Eurostat: Half of Greeks unable to cover unexpected expenses
More than half of Greece's population cannot afford unexpected expenses, the highest share in the European Union, according to Eurostat's latest living conditions data released on Thursday.
The survey found that 50.5% of Greeks were unable to meet unforeseen costs in 2025, such as home repairs or medical bills, up sharply from 43.9% in 2024 and well above the EU average of 29.2%.
The data also showed that 46.6% of Greeks could not afford a one-week annual holiday, the second-highest rate in the bloc after Romania and significantly above the EU average of 27.5%.
Eurostat further reported that 27.5% of Greece's population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the second-highest rate in the EU after Bulgaria.
Despite gradual convergence with the EU in price levels, Greece recorded the bloc's lowest GDP per capita in purchasing power parity in 2025, tied with Bulgaria. Greeks' purchasing power remained 32% below the EU average and slightly lower than in 2015, during the country's austerity period.
Source:Kathimerini
