Living in Ancient Ellada (Athens): My Experience

3 minute read

Life in Athens is an adventure of its own - full with a lot of experiences, delicious food and a few challenges along the way.

All museums are free for visitors under 25 — a great perk if you love culture and history!

The Fun Stuff 🌞

Athens has plenty to offer beyond its iconic ruins:

Thriving Digital Nomad Scene: The city hosts one of the largest digital nomad communities from the Balkans, making it easy to find like-minded people.
Sightseeing & History Everywhere: You’re practically living in an open-air museum.
Beach Days & Sailing: The Aegean Sea is right there — perfect for weekend escapes.
Friendly, Helpful Locals: Most Athenians are open-minded and speak fluent English, which makes daily life much easier.
Local Markets & Food: Flea and street markets (“Laiki”) pop up every few days. Fresh fish and meat from Omonia’s shops are a must.
Amazing Cuisine: Greek food is everything you’d expect — fresh, flavorful, and soul-satisfying.

I’d say the most popular online shopping platform in Greece — similar to Amazon in the US or eBay in parts of Western Europe — is skroutz.gr.

The Not-So-Fun Stuff 😿

Of course, not everything is sunshine, ouzo and souvlaki:

Blazing Hot Summers: Prepare to sweat — a lot.
Internet HELL: Some neighborhoods (including Agia Panteleimonas, where I stayed) have frustratingly poor internet service.
Bureaucracy: Mandatory paperwork can be painfully slow and confusing.
Public Transport: Let’s just say it’s not the city’s strongest feature.
Strange Encounters: Certain central areas have their share of “NPC vibes”.

Must-Visit Places

Here are my highlights:

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC): The national library is my absolute favorite spot in Athens. It’s a stunning, modern building full of students — the atmosphere is inspiring and perfect for learning.
Mount Parnitha by Cable Car: A winter surprise! The mountain gets plenty of snow and offers cozy huts serving great pasta.
Nearby Islands: Skip the overhyped Santorini and head to Salamina, Agistri, or Poros. They’re colorful, affordable, and reachable by a quick ferry ride from Piraeus.
Chamolia Fish Tavern: Located about 60 km from Athens — hands down one of the best places for seafood (thanks to Dora for the recommendation!).
The 7 Ancient Monuments of Athens: Of course, the Parthenon is a must-see, along with the other iconic landmarks scattered across the city.

Cost of Living (2024) 💸

Here’s what you can expect if you plan to stay long-term:

Groceries: Fair prices overall; fresh fish is especially affordable.
Housing: €350–€500 for a room in a fully furnished apartment. (Check spitogatos.gr or xe.gr).
Utility Bills: €90-€130 per person including electricity, water and heating at the winter.

Just a heads-up — electricity bills are issued quarterly (every 3 months).

Medical Services: €50 per GP or dentist visit, or free if you’re patient enough to navigate the public health system.
Public Transport: €27 per month (airport rides not included). The transportation is mehh.
Eating Out: Around €30–€40 for a salad, main dish, and dessert.
Entertainment: €50–€100 depending on your activity (surfing, fishing, clubbing, etc.).
Cabs: Reasonably priced when needed — though I try to avoid them.

The IT Scene

If you’re planning to work in tech while in Athens, here’s the reality:

Greek Companies: Often hesitant to hire non-Greek speakers. Landing a job can be tough.
Remote Work: Still not widely adopted among local companies.
Education Requirements: A university degree is almost always expected.

Summary

Everything I’ve shared here comes from my 9 months of living in Athens, Greece. During that time, I learned a lot, leveled up my survival skills, and met some truly amazing people — some of whom I now work with professionally, and others who have become very close friends (shoutout to Chief Fafa — the best!).

I eventually moved back to my home country, Bulgaria, for many reasons. The biggest ones were that the overall level of development of Greece isn’t drastically different, I wanted to be closer to family and friends, and I found the professional scene in Greece to be less promising than in Bulgaria (at least in late 2023 and early 2024).

Still, Athens holds a special place in me, and I’ll definitely keep returning — whether for vacations or to reconnect with the people I met there.