Greece Tax Guide 2026: Rates, ETFs and Capital Gains

Greece offers one of the more attractive tax environments in Europe for certain ETF investors because qualifying Greek and EU/EEA UCITS funds can benefit from capital gains tax exemptions, while many other investment gains are generally taxed at 15% (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Table of Contents

For investors, expats, employees, freelancers, and digital nomads, understanding the Greek tax system is essential because Greek tax residents are generally taxed on worldwide income, while non-residents are taxed only on Greek-source income, subject to double-tax treaty provisions (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

This guide explains the Greek tax system using verified information available as of 15 June 2026. Research was based primarily on PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, AADE guidance, OECD residency documentation, and Greek Ministry of Finance materials.

Tax Overview — Key Numbers at a Glance

Tax Type	Rate	Notes
Income Tax	9%–44%	Progressive personal income tax system (PwC, 2026)
Capital Gains Tax	Generally 15%	Important exemptions apply for certain shares and UCITS funds (PwC, 2026)
Dividend Tax	5%	Domestic dividends (Ecovis Greece, 2026 research reference)
Interest Income Tax	15%	Savings and investment interest income
VAT (Standard Rate)	24%	Standard Greek VAT rate
Reduced VAT Rates	13%, 6%, 4%	Selected goods and services
Employee Social Contributions	13.37%	Employee share
Employer Social Contributions	21.79%	Employer share
Corporate Income Tax	22%	Standard corporate income tax rate
Local Tax / Surtax	None verified	No general municipal income surtax verified
Property Tax	ENFIA	Annual property ownership tax
Inheritance Tax	Applies	Detailed thresholds vary
Wealth Tax	None	No general net wealth tax
Tax Year	Calendar Year	1 January–31 December
Filing Deadline	Varies annually	Check current AADE filing notice
Tax Authority	Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE)	National tax authority

Sources: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries 2026; AADE; OECD.

Tax Residency in Greece

Tax residency is one of the most important concepts for investors because Greek tax residents are generally taxed on their worldwide income, including foreign dividends, foreign interest, and foreign investment gains (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Who Becomes a Greek Tax Resident?

According to AADE and OECD guidance, an individual is generally considered a Greek tax resident if they spend more than 183 days in Greece during any twelve-month period (AADE; OECD, 2026).

The 183-day count is cumulative and may result in residency being recognised from the first day of presence in Greece. Certain limited exceptions exist for temporary stays related to tourism, medical treatment, and similar personal purposes (AADE, 2026).

Centre of Vital Interests

Where more than one country claims tax residency, double taxation treaties may use the following criteria to determine the final country of residence (OECD, 2026):

Permanent home
Centre of vital interests
Habitual abode
Nationality

Residents vs Non-Residents

Residents

Greek tax residents are generally taxed on:

Employment income
Business income
Dividends
Interest
Capital gains
Foreign-source income

(PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Non-Residents

Non-residents are generally taxed only on Greek-source income, subject to treaty provisions (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Double Taxation Agreements

Greece has an extensive tax treaty network. Foreign tax credits may generally be available when foreign tax has already been paid on income that is also taxable in Greece (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Income Tax in Greece

Greece operates a progressive personal income tax system (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

For 2026, PwC reports the following general tax scale for employment income, pensions, and business profits:

Taxable Income	Tax Rate
First €10,000	9%
€10,001–€20,000	20%
€20,001–€30,000	26%
€30,001–€40,000	34%
€40,001–€60,000	39%
Above €60,000	44%

Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (2026).

PwC also reports that lower tax scales may apply in certain circumstances depending on the taxpayer’s age and number of dependent children under Law 5246/2025. However, the detailed relief tables were not fully reproduced in the source material and should be checked directly through AADE guidance where relevant.

Rental Income Tax

Rental income is taxed separately from employment income. From tax year 2026, PwC reports the following scale:

Rental Income	Tax Rate
First €12,000	15%
€12,001–€24,000	25%
€24,001–€36,000	35%
Above €36,000	45%

Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (2026).

Social Security Contributions

As of 2026, employee social-security contributions are 13.37%, while employer contributions are 21.79%, creating a combined burden of 35.16% (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

PwC also reports a monthly EFKA contribution ceiling of €7,761.94 effective from 1 January 2026.

Example

A worker earning €35,000 annually does not pay 34% on the entire salary. Instead, each portion of income is taxed at the corresponding bracket rate, resulting in a lower effective tax burden than the top marginal rate.

Calculate Your Net Salary

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Capital Gains Tax — How Greece Taxes Investment Income

Tax on Stocks and Shares

Greek capital gains taxation depends heavily on the type of investment and ownership structure (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Capital gains from transfers of qualifying securities are generally taxed at 15% (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

However, an important exemption applies to many listed shares.

Gains from listed shares may be exempt where the investor owns less than 0.5% of the company’s share capital. Investors holding 0.5% or more generally fall within the taxable capital gains regime (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Taxable Events

Typical taxable events include:

Sale of taxable securities
Disposal of non-UCITS investment funds
Disposal of qualifying shareholdings above exemption thresholds

(PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Loss Carry-Forward Rules

The research sources indicate that loss relief may exist in some circumstances, but the exact carry-forward mechanism was not fully verified from current official materials. Investors should therefore confirm current treatment before relying on loss-offset strategies.

Accumulating vs Distributing ETFs

ETF taxation is one of the most important topics for investors moving to Greece because the tax treatment depends primarily on whether a fund qualifies as a UCITS fund rather than whether it is labelled as an ETF (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

UCITS ETFs

Greek and EU/EEA UCITS funds generally benefit from a capital gains tax exemption for individual investors. This applies regardless of whether the fund is actively managed or exchange traded, provided it qualifies as a UCITS structure under applicable rules (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

This is one of the most investor-friendly features of the Greek tax system and can significantly affect long-term investment returns.

Non-UCITS ETFs

Non-UCITS funds and many third-country fund structures generally fall under Greece’s standard capital gains tax framework and are usually subject to the 15% capital gains tax rate on disposal (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Accumulating ETFs

The research did not identify any annual deemed-taxation regime on unrealised gains from accumulating ETFs. In practice, this means investors are generally not taxed annually simply because the fund reinvests income internally (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Distributing ETFs

For distributing ETFs, the tax treatment depends on the legal character of the distribution. Payments may be treated as dividend-type income or interest-type income depending on the structure of the underlying fund (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

ETF Reporting Requirements

Taxable ETF gains and foreign investment income are generally reported through the annual Greek income-tax return. No separate ETF-specific reporting form was identified in the source materials (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Dividend Tax and Withholding

Domestic Dividends

Domestic dividends paid to individuals are generally subject to a 5% withholding tax (Ecovis Greece Tax Guide, referenced in the 2026 research brief).

For many retail investors, dividend withholding is applied before payment is received.

Foreign Dividends

Greek tax residents must generally report foreign dividends received from overseas investments. Foreign tax paid abroad may be creditable against Greek tax liabilities subject to treaty provisions and domestic tax-credit rules (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Withholding Taxes and Double Tax Treaties

The actual tax burden on foreign dividends often depends on:

Source-country withholding tax
Applicable tax treaty
Greek foreign-tax-credit rules

Investors should review the relevant treaty when receiving significant foreign dividend income.

Interest Income

Interest income is generally taxed at 15%, including many forms of:

Savings-account interest
Fixed-term deposit interest
Bond interest

(Ecovis Greece Tax Guide, referenced in the 2026 research brief).

Calculate Capital Gains Tax Before You Sell

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How to Report Investment Income in Greece

Greek taxpayers generally report investment income electronically through the TAXISnet platform, which serves as Greece’s online tax-filing system (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Step 1 — Collect Broker Statements

Gather annual statements from:

Banks
Brokers
Investment platforms
ETF providers
Foreign financial institutions

Supporting documentation should be retained for future verification if requested by the tax authorities.

Step 2 — Calculate Investment Income

Separate the following categories before preparing the annual return:

Capital gains
Capital losses
Dividends
Interest income
Foreign-source income

Step 3 — Complete Required Forms

The primary individual tax-return form is generally Form E1. Additional schedules may apply depending on the type of income being reported (AADE practice; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Step 4 — Submit the Tax Return

Returns are generally filed electronically through TAXISnet (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Step 5 — Pay Taxes Due

Payment schedules may vary by year. Investors should review the current AADE filing notice because installment schedules and deadlines can change (AADE guidance referenced in the research brief).

Tax Treatment of Foreign Investments

Many Greek residents invest through international brokers such as:

Interactive Brokers
DEGIRO
Trading 212
Saxo Bank
eToro

The research did not identify any broker-specific reporting form for these platforms. Instead, investment income generally appears to be reported through the normal Greek tax-return framework (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Foreign Shares

Foreign shares generally follow the same capital-gains principles as domestic securities, including the listed-share ownership thresholds discussed earlier.

Foreign ETFs

The UCITS versus non-UCITS distinction remains crucial for foreign ETFs. EU/EEA UCITS funds generally receive more favorable treatment than many non-UCITS structures (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Foreign Dividends and Interest

Foreign dividends and foreign interest remain taxable for Greek tax residents and may require reporting even where foreign withholding tax has already been deducted (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Currency Conversion

Investors should maintain accurate records of acquisition costs, disposal proceeds, exchange rates, and foreign taxes paid to ensure accurate reporting.

Other Important Taxes in Greece

VAT (Value Added Tax)

Greece applies a standard VAT rate of 24% (Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Reduced VAT rates include:

VAT Rate	Typical Examples
13%	Food, accommodation, transport
6%	Medicines, books, newspapers, energy categories
4%	Certain accessibility-related building works

(Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Certain qualifying Aegean islands may benefit from a 30% VAT reduction, resulting in effective rates of 17%, 9%, 4%, and 3% (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Property Taxes

Property owners are generally subject to ENFIA, Greece’s annual real-estate ownership tax (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Property Transfers

Where a property transfer is not subject to VAT, a transfer tax of 3% generally applies, increased by a municipal surcharge to 3.09% (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Rental Property Taxation

Rental income is taxed separately under the rental-income scale discussed earlier, with rates ranging from 15% to 45% depending on annual rental income (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Inheritance and Gift Taxes

Greece imposes both inheritance taxes and gift taxes. However, detailed thresholds, exemptions, and family-transfer rules were not fully verified in the source material and should be confirmed directly through AADE guidance before relying on specific figures.

Wealth Taxes

No general net wealth tax was identified in the reviewed sources. Property ownership is taxed separately through the ENFIA system (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Local Taxes

The research did not identify a general municipal income surtax or church tax applicable nationwide (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Tax Advantages and Tax-Efficient Accounts

Unlike some countries such as the United Kingdom, Greece does not currently offer a broadly available retail tax-sheltered investment account comparable to an ISA (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

However, Greece does operate certain preferential tax regimes for qualifying new residents, pensioners, and inbound workers. Investors considering relocation should review the latest eligibility requirements because these programs may change over time (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).

Investors Who May Find Greece Attractive

Long-term UCITS ETF investors
Dividend-focused investors
Expats relocating to Southern Europe
Investors seeking treaty-network benefits

Potential Drawbacks

High top marginal income-tax rate
Complex UCITS versus non-UCITS distinctions
Annual filing deadlines can vary
Some incentive regimes require careful qualification analysis

Compare Taxes Across Europe

➡️ Compare taxes, salaries and investment taxation across all EU countries using the Finorum EU Tax Comparison Map.

[EU Tax Comparison Map]

Key Deadlines and Important Dates

Tax Year: 1 January–31 December (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, 2026).
Filing Deadline: Confirm annually through AADE because deadlines may vary (AADE guidance referenced in the research brief).
Payment Deadline: Verify through current AADE filing instructions.
Extension Deadlines: May vary depending on annual administrative decisions.
Broker Annual Statements: Typically issued during the year following the reporting period.

Common Tax Mistakes Investors Make

Assuming all ETFs receive identical tax treatment without checking UCITS status.
Assuming all listed-share gains are automatically exempt.
Forgetting to report foreign dividends.
Ignoring foreign interest income.
Misunderstanding foreign-tax-credit rules.
Confusing property-transfer taxes with capital-gains taxation.
Treating proposed crypto-tax measures as fully enacted law before official confirmation.

Is Greece Tax-Efficient for Investors?

Advantages

5% dividend tax rate.
UCITS ETF capital gains may be exempt.
No general net wealth tax.
Extensive treaty network.
Generally moderate 15% capital-gains taxation on many investments.

Disadvantages

Top income-tax rate reaches 44%.
ETF classification rules require attention.
Some filing procedures and deadlines change annually.
Inheritance-tax thresholds require further verification.

Suitable Investor Types

Long-term ETF investors
Dividend investors
Expats
Remote workers
Retirees
EU residents considering relocation

Related Resources

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Capital Gains Tax Calculator
ETF Tax Calculator
Dividend Tax Calculator
Net Salary Calculator

Investing Guides

Investing in Greece
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Country Guides

Cost of Living in Greece
Average Salary in Greece

Comparison Tools

EU Tax Comparison Map
Cost of Living Comparison Tool
Net Salary Calculator

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, accounting or investment advice. Tax rules may change and their application depends on individual circumstances. Always verify current requirements with the relevant tax authority or consult a qualified tax adviser before making financial or investment decisions.

Greece tax guide

Iva Buće

Iva Buće is a Master of Economics specializing in digital marketing and logistics. She combines analytical thinking with creativity to make financial and investment topics accessible to a broader audience. At Finorum, she focuses on translating complex economic concepts into clear, practical insights for everyday readers and investors.