Is Greece wincingly expensive now?

whiteoaks7

whiteoaks7

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We've returned for september to cruise Corfu and the mainland opposite. First thing we noticed was 5 ltrs of fuel for the hire car cost 9 euros! Next was a general hike in restaurant food compared with May/June. Lastly, in Mongonisi last night we ran up a bill of E28 for two very spartan main courses (chicken and squid) and a half litre of house white (it was also the first time I've left a restaurant table here still hungry!). So is this the way it's going? More and more tax on a decreasing number of already impoverished tourists?
 
Yep

We noticed it in August - only bright note was that we still found a number of new islands/harbours where there is no harbour charge being collected. Kos town being the exception at E20 for a 10.4m boat no elec or water
 
Beware Greeks bearing gifts! In the last round of austerity measures, VAT on tourist accomodation was reduced in order to encourage tourism. At the same time, VAT on bars and restos was increased - guess the tourists are not supposed to eat then? And it could possibly be that restos are now paying VAT on their sales, which was rarely the case in the past. We were there in May/June, and price per head in resto (main course + 1/2 lit wine each) was min €16, compared to €12 same time last year. Still not "wincing" compared to Belgistan.
 
It all depends on where you spend your cash! my simple advice is to look at the prices first. Here on Kefalonia I can pay 1.50 for a coffee or pay 5 euro in Fiskardo. Beer (bottle) between 2 euro or 3 euro. We will be out tonight and have mixed starters, a main course, free desert, and around a litre of wine (local) each. the bill will be around 30/35 euro per couple. Which Idont think is too bad.
The increase in tax at Tavernas has not been passed onto the punter yet at most places.
You can be screwed anywhere in the world if you let them, its better to read the menu and go somewhere else, eventually they get the message.
My local area has held prices down again this year, they do value their customers and future customers. Not all are the same, greed takes over, the golden goose etc.
 
whiteoaks7 said:
We've returned for september to cruise Corfu and the mainland opposite. First thing we noticed was 5 ltrs of fuel for the hire car cost 9 euros! Next was a general hike in restaurant food compared with May/June. Lastly, in Mongonisi last night we ran up a bill of E28 for two very spartan main courses (chicken and squid) and a half litre of house white (it was also the first time I've left a restaurant table here still hungry!). So is this the way it's going? More and more tax on a decreasing number of already impoverished tourists?
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Definitely in season and in tourist areas, as discovered this year.

Avoid July/August, eat on the boat, don't go to Corfu, Cephalonia, Levkas, Ithika, Paxos, Crete (Xania & Irakleon), Kos, Naxos, Milos.

That still leaves you with a lot of places to go to costing about 60% of the above.
 
whiteoaks7 said:
We've returned for september to cruise Corfu and the mainland opposite. First thing we noticed was 5 ltrs of fuel for the hire car cost 9 euros! Next was a general hike in restaurant food compared with May/June. Lastly, in Mongonisi last night we ran up a bill of E28 for two very spartan main courses (chicken and squid) and a half litre of house white (it was also the first time I've left a restaurant table here still hungry!). So is this the way it's going? More and more tax on a decreasing number of already impoverished tourists?
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Yes it is. Prices continue to increase day by day. Sweden used to be the most expensive place in Europe. Not any more. Greece is reaching for first place.

The Greek salaries are very low and the folk need two jobs to make ends meet. The portions of packaged food in the shops make me laugh. For instance, in Sweden they sell large sacks of rice. In Greece the packs of rice are the size of maybe three cigarette packs. Same with sugar etc. I shop in Lidl when possible. The poor Greeks can't even afford to get there because Lidl are out of town.

Third world country with double first world prices.
 
gk29 said:
Charles, what's expensive about Milos? We're headed there next week (and could skip it!)
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Scooter hire - restaurant meals - supermarket purchases.

I anchored off Adamas, not fancying the gyrations at the quay. Water was no problem, I collected it in cans from the vacated tripper-boat berths, with their pipes already attached.
 
BlueTwo said:
Yes it is. Prices continue to increase day by day. Sweden used to be the most expensive place in Europe. Not any more. Greece is reaching for first place.

<snip>

Third world country with double first world prices.
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Where on earth do you stay in Greece? Mykonos? Thyra? Spetsai?

Yes, there are a few expensive locations. Smaller islands, in general, will be about 30% more expensive than mainland. Bigger islands with their own agriculture and less tourism (Lesvos, Naxos, Milos) will be about 20% more expensive, but inland restaurants, bars and freash vegetables on these islands (away from quaysides!) will be the same as mainland prices.

Mainland prices in beach resorts for bars, restaurants, fresh vegetables and meat (excepting chicken) are much cheaper than nearly all European West Mediterranean countries. Messinia region (popular with Athenians over summer) offers 500ml draft and bottled beers at €2.50, 500ml box wines (pretty good stuff nowadays) at €3.50 to €4.50. Filling meals for 2 with drinks will cost between €16 and €22; more exotic dishes and service (and the very rare rip-off guy who bills you in hand-written greek, thinking you're a one week punter ignorant of Greece) will raise this to €28 to €35.

The prices quoted above have not changed since last year. This has been achieved, in spite of VAT, by not taking on outside labour, pulling grandma out of retirement, and employing undergrads (unpaid) in the family business during their breaks. I've been impressed.

Now, how much was that beer in Sweden . . . ? That meal in France, Italy?
 
That's the trouble with a single currency! According to any sensible ecconomic theory, a country in dire economic crisis should devalue - thereby simultaneously forcing the native population to spend less and spend it locally and at the same time making prices cheap for the rest of the world so that money will pour in to help fix the economy. Stuck in the Euro, the poor Greeks don't have this option - they just have to push prices up to try to fill the gap and this has exactly the opposite effect - it's cheaper for a Greek to buy from abroad and it's expensive for the rest of us to go to Greece...
 
Having just returned from Norway, I can assure you that Greece prices are breaking no records! How about £7 to 9 for a beer and up to £35 for a bottle of wine in a restaurant!!!!!!
It's a country you can only visit once. They are glad they're not in the euro too.
 
jimbaerselman said:
Where on earth do you stay in Greece? Mykonos? Thyra? Spetsai?

Yes, there are a few expensive locations. Smaller islands, in general, will be about 30% more expensive than mainland. Bigger islands with their own agriculture and less tourism (Lesvos, Naxos, Milos) will be about 20% more expensive, but inland restaurants, bars and freash vegetables on these islands (away from quaysides!) will be the same as mainland prices.

Mainland prices in beach resorts for bars, restaurants, fresh vegetables and meat (excepting chicken) are much cheaper than nearly all European West Mediterranean countries. Messinia region (popular with Athenians over summer) offers 500ml draft and bottled beers at €2.50, 500ml box wines (pretty good stuff nowadays) at €3.50 to €4.50. Filling meals for 2 with drinks will cost between €16 and €22; more exotic dishes and service (and the very rare rip-off guy who bills you in hand-written greek, thinking you're a one week punter ignorant of Greece) will raise this to €28 to €35.

The prices quoted above have not changed since last year. This has been achieved, in spite of VAT, by not taking on outside labour, pulling grandma out of retirement, and employing undergrads (unpaid) in the family business during their breaks. I've been impressed.

Now, how much was that beer in Sweden . . . ? That meal in France, Italy?
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just done two months back in greece. based lefkas but did the round pelop cruise.
having lived there for some 10years. until last year.
yes prices have gone up. but study the menu ,cut out the starters and take the kids for a gyros at 2 euro. beats a big mac.buy in the market when possible.
lefkas was busy. compared to other parts.a breakfast about 6 euro. the most expensive treat is the corinth canal passage. monovasia, poros were relatively empty but no charge in the marinas.we paid in sami all of 7 .5 euros per night and galadhixi about the same. the only two times we were summoned to the port police office. having lived and worked in greece for about 10 years , the port police were a revelation. polite ,humerous, even with some language problems.
the guy in sami apologised to the german skippers for taking more money from them.there is a sense of apprehension for the future. drive down prevessa high street .40% of the shops are shut up.

panos taverna at aktio is booming. all the family is working there .an amstel 2 euro.kilo krasia about 3.5 and back to greek food.
 
We don't really have a benchmark as neither of us have been to Greece in years. But 18 Euros for a bottle of gin (Gordons) in a proper supermarket is on the steep side, not to mention the marina shop at Gouvia which should be no surprise at 23Euros!!
 
The 'New' Marina Supermarket.

Carmel2 said:
We don't really have a benchmark as neither of us have been to Greece in years. But 18 Euros for a bottle of gin (Gordons) in a proper supermarket is on the steep side, not to mention the marina shop at Gouvia which should be no surprise at 23Euros!!
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I've always found that the marina supermarket's a bit pricey, but I guess that's the cost for having a fairly well stocked supermarket, on your doorstep, so to speak.

OK, you can take a hike to AB's and sneak a trolly full back to the marina, but in July and August? in 40 odd deg's??

I don't really object to the slightly higher prices, I'd sooner have it and pay, than not have it and errr, not pay!!!

Regards.
 
A few recent prices (this week) in the Dodecanese, where we don't find that they have risen a lot in the last year. Most bars charge €2.50 for 500 ml of Amstel or Mythos, but Alfa has been seen at €1.50. In the past week or so we have paid all-in for meals, including wine or beer, for two people, €22, €24, €32, €38. Quality in each case has been good, and in two, which we knew previously, was excellent.
 
tri39 said:
Having just returned from Norway, I can assure you that Greece prices are breaking no records! How about £7 to 9 for a beer and up to £35 for a bottle of wine in a restaurant!!!!!!
It's a country you can only visit once. They are glad they're not in the euro too.
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Hmmm, but Norway has sky-high prices due to sky-high taxes that are levied to pay for a very comprehensive social security system. Greece just has the prices...
 
Well that all seems to make Portugal look quite good. Our cheap meal out in Albufeira is 6.50 for a three course meal with one drink and coffee. Several places do much the same in the more upmarket parts of town for around 10 a head. Out of the hotter spots a beer is 1 a bottle, with soft drinks about the same. If you stick to local brands supermarket stuff it is quite reasonable, Imported spirits cost from 10 to 12 a bottle but the local brands come in from 6 for gin/vodka to 9 for a decent local brandy. For those who need food from home many expats undercut the local shops by buying on line from Tesco etc getting the stuff delivered to one of the local shipping companies who then send it out here. They say you need to spend about £50 to make it worthwhile.
 
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