Greek workers work the longest hours, are often overqualified for their jobs and earn the lowest average salary in the EU. And what is it used for each month?

Crete almost last in Europe in terms of average salary

Greece’s regions sit near the bottom in Europe when you look at average wages. The North Aegean, for example, ranks almost last out of 237 European areas.

This isn’t a new problem. The financial crisis dragged on for over a decade and hammered average wages between 2009 and 2022.

During those years, Greek wages just couldn’t keep pace with the European average. Regions in Greece lost about 40 spots in the European wage rankings.

Other countries saw their regions move up the ladder. Not so in Greece—most stayed put or slid backwards.

Some Eastern European areas even leapfrogged past parts of Greece. Inside Greece, the gaps between regions widened too.

Low productivity, fewer investments, and remote locations made things even tougher for certain areas. Places far from the action took the hardest hits.

Research from the Centre of Planning and Economic Research shows average wages shrank in Greek regions for a long stretch. Meanwhile, most of Europe saw wages tick upwards, so the wage gap just kept growing.

It’s honestly tough not to call it a “lost decade-plus” for Greek wages. The economy lagged behind most of the EU, and you can still feel it.

Average Wage Growth and Regional Gaps

Wage levels across the EU jump all over the place. Some regions enjoy strong growth, while others—like much of Greece—struggle with stagnation.

Greece’s situation stands out. Wages here are not just lower, but they grow slower too.

Data from the business sector tells a pretty clear story. Every Greek region saw average hourly wages drop between 2009 and 2022.

That’s not what happened in most of Europe, where wages generally rose. Both cities and countryside felt the pain, but rural and less developed areas got hit hardest.

Impact on Crete and Iraklion

Crete, especially the Iraklion region, hasn’t escaped these wage trends. It’s a key area in Kriti (Crete), but the local economy faces the same challenges as elsewhere.

Being far from the mainland’s economic hubs doesn’t help. The region leans heavily on tourism, agriculture, and old-school industries, which shapes the paychecks.

The village of Mési, close to Iraklion, fits this pattern. Geography, local economy, and distance all play a part in the wage ups and downs you see in the data.

Tourism and culture bring in visitors, sure, but economic pressures still keep average wages from growing much.

Economic Disparities Within Greece

The economic gap between different parts of Greece has only grown. Some regions attract more investment and grow faster, often because they’re near big cities or have better infrastructure.

Meanwhile, rural and remote areas just can’t keep up. They see slower progress and lower wages year after year.

Balancing development across such a diverse country is a major challenge. Efforts to boost wages and jobs have to consider these local realities.

Regions like the North Aegean and parts of Kriti face extra hurdles when it comes to catching up with European wage standards.

• Approximately 40 fewer places in European wage rankings over 13 years
• Wage decline in every Greek business region from 2009 to 2022
• Larger wage gaps between European regions, with Greece lagging
• Greater impact on less developed, rural, or isolated regions
• Crete’s economy, including Iraklion and Mési, reflects these trends

Hania News

Six out of Ten Private Sector Workers Earn Less Than €1,000

Most private sector workers in Greece take home less than €1,000 per month after taxes. That’s about 62% of all employees in the sector.

Many of these folks work part-time, and those jobs pay a lot less than full-time ones. Over half a million people hold part-time roles and earn well below the national average.

The gap between small and large company wages is pretty dramatic. Workers in businesses with more than 10 employees earn an average gross salary of about €1,477 per month.

But if you’re in a smaller firm—fewer than 10 employees—average gross pay drops to around €1,038. That’s a difference of over 40% in some cases.

Small and medium-sized businesses employ most private sector workers, roughly 700,000 people. A lot of them earn salaries right at or even below the minimum wage.

The average gross salary in these smaller companies is just €838. Part-time workers do even worse, with an average of about €497. It’s hard not to notice how common low-paid jobs are in these firms.

Location matters, too. Some regions offer higher average salaries and more full-time work, while others are stuck with low pay and lots of part-timers.

And let’s not forget the wage gap between men and women—it’s still there. Women usually earn less, no matter the sector or location.

After taxes and social security, the average net monthly income for private sector workers stays under €1,000. That means a lot of households struggle to cover basics like rent and groceries.

To boost incomes, Greece has to deal with the sheer number of low-paid and part-time roles—not to mention the huge pay gap between big and small employers. More high-quality jobs and regional investment might help close these gaps, but it won’t happen overnight.

Hania News

Highly Qualified Workers in Low-Skill Jobs

Lots of young people, aged 15 to 34, work in jobs way below their skill level. About one in four women and one in five men in this age group take roles that don’t match their education.

Even university and postgraduate grads often end up in jobs with little pay and few opportunities. Hospitality and retail are especially guilty here.

Those sectors grew fast, but mostly created part-time, flexible, and unstable jobs. Meanwhile, more productive industries—like manufacturing—lost out.

It’s estimated that over 250,000 manufacturing jobs vanished during the crisis and haven’t come back. That’s a huge blow.

It’s risky to rely so heavily on service jobs that don’t need many skills. The country’s youth can get stuck in low productivity and slow economic growth.

Plenty of young people with language skills and advanced degrees end up serving tourists, making coffee, or working in short-term rentals. These jobs rarely offer the financial security needed for independence or starting a family.

It’s tough to watch young men and women with postgraduate degrees working exhausting, low-skill jobs. All that time and money spent on education? It often doesn’t pay off the way it should.

The “skills mismatch” is real. There’s a big gap between what workers know and what employers actually need.

This mismatch blocks career growth and keeps wages low, even for the highly educated.

Key Facts

• Roughly 20-25% of young workers are overqualified for their current jobs.
• Youth unemployment rates stay high compared to most of Europe.
• Most new jobs offer low pay and poor conditions.
• Manufacturing jobs lost during the crisis haven’t been replaced.
• The service sector, especially hospitality, dominates youth employment.

Effects on Young Workers

• Financial Pressure: Low wages make it tough to live independently.
• Career Stagnation: Few chances to use advanced skills.
• Emotional Impact: Frustration and disappointment build up.
• Family Planning: Economic insecurity delays starting a family.

Possible Areas of Concern

• Too much reliance on low-productivity sectors.
• Not enough investment in industries that need skilled workers.
• Few opportunities for real career growth.
• The gap between education and job market needs keeps widening.

Creta 24

Greeks Lead Europe in Weekly Working Hours

In 2024, workers in Greece put in more hours per week than anyone else in the European Union. On average, Greeks clocked 39.8 hours per week, beating the EU average of 36 hours.

This gap—almost four hours—feels pretty significant. It really does show how much working time can vary across Europe.

The spread between countries is wide. For instance, Dutch workers averaged just 32.1 hours per week.

That’s almost eight hours less than Greeks. Honestly, it’s like having a whole extra workday each week if you’re in Greece versus the Netherlands.

What’s even more intense is that 25% of Greek employees worked over 45 hours per week, the highest in the EU. That kind of workload can’t be easy on anyone’s well-being or work-life balance.

Most other EU countries keep the number of employees working such long weeks much lower. Greece really stands out here.

Across the EU in 2024, 37.3% of employees worked between 40 and 44.5 hours weekly. Only 7.2% put in fewer than 20 hours at their main job.

Most Greek workers sit at the higher end, regularly exceeding the EU average. It’s not really a surprise at this point.

Wage disparities pile onto this workload difference, adding more pressure for Greek workers. It’s a tough combo, economically and socially.

People keep talking about Greek labour laws, especially the introduction of a 13-hour maximum working day. The idea is to get stricter about working hours.

Still, in practice, Greeks continue to work longer weeks than most Europeans. This ongoing gap keeps fueling debates about not just how long people work, but the actual quality of their working conditions.

There’s a lot of talk about improving employment conditions, not just cutting back hours. The real trick is balancing productivity, workers’ rights, and quality of life—especially when the economy’s tight.

Creta Times

Household Expenses and Their Distribution

The average Greek household spends about €1,725 each month, or roughly €20,700 a year. The biggest chunk of this budget? Food and non-alcoholic drinks, hands down.

Housing costs and transport eat up a lot too. These categories are where most of the money goes.

Monthly Household Spending Breakdown

Food and Drink Spending Trends

Some food items have seen bigger spending jumps than others lately:

• Oils and fats: increased by 12.6%
• Fish: increased by 9.3%
• Fruits: increased by 4.8%
• Sugar, jam, honey, syrup, chocolate: increased by 4.5%
• Mineral water, soft drinks, fruit and vegetable juices: increased by 3.6%
• Vegetables: increased by 3.3%
• Meat: increased by 3.0%
• Coffee, tea, cocoa: increased by 2.8%

Meanwhile, people have cut back on a few things:

• Other food items: decreased by 11.9%
• Dairy products and eggs: decreased by 1.7%
• Flour, bread, cereals: decreased by 0.8%

Regional and Annual Variations

Spending isn’t the same everywhere. Attica leads with the highest average annual household expenses, hitting about €24,360.

Between 2023 and 2024, overall household spending grew by 3.6%. That’s a bit slower than the 5.3% jump the year before.

Inflation keeps nudging costs up, adding roughly 1% to household budgets, even when you adjust for stable prices.

Notable Changes in Household Budgets

• The sharpest increases in spending hit leisure and culture, clothing, and hospitality services.
• People spent a bit less on durable household goods and communication services.

Greek households are clearly shifting their priorities, probably because of changing economic pressures.

Creta Times

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