---
title: "Living in Larissa as a digital nomad: cost, safety, visa, internet"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/larissa
description: "Busy farming capital of Thessaly with an ancient theatre"
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Larissa, Greece

Larissa scores 63.6/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 538 of 1501 cities. Expect about $1,900 per month (country-level estimate), a nomad visa (Digital Nomad Visa (Z.1)), and a measured median download speed of 28.7 Mbps.

Larissa is the capital of Thessaly and one of Greece's bigger cities, a flat, busy market town with a café-filled centre, an ancient theatre and a riverside park. Mount Olympus and Meteora are about 1 hour away and Thessaloniki about 1.5 hours by train. It is cheaper than Athens and very Greek, but summers are among the hottest in the country and the city has no scheduled flights.

Known for: Ancient theatre in the centre, Pineios riverside park, Café culture, Meteora and Mount Olympus nearby.

## Scores (balanced weights, 0–100)

| Factor | Score |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | 63.6 |
| Cost of living | 43 |
| Safety | 76 |
| Healthcare | 83 |
| Internet | 61 |
| Visa ease | 76 |
| Getting there & around | 34 |
| Climate | 42 |
| Air quality | 68 |
| Quality of life | 90 |

## The numbers behind the scores

| Metric | Value | Level | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,900 | country | 2026-09 | [^2] |
| Central 1-bedroom rent | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Outskirts 1-bedroom rent (basis of the monthly total) | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Homicide rate (per 100k) | 0.85 | country | 2024 | [^4] |
| Political stability (0–100) | 70.5 | country | 2025 | [^5] |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 77 | country | 2023 | [^6] |
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.9 | country | 2023 | [^7] |
| Median download (Mbps) | 28.7 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Median upload (Mbps) | 4.8 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Starlink residential service | Available | country | 2026-10 | [^9] |
| Nomad visa | Digital Nomad Visa (Z.1) (min $3,929/mo) | country | 2026-10-07 | [^10] |
| Visa guide | [Greece long-stay visa guide](https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/greece) | country | 2026-10-07 | [^10] |
| Entry for US / EU / UK passports | 90 days / unlimited / 90 days | country | 2026-02 | [^11] |
| Non-stop destinations (SKG) | 94 | city | 2026-10 | [^12] |
| Restaurants within 3 km of the centre (OpenStreetMap) | 119 | city | 2026-11 | [^16] |
| Walkability / transit (1–5) | 4 / 2 | editorial | 2026-09 | [^13] |
| Comfortable months | 5 of 12 | city | 2001–2020 | [^14] |
| Annual mean PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 19.5 | city | 2025 | [^15] |
| Human Development Index | 0.908 | country | 2023 | [^17] |
| English proficiency band | very-high | country | 2024 | [^18] |

## Tax on income from abroad

**Residents pay 9%–44% on worldwide earnings, 5% on dividends; flat-tax deals for the wealthy and pensioners.** Once you are tax resident, Greece taxes your worldwide income. Salary and freelance fees from abroad pay 9% to 44% (2026 scale, 44% above €60,000); dividends pay 5%, interest 15% and share gains 15%, with small stakes in listed shares exempt. Newcomers can halve tax on Greek-source work income for 7 years (Art. 5C), pay a flat €100,000 a year on foreign income (Art. 5A), or 7% as a foreign pensioner (Art. 5B).

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How residents are taxed | worldwide income |
| Remote work for foreign clients or employers | taxed (9%–44% progressive (2026), with lower rates for people under 30 and parents) |
| Investments and pensions from abroad | taxed (5% on dividends, 15% on interest and on share gains, rent 15%–45%, pensions 9%–44%) |
| Wealth | no wealth tax; inheritance tax applies |
| Tax resident after | 183 days a year |
| Top income tax rate | 44% |

Residency: You are a Greek tax resident if your permanent or main residence, your habitual abode or your centre of vital interests (personal and economic ties) is in Greece. Separately, spending more than 183 days in Greece, counted cumulatively, in any 12-month period makes you resident from your first day of presence. That day count does not apply to people in Greece solely for tourism, medical treatment or similar private purposes for no more than 365 days. A digital-nomad visa holder who stays under 183 days is usually non-resident, but one who makes a rented home in Greece their main residence or moves family and economic life there can be resident sooner under the first test.

Remote work: Pay from a foreign employer and fees from foreign clients are taxed on the 2026 scale: 9% up to €10,000, 20% to €20,000, 26% to €30,000, 34% to €40,000, 39% to €60,000 and 44% above. Under-25s pay 0% and 26–30-year-olds 9% on the first €20,000, and parents get lower rates in the second and third bands. Employment physically performed in Greece is Greek-source income by law, even if the employer is abroad. Freelancers register a business activity with the tax office and are taxed on profit on the same scale; for the first three years a minimum deemed income does not apply, and after that their profit is presumed to be at least the annual gross minimum wage (reduced by two-thirds in year 4 and one-third in year 5) unless they rebut it. Freelancers also pay monthly e-EFKA contributions by chosen category: €250.77 to €675.87 in 2026 for pension and health, plus €10 for unemployment, with a reduced special category of €150.46. Social security for employees of a foreign employer depends on EU rules or a bilateral agreement and is not covered here. Foreign tax paid on the same income is credited up to the Greek tax on it.

Investments: Foreign dividends are taxed at 5%, interest at 15% and royalties at 20%, each separately from the progressive scale. Foreign withholding tax is credited only up to the Greek tax, so a dividend already taxed at 15% abroad usually owes nothing more but gets no refund of the difference. Gains on securities are taxed at 15%, but gains on shares and other securities listed on a stock exchange are only taxable if you hold at least 0.5% of the company (and acquired them from 2009), so ordinary portfolio sales are tax-free. The code does not list crypto-assets among taxable securities; their treatment was not verified here. Tax on gains from selling real estate is suspended until 31 December 2026. Rent, from Greece or abroad, has its own 2026 scale: 15% up to €12,000, 25% to €24,000, 35% to €36,000 and 45% above. Foreign pensions are added to the progressive 9%–44% scale unless you use the 7% pensioner regime.

On the nomad visa: The Digital Nomad Visa (Z.1) carries no tax regime of its own. Holders become tax resident under the ordinary tests: more than 183 days in any 12-month period, or a main home or centre of vital interests in Greece. Once resident they pay tax on worldwide income at standard rates, and their remote pay is Greek-source because the work is done in Greece. The 50% Art. 5C relief does not cover a remote employee of a foreign company with no Greek entity or branch, and the visa requires you not to work for a Greek employer. A freelancer who registers a business activity in Greece may qualify for the self-employed version, though this was not confirmed with the tax authority.

Schemes for newcomers:

- **Art. 5C ITC: 50% income exemption for people moving tax residence to work** (7 years): 50% of Greek-source employment or business income is exempt from income tax, so the top marginal rate on that income falls to 22%. Who qualifies: People who were not Greek tax resident in five of the six previous years, move from an EU/EEA country or a country with a tax administrative-cooperation agreement with Greece, and say they will stay at least two years. Employees qualify only if they work under an employment contract with a Greek company or the Greek permanent establishment of a foreign business, so remote work for a foreign employer does not. People who move to start an individual business activity in Greece also qualify; the law sets no rule on where clients are based, but AADE's FAQ on the scheme could not be loaded to confirm how freelancers with only foreign clients are treated. Law 5222/2025 dropped the condition that the job be newly created. You apply in the year you start work or the following year (a start after 2 July counts from the next year).
- **Art. 5A ITC: €100,000 flat tax on foreign income (non-dom)** (15 years): A flat €100,000 a year covers all foreign-source income whatever the amount, plus €20,000 a year for each relative you add. Foreign tax cannot be credited against it. Greek-source income, including pay for work done in Greece, is taxed normally. Holders and their heirs are exempt from Greek inheritance and gift tax on movable assets abroad. Who qualifies: People who were not Greek tax resident in seven of the eight previous years and who, directly, through a relative or through a company they control, invest at least €500,000 in Greek real estate, businesses, securities or shares within three years of applying (not required for holders of an investor residence permit). Apply by 31 March of the year, or by 31 March of the year after you move.
- **Art. 5B ITC: 7% flat tax for foreign pensioners** (15 years): 7% on all foreign-source income, not only the pension, paid in one instalment by the end of July and replacing the 9%–44% scale. Greek-source income is taxed normally. Who qualifies: People receiving a pension from abroad who move their tax residence to Greece, were not Greek tax resident in five of the six previous years, and come from a country with a tax administrative-cooperation agreement with Greece. Apply by 31 March of the year, or by 31 March of the year after you move.

Official sources: [Κώδικας Φορολογίας Εισοδήματος (ν. 4172/2013), consolidated to Law 5264/2025](https://minfin.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/%CE%9A%CE%A9%CE%94%CE%99%CE%9A%CE%9F%CE%A0%CE%9F%CE%99%CE%97%CE%A3%CE%97-%CE%A4%CE%9F%CE%A5-%CE%9A%CE%A9%CE%94%CE%99%CE%9A%CE%91-%CE%A6%CE%9F%CE%A1%CE%9F%CE%9B%CE%9F%CE%93%CE%99%CE%91%CE%A3-%CE%95%CE%99%CE%A3%CE%9F%CE%94%CE%97%CE%9C%CE%91%CE%A4%CE%9F%CE%A3-%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%A7%CE%A1%CE%99-%CE%A4%CE%9F-%CE%9D-5264-2025.pdf) (Ministry of National Economy and Finance (minfin.gov.gr), read 2026-10-27); [Κώδικας Φορολογίας Περιουσίας (ν. 5219/2025), administrative consolidation to Law 5264/2025](https://minfin.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/%CE%94%CE%B9%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE-%CE%9A%CF%89%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%AF%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7-%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85-%CE%9A%CF%8E%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1-%CE%A6%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%A0%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%BD.5219-25-%CE%B5%CF%89%CF%82-%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CE%BD.5264-25.pdf) (Ministry of National Economy and Finance (minfin.gov.gr), read 2026-10-27); [Φορολογία Κεφαλαίου (tax guide: capital taxation)](https://minfin.gov.gr/forologiki-politiki/forologikos-odigos/forologia-kefalaiou/) (Ministry of National Economy and Finance (minfin.gov.gr), read 2026-10-27); [Νόμος 5038/2023, Κώδικας Μετανάστευσης, άρθρο 68 (Ψηφιακοί νομάδες, τίτλος διαμονής Ζ.1)](https://migration.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/%CE%9A%CF%8E%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%9C%CE%B5%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AC%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%85%CF%83%CE%B7%CF%82.pdf) (Ministry of Migration and Asylum (migration.gov.gr), ΦΕΚ Α' 81/01.04.2023, read 2026-10-27); [Εγκύκλιος 6/2026: Ασφαλιστικές εισφορές έτους 2026 μη μισθωτών](https://www.e-efka.gov.gr/sites/default/files/2026-02/%CE%91%CF%83%CF%86%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AD%CF%82_%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%86%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%AD%CF%82_%CE%AD%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%82_2026_%CE%BC%CE%B7_%CE%BC%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%B8%CF%89%CF%84%CF%8E%CE%BD_%CE%95%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%B8%CE%AD%CF%81%CF%89%CE%BD_%CE%95%CF%80%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B9%CF%8E%CE%BD_%CE%91%CF%85%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%87%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%8D%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BD_%CE%91%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%84%CF%8E%CE%BD_V1.pdf) (e-EFKA (e-efka.gov.gr), read 2026-10-27).

Not yet reviewed by a person. General information, not tax advice. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

## Climate (2001–2020 normals)

| Month | Mean °C | Rain mm | Humidity % | Comfortable |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jan | 5.7 | 49 | 81 | no |
| Feb | 7 | 43 | 79 | no |
| Mar | 10 | 50 | 74 | no |
| Apr | 14.1 | 33 | 66 | no |
| May | 20 | 36 | 57 | yes |
| Jun | 25.2 | 29 | 49 | yes |
| Jul | 28.1 | 29 | 44 | no |
| Aug | 27.6 | 22 | 46 | yes |
| Sep | 22.6 | 48 | 56 | yes |
| Oct | 17 | 54 | 69 | yes |
| Nov | 11.8 | 48 | 77 | no |
| Dec | 7.1 | 60 | 81 | no |

## Airports and nonstop flights

| Airport | IATA | Nonstop destinations | International | From US airports |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Thessaloniki Airport | SKG | 94 | 74 | 0 |

Unique destinations across all airports: 94, of which 74 international (Wikipedia, 2026-10).

## Similar cities

- [Thessaloniki](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/thessaloniki) (66.8) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/larissa-vs-thessaloniki)
- [Patras](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/patras) (66.8) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/larissa-vs-patras)
- [Nafplio](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/nafplio) (67.1) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/larissa-vs-nafplio)
- [Nicosia](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/nicosia) (63.6) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/larissa-vs-nicosia)
- [Forlì](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/forli) (65) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/forli-vs-larissa)

## FAQ

### How much does it cost to live in Larissa as a digital nomad?

A single person typically spends about $1,900 per month in Larissa (a country-level estimate for Greece). That is a 43/100 cost score, where 100 is the cheapest city in the dataset.

### Is Larissa safe for digital nomads?

Larissa scores 76/100 on safety. Greece records 0.85 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2024) and a political-stability score of 70.5/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.

### Does Greece have a digital nomad visa?

Yes. Greece offers the Digital Nomad Visa (Z.1) with a minimum income of about $3,929 per month. Verify current rules with the issuing authority before applying. Full guide: https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/greece

### How fast is the internet in Larissa?

Measured median download speed in Larissa was 28.7 Mbps (upload 4.8 Mbps) across 1,272 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.

### Is Starlink available in Larissa?

Yes. Starlink's availability map lists residential service as available in Greece (checked 2026-10), so a dish can serve as a backup line in Larissa. Check the exact address on starlink.com before ordering, since capacity varies by area.

### Which airports serve Larissa and how many nonstop flights are there?

Larissa is served by Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) with 94 nonstop destinations, of which 74 are international. 0 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: Wikipedia, 2026-10.

### When is the best time of year to be in Larissa?

The most comfortable months are May, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct. Mean temperatures range from 42°F (6°C) in Jan to 83°F (28°C) in Jul (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).

### Larissa or Thessaloniki: which is better for digital nomads?

Thessaloniki is the city with the closest factor profile to Larissa in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

## Plan a trip

[Plan a trip to Larissa](https://dashboard.navoy.io/trip/new?utm_source=nostos&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=plan_trip&utm_content=larissa&destination=Larissa%2C+Greece) on Navoy, the AI travel planner behind Nostos.

## Sources

[^1]: City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^2]: 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. https://getwherenext.com/data/cost-of-living-2026 (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^3]: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^4]: Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, dataUNODC. UNODC data, free to reuse with attribution. https://data.unodc.org/datareport/hom-victim (retrieved 2026-10-12)
[^5]: Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^6]: UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/uhc-index-of-service-coverage (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^7]: Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/life-expectancy-at-birth-(years) (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^8]: M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. https://statistics.measurementlab.net/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^9]: Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. https://www.starlink.com/map (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^10]: Nostos long-stay visa guides, Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/visas (retrieved 2026-10-04)
[^11]: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. https://github.com/ilyankou/passport-index-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^12]: Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables), Wikipedia contributors; countries via Wikidata. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-24)
[^13]: Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/methodology (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^14]: NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). https://power.larc.nasa.gov/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^15]: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8), World Health Organization. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/who-ambient-air-quality-database-(update-jun-2026) (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^16]: OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. https://overpass-api.de/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
[^17]: Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/documentation-and-downloads (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^18]: EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. https://www.ef.com/epi/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)

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