23.02.2025
This article looks at how a home in Greece is taxed for someone living in the Netherlands. It answers the two questions Dutch owners ask most: how is my Greek property treated by the Dutch tax authorities, and will I be taxed on it in both Greece and the Netherlands?
The short answer is reassuring. Because of the tax treaty between the two countries, the Greek property is taxed in Greece, and the Netherlands grants relief so you are not taxed on it twice. The detail is below, and because tax rules change every year, we close with where to get advice on your own situation.
As a Dutch resident, you are taxed on your worldwide income, which includes a property in Greece. Dutch income tax is split into three boxes, and investment assets such as real estate fall under Box 3. Box 3 works differently from income tax on a salary. Instead of taxing your actual income, it applies a deemed, or assumed, return to the value of your net assets above a tax-free threshold, and taxes that. For 2026, the figures are set as follows. The deemed return on "other assets," the category that includes property, is 6.00%, and the Box 3 tax rate on that return is 36%. The tax-free threshold is around €57,000 per person, roughly double for fiscal partners. These amounts are set each year, so it is worth checking the current figures at the time you file.
Box 3 has been under legal challenge for years, because applying a fixed return rather than your real income can overtax people whose actual return is lower. Following rulings by the Dutch Supreme Court, there is now a counter-evidence route: if your actual return is lower than the deemed return, you can ask to be taxed on the lower, actual figure. The Netherlands also plans to move to a system based on real returns, where actual rental income is taxed, and expenses are deductible, with capital gains taxed on sale. This new system has been postponed more than once and is now expected around 2028. Until then, the deemed-return system above continues to apply.
This is the part that matters most for a Greek holiday home. Under the double tax treaty between the Netherlands and Greece, income from real estate is taxed in the country where the property is located, so Greece. You still report the Greek property in your Dutch tax return, but you then claim double-tax relief for it. In practice, this means a Dutch resident with a second home in Greece is, in principle, not liable for Dutch income tax on that property. You declare it, and you receive relief.
If you do not rent out your home in Greece, this part does not apply to you, although note that the annual Greek property tax, ENFIA, is payable by all owners whether they let the property or not. If you do let it, you pay tax in Greece on the rental income. For individuals, the tax is progressive, charged on the gross rental income, and calculated per owner. The 2026 scale is:
Up to €12,000: 15%
€12,001 to €24,000: 25%
€24,001 to €36,000: 35%
€36,001 and above: 45%
Some deductions can apply, particularly for long-term lets, so the taxable amount is not always the full gross figure. A tax professional can confirm what applies in your case.
Because the scale is applied per owner, it generally pays for couples to buy in both names rather than one. Splitting the rental income across two owners means more of it is taxed in the lower bands.
A home in Greece is taxed in Greece, and the Netherlands gives relief under the treaty, so you should not face Dutch income tax on the property itself. If you let it out, the Greek rental tax above applies, eased a little by buying in joint names. The Dutch Box 3 rules around it change most years and are mid-reform, so treat the figures here as the 2026 position rather than a permanent one.
Tax depends heavily on your personal circumstances, and the rules on both sides shift from year to year. For questions about the Dutch tax treatment of a home in Greece, we recommend speaking with Taxand Nederland. For the Greek side of your purchase, our own legal team is glad to help.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. Tax rules in the Netherlands and Greece change regularly, and individual situations vary. We recommend consulting a qualified tax professional before making any decisions.
24.06.2026
Greece remains one of Europe's most rewarding places to own a property and let it out, and the latest short-term rental rules do little to change that, as the new limits are targeted. More specifically, they focus on the busiest central districts of Athens and Thessaloniki, while the islands, the coast, and the wider market stay open.
23.06.2026
Selling a Greek property while you live in another country can feel like a tangle of paperwork in a language you do not read. The part that surprises most owners is how little of it actually requires your physical presence. You can sell a house in Greece from abroad without travelling at all. The sale runs through a power of attorney, with a legal representative acting for you on the ground. With your documents in order and a team handling the legal side, the whole process can be completed from your home country.
09.06.2026
Selling property in Greece means meeting a clear set of legal requirements: the right documents, a notarial deed, settled taxes, and clean title. For owners living abroad, the difficulty is rarely the rules themselves. It is coordinating several Greek authorities from another country. Here is what the process actually involves, and where having a legal team on the ground changes things.
21.05.2026
I bought a home in Greece (or I'm fantasizing about buying one), and I want to rent it out. What does it take to rent out a home in Greece? What taxes will I pay, and what income can I expect? Can I hire someone to assist me in renting out my home in Greece? In this comprehensive guide, we share everything you need to know about renting out a home in Greece, including legal requirements, market insights, and practical tips.
21.05.2026
Buying a home in Greece often starts with one very simple question: what does my budget actually get me?
It is a fair question, because property prices in Greece can vary a lot depending on location, views, accessibility, construction quality, and rental potential. A budget that may secure a sea-view apartment in one region could open the door to a private villa with land in another. In more established destinations, the same amount may buy less space, but stronger location value. In this guide, we look at both existing homes and off-plan projects currently under construction. This reflects how many international buyers search in Greece today: comparing ready-to-use properties with new-build opportunities that may still be in development. In some cases, buying off-plan can offer more flexibility, newer specifications and staged payments, while existing homes may appeal to buyers who want to use or rent the property sooner.
For international buyers, understanding these differences is an important first step. Whether you are looking for a holiday home, a future relocation base, or a long-term investment, knowing what €250K, €400K and €600K can realistically offer helps you search with more clarity.
13.05.2026
A full-service Greek real estate company handles the property search, the legal work, and the support after purchase in one place, so international buyers don't have to hire and coordinate separate agents, lawyers, and administrators. For anyone buying from abroad, that removes the hardest part of the process: navigating Greek property law in a language and a system they don't know. This guide explains what a full-service company does, why it matters for international buyers, and how it works in practice at Elxis.
07.05.2026
Greece has become one of the most appealing places in the world to spend retirement. The climate is mild, the cost of living is reasonable, the healthcare is good, and the tax treatment of foreign pensions is among the most generous in Europe. This guide walks through the practical side of retiring here: how to get residency, how the tax system works for pensioners, how to arrange healthcare, and where people choose to live.
05.05.2026
You can sell a property in Greece yourself. For most owners, though, an agent is the safer and far less stressful route. That is even more true if you live abroad. Here is the honest case for using one, and what selling alone really asks of you.
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