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Greece uses the euro — it has since 1 January 2002, and no shop, taverna or taxi will take your dollars or pounds. That part every guide gets right. What many of them still get wrong is the part that costs you: they say Greek ATMs went fee-free in August 2025, when the law that scrapped those fees was written for Greek bank customers, not for the card in your wallet.
The real costs are small, specific and easy to avoid once you know where they hide. A blue-and-yellow Euronet machine in the airport arrivals hall or on a Plaka side street adds its own fee before you've taken a single euro out. The "would you like to pay in dollars?" screen can add up to 13% on top. A €50 note can be turned away at an island kiosk. None of it is hard to dodge.
I live in Athens, and what follows is how I'd tell a friend to handle money here in 2026: which ATMs to walk past, how much cash to actually carry, what the coins in your change are, and the one button to press at every machine.
Before the details, try this — it's the fastest way to see why which ATM you use, and which button you press, matters more than the exchange rate you read about:
What Currency Does Greece Use?
The euro (€, currency code EUR). Greece joined the eurozone on 1 January 2001, and euro notes and coins replaced the drachma on 1 January 2002, so it's the same money you'd spend in Italy, France or Germany — and it's still the euro in 2026. It's the euro everywhere in the country, too: Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu and the smallest Cycladic island all use it. There is no separate Greek or island currency.
Greeks call cents lepta (λεπτά), a word inherited from the drachma, and prices are written the continental way: 4,50 € rather than €4.50, with a comma for the decimal point and the euro sign after the number.
At markets and kiosks the price is often said rather than shown, so it helps to recognise deka (10), ikosi (20) and peninda (50). Our Greek numbers guide covers every price you're likely to hear.
US dollars, British pounds and other currencies aren't accepted for everyday spending — not in shops, tavernas, taxis or ferry offices. And there's no special "Greek currency to USD" rate to look up: you're converting euros to dollars or pounds at the same EUR rate used across the eurozone. Check the live mid-market rate on Google or XE before you go, then compare it with what your card actually charges. A good travel card lands very close to it; the "pay in dollars" option at a terminal doesn't.
What Greek Money Looks Like: Euro Notes and Coins
Euro banknotes are identical across the eurozone: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100 and €200 are in everyday use. The €500 note is still legal tender but hasn't been issued since 2019, and you'll struggle to spend one anywhere in Greece — even a €50 can be a problem at a kiosk or a small taverna.
Coins are where it gets Greek. Every euro coin has a common side and a national side, and Greece's national sides are a small history lesson. The €1 coin carries the owl of Athena, copied from an ancient Athenian tetradrachm, and the €2 coin shows Europa being carried off by Zeus disguised as a bull — the myth that gave the continent its name. The 50, 20 and 10 cent coins show three founders of modern Greece: Eleftherios Venizelos, Ioannis Kapodistrias and Rigas Feraios. The 5, 2 and 1 cent coins show ships: a modern tanker, a corvette from the War of Independence and an Athenian trireme. Coins from any eurozone country are valid in Greece, so your change will be a mix.
Before the Euro: the Drachma, Ancient and Modern
Greece's currency before the euro was the drachma, one of the oldest currency names in the world. Greek city-states struck silver drachmas from around the 6th century BC, and Athens' tetradrachm — worth four drachmas — became the trade coin of the ancient Mediterranean, which is why its owl is back on today's €1 coin. The modern drachma arrived in 1832, soon after independence, and was fixed at 340.75 drachmas to the euro when Greece joined the eurozone.
Old drachma notes and coins can no longer be exchanged at banks, so any you come across are collectors' items rather than money. Athens' Monastiraki flea market and the city's coin dealers are where they turn up.
Cash or Card in Greece? (It Changed — You Need Less Cash Than You Think)
For years the standard advice was "Greece is a cash country — bring plenty." That advice is now out of date. Over the past few years the Greek government has actively pushed businesses onto card terminals (partly to combat tax evasion), and since the pandemic, contactless tap-to-pay has become the norm. Today:
- Cards are widely accepted in cities, tourist areas, hotels, larger restaurants, supermarkets, petrol stations, and most shops. Visa and Mastercard work virtually everywhere; American Express is patchy outside big hotels, so don't rely on it as your only card.
- Contactless is standard — you'll tap for most purchases just as you would at home, and Apple Pay and Google Pay work wherever contactless cards do.
- You still want some cash for the exceptions: traditional tavernas, island and street kiosks (periptera), open-air markets, monastery and some smaller-site entries, remote mountain villages, small ferry operators, and the occasional terminal that's "down" (island connectivity wobbles). Cash is also how you tip — see our full tipping in Greece guide.
The practical rule: treat cash as backup, not your main method. Put the big stuff — hotels, dinners, car rental, transfers, tours — on a card, and keep a modest float of euros for the small, local, and offline moments.
💳 The smart setup: carry one Visa and one Mastercard (ideally from different issuers, so a block or outage on one doesn't strand you), plus a small amount of cash. A Wise or Revolut travel card with no foreign-transaction fees is the cheapest way to both spend and withdraw — you get the real mid-market exchange rate instead of your bank's marked-up one, which over a two-week trip is a meaningful saving.
How Much Cash Should You Bring to Greece?
Not much, and ideally none from home. Here's the honest answer:
- Don't exchange money before you travel. The rates at your home bank, airport bureaux, and hotel exchange desks are consistently poor. You'll get a far better rate withdrawing euros from a Greek bank ATM on arrival, or simply paying by card.
- A working float of €50–€100 in small denominations (€5, €10, €20 notes) covers a few days of tavernas, coffees, kiosks, and tips. Top up from a bank ATM as needed rather than carrying a large sum.
- Avoid large notes. Some small businesses can't or won't break a €50 — keep smaller notes for everyday spending.
- As a rough budget signal: a mid-range traveller spends roughly €70–€120 per person per day on food, local transport, and activities (excluding accommodation), and most of that can go on a card. For a full breakdown see how much a trip to Greece costs and is Greece expensive.
The point: you are never more than a short walk from a bank ATM in any town, city, or sizeable island, so there's no need to arrive with a thick envelope of euros. The exception is genuinely tiny, remote islands with few or no cash machines — there, withdraw before you sail.
The one cash rule that matters at the border is the upper limit: arriving from outside the EU with €10,000 or more, or the equivalent, means declaring it, which our guide to Greece travel requirements for US citizens covers alongside the rest of the customs allowances.
Landing from the US? Our guide to how to travel to Greece from the USA walks through the whole Athens airport arrival, from the border queue to the metro, so you know when you will actually need your first euros.
ATMs in Greece: The One Thing That Costs Tourists Money
This is the single most important section, because which ATM you use affects your money more than anything else on this page.
Use a Greek bank ATM. Avoid the independent (Euronet) machines.
Greece's ATMs fall into two camps:
- Bank ATMs — run by the four big Greek banks: Piraeus Bank, Alpha Bank, National Bank of Greece and Eurobank. These are the machines attached to actual bank branches, and they convert at your card network's rate rather than their own. A word on the much-reported August 2025 law that "abolished ATM fees": it was written for Greek bank customers, and the Finance Ministry confirmed its €1.50 cap on third-party machines does not cover tourists with foreign cards. So as a visitor you may still pay a fixed operator fee at a bank ATM — reports from 2026 range from nothing at some machines to around €2–4 at others. Every Greek ATM shows the fee on screen before you confirm; if it's more than you're happy with, cancel and walk to another bank's machine.
- Independent ATMs — the ubiquitous blue-and-yellow Euronet machines at the airport, ferry ports and cruise docks and on prime tourist streets like Ermou and the lanes of Plaka in Athens, plus smaller operators such as Travelex and YourCash. They're placed for convenience, and that convenience is the trap: a higher fixed fee combined with aggressive dynamic currency conversion offers (see below) that can cost you dramatically more. Walk the extra five minutes to a real bank ATM — it's always worth it.
Practical ATM tips:
- Withdraw at a bank ATM, ideally during opening hours (if the machine eats your card, the branch is right there).
- Take out larger amounts less often to minimise any per-transaction fees from your home bank.
- Check your home bank's foreign-transaction and overseas-ATM fees before you go — these are separate from anything Greece charges, and a fee-free travel card sidesteps them entirely.
- Know your withdrawal limit. Most Greek bank ATMs let you take out somewhere between €300 and €600 per transaction, and some allow more — but your own bank's daily limit is usually the real ceiling. Check it before you fly, and raise it in your banking app if you plan to withdraw larger amounts less often.
- Airport arrivals: the ATMs in the arrivals hall are often the high-fee independent type. If you can pay for your airport transfer by card or pre-booked, do that and withdraw your first cash from a bank ATM in town instead.
ATMs on the Greek Islands
Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Paros and Naxos all have plenty of ATMs in their main towns and ports — but on the busiest islands the machines closest to the port and the main square are often independent ones, so look for a bank branch instead. On small islands it's a different picture: some have only one or two machines, usually in the port village, and in July and August they can run low on cash over a weekend or simply be out of service. If you're heading somewhere like Koufonisia, Folegandros, Sikinos or Anafi, withdraw what you'll need on Naxos, Paros or in Athens before you sail. Cash also helps at harbour ticket kiosks on smaller islands, where a working card machine isn't guaranteed.
The DCC Trap: Always Choose Euros, Never Your Home Currency
If you remember one thing from this entire guide, make it this. When you use an ATM or pay by card on a terminal in Greece, you may be asked whether you'd like to be charged in your home currency (US dollars, British pounds) rather than in euros. It looks helpful — you see a figure in money you understand.
Always decline. Always choose euros.
Saying yes triggers dynamic currency conversion (DCC) — the machine or terminal does the currency conversion itself, at an exchange rate it sets, with a markup that is nearly always unfavourable and, on some independent ATMs, can reach as much as 13%. Choosing euros instead lets your own bank or card network do the conversion at a far better rate (close to the real mid-market rate on a good travel card).
So at the "would you like to be charged in GBP/USD?" screen: press "no," "decline," "continue without conversion," or "charge in EUR." This one habit, at every ATM and every card terminal, quietly saves you more than any other money tip for Greece.
Sending or Transferring Money to Greece (Different Thing)
A quick note, because it's a common search: if you're looking to send or transfer money to Greece — supporting family, paying for a property, moving funds as an expat — that's a different task from tourist spending. From inside the eurozone, a standard SEPA bank transfer in euros arrives within one business day, and instant SEPA transfers land in seconds, usually for little or nothing. From the US, the UK or anywhere else, the real cost is in the exchange rate, which is why specialist services like Wise, Revolut or Western Union are generally cheaper and faster than a traditional bank wire, giving you the mid-market rate with transparent fees. This guide is about spending as a visitor; if transfers are your goal, compare a couple of those providers for your specific route and amount.
Exchanging Currency: Where NOT To Do It
If you do need to convert cash (say you're arriving with foreign notes), the ranking of options from best to worst is consistent:
- Best: withdraw euros directly from a Greek bank ATM, or pay by card — you effectively get near-market rates.
- Poor: airport exchange desks, hotel front desks, and bureaux de change in tourist areas. These advertise "no commission" but bury their profit in a bad rate. Use them only for small emergency amounts.
- A note on cash apps: services like Cash App do not operate for payments in Greece — you can't rely on them to pay locally. Use a card or euros.
Keeping Your Money Safe in Greece
Greece is a low-risk country for travellers, but the places where money changes hands — crowded metro carriages, the Monastiraki and Omonia stations in Athens, busy ferry gangways — are where pickpockets work. Keep cards and cash in a front pocket or a zipped bag, split them between two places, and read up on the common scams in Greece before you go.
Use ATMs attached to a bank branch, ideally in daylight, and cover the keypad. If a machine looks tampered with or keeps your card, walk away and call your bank. If a card is lost or stolen, freeze it in your banking app first, then call the number on the back — save it before you travel. For a theft report, which your insurer will ask for, contact the Tourist Police on 1571; our emergency numbers in Greece guide lists the rest, and most travel insurance for Greece policies cover stolen cash and cards up to a limit.
Quick Reference: Money in Greece at a Glance
Practical Money Tips for Greece
Bring two cards from different networks. One Visa, one Mastercard, ideally from different issuers, kept in different places. If one is blocked, lost, or its network hiccups, you're not stranded.
Tell your bank you're travelling — or use a travel card. Foreign transactions can trigger fraud blocks. A quick heads-up to your bank, or a card built for travel, avoids a frozen card on day one. Keep your home SIM active as well, so your bank's verification texts still reach you — our best eSIMs for Greece guide explains how to run both.
Always press "charge in euros." At every ATM and card terminal. The home-currency option (DCC) costs you every time.
Withdraw from bank ATMs, in larger amounts, less often. Fewer transactions means fewer potential fees, and bank machines beat the independent ones on rate and transparency.
Keep small notes for the local economy. Tavernas, kiosks, markets, monasteries, tips, and remote islands still love cash — but €5s, €10s, and €20s, not €50s.
Don't exchange cash at the airport or hotel. The rate is poor. A bank ATM or your card is almost always better.
On tiny remote islands, withdraw before you arrive. Cash machines can be scarce or occasionally out of service on the smallest islands — top up on a larger island or the mainland first.
Money in Greece: Frequently Asked Questions
What currency does Greece use in 2026?
The euro (€). Greece has used it since 2002, and it's the only currency accepted everywhere in the country, from Athens to the smallest island.
Can I use US dollars or British pounds in Greece?
No. Shops, tavernas, taxis and ferry offices only take euros. Pay by card or withdraw euros from a Greek bank ATM, and always choose to be charged in euros.
Is it better to use cash or card in Greece?
Card for most things — hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, tours and transfers. Carry a float of €50–100 in small notes for kiosks, small tavernas, markets, tips and remote islands.
Which ATMs should I use in Greece?
Bank ATMs from Piraeus Bank, Alpha Bank, National Bank of Greece and Eurobank. Avoid the independent blue-and-yellow Euronet machines at airports, ports and tourist streets, and decline any offer to convert to your home currency.
Are ATM withdrawals free in Greece for tourists?
Not necessarily. The August 2025 law that removed ATM fees covers Greek bank customers, not foreign cards. Some bank ATMs charge visitors nothing and others a fixed €2–4; the fee is always shown on screen before you confirm.
How much can I withdraw from an ATM in Greece?
Most Greek bank ATMs allow between €300 and €600 per transaction, and some more. Your home bank's daily limit is usually the real ceiling, so check it before you travel.
Should I exchange money before I travel to Greece?
No. Home banks, airport desks and hotel exchange counters give poor rates. Withdraw euros from a Greek bank ATM on arrival or simply pay by card.
What was Greece's currency before the euro?
The drachma. The modern drachma was introduced in 1832 and fixed at 340.75 drachmas to the euro when Greece joined the eurozone; euro notes and coins replaced it on 1 January 2002.
Can I use Apple Pay or Google Pay in Greece?
Yes. Contactless payment is standard in Greece, and Apple Pay and Google Pay work anywhere that accepts contactless cards.
Plan Your Trip
- How Much Does a Trip to Greece Cost? — full budget breakdown
- Is Greece Expensive? — honest costs for every budget
- Tipping in Greece — how much to tip, and why cash matters
- Greece Tourist Tax & Fees — the fees that aren't shown on Booking.com
- 25 Greece Travel Tips — everything practical to know before you go
- Can You Drink the Tap Water in Greece? — the other big practical question, by island
🇬🇷 Planning your Greece trip? Use our AI Trip Planner to build a personalised, day-by-day itinerary across 133 destinations — with the practical details handled.
Written by
Athens-born engineer · Coordinates a 5-expert Greek team · 50+ years combined field experience
I write every article on this site drawing on real, first-hand expertise — mine and that of four colleagues who live and work across Greece daily: a Peloponnese tour operator, a transfer specialist across Athens, Mykonos & Santorini, a Cretan hotel owner, and a Northern Greece hotel supplier. Nothing here comes from a single visit or desk research.
Informed by 5 Greek experts
Every destination we cover has been visited and vetted by at least one team member — not for a review, but as part of their daily work in Greek tourism.