger homes, particularly when they are furnished, centrally located, or close to a metro station in Athens or Thessaloniki.

The figures vary sharply across university cities. A 45-square-meter apartment in central Ioannina costs about 430 euros a month. In central Patras, a furnished home of up to 40 square meters can cost 600 euros, while a furnished central apartment in Xanthi reaches 500 euros. In Athens, rents often stand at about 15 euros per square meter. In Thessaloniki, apartments near metro stations cost 7% to 10% more than those farther away.

Eleftherios Potamianos, president of the Athens-Attica Association of Realtors, attributed the high prices to the housing crisis and the lack of small apartments measuring 25 to 50 square meters. Rents in Athens often reach 15 euros per square meter and rarely fall below 12 euros, he said. Larger properties offer better value per square meter, making shared accommodation among two or three students a common way to reduce individual costs.

Athanasios Tsoulkanakis, president of the Thessaloniki Realtors Association, also urged parents to watch for fraud. Some scammers have tried to rent out properties they do not own. Parents should verify the landlord’s identity, pay only through a bank, and arrange at least a basic technical inspection before signing a lease.