The annual housing hunt has grown increasingly desperate for students, particularly in Greece’s major cities and tourist hotspots, where rental prices have surged and suitable properties have become scarce.
“When you suddenly have a large number of people entering the market, you face a problem because there simply aren’t enough properties available at low prices,” said Kosmas Theodoridis, General Secretary of the Real Estate Agents Association of Attica, speaking to Greek broadcaster MEGA.
While he acknowledged that enough properties may technically exist, Mr Theodoridis stressed the pivotal role student housing plays in the country’s broader housing challenges.
“Student dormitories and student housing are key factors in addressing the overall issue,” he said, pointing to a market imbalance worsened by the prioritisation of short-term rentals over long-term student leases.
Tovima reported the pressure is especially acute in urban centres and tourist areas, where many properties have been diverted into the short-stay market, making it increasingly difficult for students to secure long-term accommodation at reasonable prices.
Stavros Trilyrakis, Vice President of the Parents’ Federation of Central Macedonia, voiced strong criticism over the commodification of student housing.
“The grim reality is that student housing, which should be a basic condition for pursuing higher education, has become a commodity – one that is exploited for excessive profit,” he said.
Mr Trilyrakis described a worsening landscape in which families are often forced to settle for substandard, overpriced apartments.
“Every year we hear announcements, see cosmetic renovations, and watch millions handed over to contractors, yet the actual living conditions never improve.”
His remarks echo growing public frustration over what many see as the government’s failure to mobilise university-owned property or leverage modern resources to expand student accommodation options.
As Greece’s academic year draws near, thousands of students and their families are left navigating a market with few viable solutions.
Many are calling for urgent state intervention to ensure that access to higher education is not compromised by the cost and quality of housing.
