Co-living in Greece 2024-2025: Government Support, Programs & Initiatives
Housing Policies and Allowances
Student Housing Allowance: Students studying away from their permanent residence are entitled to a housing allowance. According to the official information portal, the allowance amount is €1,500 annually for students in Athens/Thessaloniki universities, while it increases to €2,000 for students outside these two major urban centers[1]. If two fellow students co-live in the same house, the net amount for each is set at €2,000 (total €4,000), while if they share a house outside Athens/Thessaloniki, the allowance is upgraded to €2,500 for each[2]. The government confirmed this increase for 2024-25[3]. The Prime Minister, in his statements at TIF 2025, emphasized that "rent subsidization is now very significant: €2,500 each student, €5,000 if two co-live, €7,500 if three"[4], encouraging young people to share housing costs.
Temporary Housing Subsidy (flood/fire victims): By Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD 41993/DAEFK-KE/A36/2025, Government Gazette 3953/B'), state aid was approved in the form of rent/co-living subsidies for residents of areas affected by the September 2023 floods[5]. This measure covers temporary housing expenses with rent subsidy (e.g., up to €300 - 500/month depending on the case). Interested parties can submit applications until 12/9/2025. Thus, the state provides immediate support to families who lost their homes, covering part of the cost through special subsidies for co-living or rent.
"Housing and Employment" Program (OPEKA): This is a national program of the Ministry of Social Cohesion aimed at homeless and vulnerable households. It offers subsidized rent and coverage of basic needs, alongside psychosocial support and employment integration programs[6]. The program is implemented biennially and is funded in cooperation with local government bodies. Recently, social housing actions were also strengthened (e.g., "My Home I" and "My Home II" programs with a total budget of €6 billion), through which approximately 30,000 young citizen families acquired housing through subsidized loans[7].
Tax/Budget Measures: The 2024 budget provides for increased funding for allowances related to co-living (e.g., increase of student housing allowance to €2,000/€2,500 total) at a cost of ~€15 million[3]. Furthermore, every tax relief or income increase measure (e.g., minimum wage increase) improves households' ability to share a home.
Special Support: There are also other benefits (e.g., child housing allowance, housing allowance for non-employees, etc.) that indirectly benefit households in co-living situations. In any case, all state subsidies related to rent and housing ("rent allowance", "housing allowance", etc.) apply equally to households with more tenants/co-inhabitants.
Social and Innovative Initiatives
Elderly Co-living Communities: Actions by NGOs for elderly co-living are emerging. The urban non-profit initiative "Elderly & Non Co-living Communities - Building My Future" (2013 "Nama") launched a campaign to create third-age self-managed co-living communities[8]. As mentioned in an ERT publication, "the first attempt to create elderly co-living communities in Greece" has already actively begun[8], aiming to combat loneliness and share cost and care. These efforts do not yet have national funding, but they bring to the forefront the social benefit of elderly co-living.
Private Platforms & Communities: In practice, innovative "social housing" tools are being developed, such as the MyRoomie online platform for finding roommates. MyRoomie currently has ~13,000 registered users and ~2,000 available properties[9], facilitating young people and students in finding compatible roommates. Similarly, groups on social media (e.g., Facebook) connect potential roommates, strengthening the trend.
Other Social Structures: Generally, social innovation bodies (Social Cooperative Enterprises, foundations, universities) develop alternative housing models, e.g., strengthening apartment buildings friendly to group living or supporting housing cooperatives. Although there are no specific state programs only for people with disabilities in co-living, relevant social benefits cover such cases too (e.g., mobility benefits, tax reliefs for disabled renters, etc.). The aim of NGOs is to inspire communities with common needs (for example, young students with disabilities to co-live and share specialized benefits).
Socio-economic Benefits
Studies and reports point out that co-living significantly reduces rent per person. For example, a 65 sq.m. apartment in central Athens costs about €600/month [excluding common expenses][10], an amount corresponding to 60%+ of the average private sector salary (€1,000). By sharing these expenses, each roommate pays much less (e.g., €350 - 400 instead of €600 - 700), while there are economies of scale in bills and consumables. Additionally, social benefits arise from mutual assistance and combating loneliness, which are enhanced when people of different ages and life phases live together. The state promotes these aspects with incentives (taxes, subsidies) so that co-living becomes a viable solution. As noted in Greek media, "co-living, from a necessary evil, becomes a convenient solution for owners and students"[11], precisely because the public sector "rewards" the cost sharing financially [e.g., through increased housing allowance for roommates][11][4].
In summary, in recent years the Greek state has combined direct housing support measures with indirect incentives for co-living. Official findings and announcements (e.g., from Ministries, JMDs, OPEKA) show that these policies recognize the economic and social benefits of collaborative housing[1][5][4][8]. Additionally, the trend is strengthened by civil society actions and emerging initiatives that promote collective living as a sustainable response to the housing crisis.
Sources: State announcements and publications (JMD/Government Gazette, gov.gr, OPEKA, etc.) and news reports covering the above actions[1][3][5][6][4][8].
[1] [2] Frequently Asked Questions - Portal https://portal.stegastiko.minedu.gov.gr/xrisima-faq
[4] [7] K. Mitsotakis in response to ERT news about Housing: Rent relief is €5,000 for co-living - ertnews.gr https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/politiki/kyr-mitsotakis-se-erotisi-tou-ertnews-gia-to-stegastiko-i-elafrynsi-enoikiou-einai-5-000-eyro-gia-sygkatoikisi/
[5] Flood victims September 2023: JMD for temporary housing subsidy https://www.naftemporiki.gr/society/1986268/plimmyropatheis-septemvrioy-2023-kya-gia-epidotisi-prosorinis-stegasis/
[6] Housing Policy Portal https://stegasi.gov.gr/programs/stegasi-kai-ergasia-gia-tous-astegous/
[8] Self-managed elderly co-living communities in Greece - ertnews.gr https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/mono-sto-ertgr/aytodiaxeirizomenes-koinotites-sygkatoikisis-ilikiomenon-stin-ellada/
[9] [10] [11] Co-living trend on the rise - What the platform data shows... | Economy News https://www.thetoc.gr/oikonomia/article/se-anodo-i-tasi-tis-sugkatoikisis-ti-deixnoun-ta-stoixeia-tis-platformas-myroomie/