Apartments for Sale in Thessaloniki 2026: Golden Visa Threshold, District Prices and Buying Guide
THESSALONIKI · APARTMENTS FOR SALE · GREECE GOLDEN VISA 2026
Thessaloniki is Greece's second city and, after Athens, the address international Golden Visa investors look at most. Many articles still claim that €250,000 is enough "in Thessaloniki" — that has not been true since 2024. This guide takes the threshold from the law itself, district prices from dated sources, and yield expectations from a realistic calculation.
Quick answer: Under Law 5100/2024 the Thessaloniki Regional Unit sits in the same group as Athens: a Golden Visa requires a single residential property worth at least €800,000 with at least 120 m². The same rule applies in Kalamaria, Pylaia, Thermi and Panorama. €250,000 applies only to commercial-to-residential conversions (αλλαγή χρήσης) or the restoration of a listed building, and that exception applies regardless of location.
Golden Visa thresholds in Thessaloniki: €800,000 and €250,000
Article 64 of Law 5100/2024, in force since 31 March 2024, split the thresholds by region. The government's housing policy portal stegasi.gov.gr defines the €800,000 zone as "the entire Attica region, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants". In Thessaloniki the boundary is the whole regional unit, not just the city centre — the eastern suburbs are inside it.
Route | Minimum investment | Key condition | Applies in Thessaloniki? |
Standard residential | €800,000 | Single property, at least 120 m² | Yes — entire Thessaloniki Regional Unit |
Other regions | €400,000 | Single property, at least 120 m² | No — only outside the Thessaloniki Regional Unit |
Conversion / restoration | €250,000 | Commercial→residential (completed after 5 April 2024) or listed building; no m² minimum | Yes — location-independent |
Is Halkidiki or Kavala a €400,000 zone?
Yes. Halkidiki is a separate regional unit and is not named in the €800,000 list; nor are northern cities such as Kavala and Alexandroupoli. There the threshold is €400,000 with 120 m². A holiday home an hour from Thessaloniki therefore falls under a different rule. For the full list see our regional threshold map.
Thessaloniki apartment prices 2026: asking prices by district
The figures below are asking prices, not transaction prices. On the official side, the Bank of Greece reported that apartment prices in Thessaloniki rose 4.7% year on year in Q2 2026 (Greece 5.5%, Athens 5.0%). Across 2025 as a whole, Thessaloniki's 9.7% clearly outpaced Athens (6.6%).
Area | Median asking price (€/m²) | Note |
Thessaloniki overall (900 listings) | 2,733 | Spitogatos sample, May 2026 |
Centre (Kentro) | 3,333 | Top tier |
Kalamaria | 3,091 | Leader of the eastern waterfront |
Eastern Sector (Kalamaria, Pylaia, Panorama, Thermi) | 2,727 | 500-listing sub-sample |
Panorama | 2,173 | Villa-heavy; low apartment median |
Ano Poli (Upper Town) | 1,889 | Historic quarter |
Source: medyields.com, Spitogatos listing sample (May 2026; updated 4 October 2026). We could not find separate, verifiable figures for Pylaia, Thermi, Neapoli-Sykies or Evosmos, so we give none.
What does €800,000 buy in Thessaloniki?
The key fact: with a city median of €2,733/m², €800,000 corresponds to roughly 290 m². Even in Kalamaria a 120 m² apartment costs around €370,000 at asking prices. So the €800,000 threshold rarely fits a single apartment in Thessaloniki; in practice the route concentrates on detached villas in Panorama and Thermi, large sea-front apartments and new-build luxury projects. For smaller budgets the realistic Golden Visa path in Thessaloniki is often a €250,000 conversion project — see our commercial-to-residential conversion guide.
Rental yield: a realistic expectation in Thessaloniki
According to Global Property Guide, Thessaloniki's average gross rental yield is 4.19%, against 5.52% in Athens and a national average of 4.38% (May 2026). Yields are lower than in Athens, but entry prices are clearly more affordable. Net yield typically sits 1.5–2 points below gross after taxes and costs.
A quick worked example
€800,000 standard route: gross 4.19% → about €33,500 gross rent a year. Net in the 2–2.5% band → roughly €16,000–20,000 a year.
€250,000 conversion route: at the same gross rate, about €10,500 gross rent a year.
Purchase tax (resale, today): 3.09% transfer tax → €24,720 on an €800,000 property. Notary, land registry and legal fees come on top.
This is a checklist, not investment advice. For a city-by-city comparison see our Greece rental yields analysis.
Why Thessaloniki? Three reasons
Demand: according to the Decentralised Administration of Macedonia-Thrace, Turkey led Golden Visa applications in Thessaloniki in 2021–2025 with 869 applications (Israel 248, Russia 187).
Transport: the main line of the Thessaloniki metro opened on 30 November 2024, changing travel between the centre and the eastern suburbs.
Proximity: about an hour's flight from Istanbul and well connected to the Balkans and Central Europe, which simplifies family visits and property management.
Short-term rental (Airbnb) ban
A property bought for a Golden Visa cannot be let on short-term rentals or sublet; breaching this rule, introduced by Law 5100/2024, carries a €50,000 administrative fine and the risk of permit revocation. Long-term letting is allowed. Central Athens also has a ban on new short-term registrations; we found no official 2026 decision imposing a similar ban specific to Thessaloniki.
Buying an apartment in Thessaloniki: 7 steps
Budget and route: €800,000 standard route or €250,000 conversion route? Decide before you start viewing.
AFM (Greek tax number) and bank account: payment is made through a Greek bank account. Details: AFM and bank account guide.
Shortlist: check the threshold, 120 m², single-property rule and regional-unit boundary for every listing.
Legal due diligence: an independent lawyer reviews title, mortgages, planning and (for conversions) the change-of-use documents.
Preliminary agreement and deposit: terms and payment schedule are put in writing.
Deed and transfer tax: transfer before a notary; today 3.09% on resale property.
Golden Visa application: biometrics and file submission after land-registry recording.
What changes in 2027?
On 8 September 2026 the Finance Minister announced that the residential transfer tax for non-EU individual buyers will rise, including the municipal share, from 3.09% to 15.45%, effective 1 July 2027. The legal text has not yet been published. Details in our Greek property taxes guide. To compare with the capital, see our Athens apartments for sale 2026 guide; for the programme as a whole, our Greek Golden Visa 2026 guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum Golden Visa investment in Thessaloniki?
€800,000 on the standard route, for a single residential property of at least 120 m². As an exception, €250,000 for commercial-to-residential conversions or restored listed buildings. (Source: Law 5100/2024 art. 64; stegasi.gov.gr)
Does the €400,000 threshold apply in suburbs like Kalamaria or Thermi?
No. The €800,000 rule covers the entire Thessaloniki Regional Unit, including Kalamaria, Pylaia, Thermi and Panorama. €400,000 applies only outside it, for example in Halkidiki. (Source: Law 5100/2024 art. 64; stegasi.gov.gr)
How much do apartments cost in Thessaloniki?
According to a May 2026 listing sample, the median asking price in Thessaloniki is €2,733/m²; €3,333 in the centre and €3,091 in Kalamaria. These are asking, not transaction, prices. The official index shows a 4.7% annual rise in Q2 2026. (Source: medyields.com / Spitogatos, 04.10.2026; Bank of Greece, 15.09.2026)
Can I rent my Golden Visa apartment on Airbnb?
No. Short-term letting or subletting of a Golden Visa property is prohibited; breaches carry a €50,000 administrative fine and a risk of permit revocation. Long-term letting is allowed. (Source: Law 5100/2024)
Finding the right property in Thessaloniki with Avla
At Avla Real Estate we screen every Thessaloniki project for threshold, floor area, regional-unit boundary and title before we present it to you. Book a free consultation to discuss your budget and goals.
→ Free consultation: realestate@avla.com.tr · +90 532 282 2657
Sources: Law 5100/2024 art. 64 and stegasi.gov.gr (thresholds) · Bank of Greece, Q2 2026 residential price index (15.09.2026) and 2025 annual data · medyields.com, Thessaloniki property price index (Spitogatos listing sample, May 2026; updated 04.10.2026) · Global Property Guide, Greece rental yields (May 2026) · Greek City Times, 09.09.2026 (Decentralised Administration of Macedonia-Thrace data) · Elliniko Metro (Thessaloniki metro opening, 30.11.2024) · Greek Ministry of Finance announcement, 08.09.2026. Asking prices are not transaction prices. This article is for information only and is not legal or tax advice. Last updated: 26 October 2026.
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