Despite improvements in macroeconomic indicators in recent years, the real income of Greek households remains significantly affected by the prolonged economic crisis.
According to Eurostat, Greece’s median equivalised disposable income in 2025 was 22.3% lower in real terms than in 2010, while across the EU it had risen by 25.4%. France was the only other country to record a decline, at 0.6%. Equivalised disposable income refers to a household’s total net income adjusted for its size and composition and is used by ELSTAT and Eurostat to measure poverty and inequality.
Equivalised disposable income refers to a household’s total net income adjusted for its size and composition and is used by ELSTAT and Eurostat to measure poverty and inequality.
The gap is also evident in purchasing power. Greece’s median income stood at 13,612 purchasing power standards (PPS), compared with 22,630 in the EU, around 40% below the EU average. Only Hungary and Romania recorded lower levels.
Financial pressure extends beyond income. Some 87.1% of people in Greece said they had at least some difficulty meeting their household needs, compared with 42.5% across the EU. Meanwhile, 26.4% live in households where housing costs account for at least 40% of disposable income, while 18.1% are unable to keep their homes adequately warm.
Greece also recorded a severe material and social deprivation rate of 14.9%, while 27.5% of the population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion. In addition, 67.2% said they considered themselves poor.
