# Moving costs from Wales to Kefalonia



## ratzakli (May 20, 2012)

Hi everyone

I've got another question.

We are starting to plan the big move across and wondered if any of you who have moved your furniture across could help by letting us know how much it cost you - and when it was so we can try and adjust for inflation.

We would be bringing standard furnishings for a 3-bedroom house so it would probably be a medium sized removals van. 

Thanks very much.


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

I sent a 20ft container out here (but to mainland Greece) in 2008 and at the time found GB Liners one of the best to deal with and at a reasonable price.
I used the branch in Hereford, but they do have branches in Monmouth & Abergavenny.

A few things that might help:-
UK TV's will not receive normal Greek terrestrial TV (unless of course they are European models capable of receiving BG)
Definitely bring items like washing machines, tumble dryers (yes you will need one), fridge-freezers, computers, etc. They are far more expensive here than UK.
Good quality soft furnishings I think are better quality in the UK, but hardwood furniture here I think is often stronger and not to badly priced. Of course on the islands
variety and price competitiveness is far more limited.


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## Brenda G. (May 8, 2009)

Your moving cost to Greece is nothing compared what it cost to live here. Many foreigners are trying hard to get out as Greece goes through a terrible crises and everything is taxed , taxed and taxed again. Every time we get a bill they have added something new. If you use lets just say 100 euros of electric, you will find a additional 100 to 300 more in a new tax added on to the bill. Even a sales tax or a value added tax of 24% is added on to that. We used only 100 euros of electricity on our bill we paid today. Four hundred euros of additional tax was added on to it. The cost of every thing is sky rocketing and the cost of living is becoming unbareable for many. Children are hungry in school and this country is no place to move to if you have another option. If the cost of a move is exspensive for you, you will be unable to handle the cost of living on this side of the world. my suggestion is , stay where ever you are and come for a long visit instead. Only then can you understand what is happening in this country. I need say no more, for if you are watching Greek tv, they are not saying everything that is happening here. Be warned in advance.


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## Brenda G. (May 8, 2009)

What to bring, everything, If you sew, five years of fabric, can't find much in Kefalonia and what they have is no good and exspensive. A great pair of snow boots a must, thermal underwear,good sheets and towels, great bedding, electric blankets, no one can afford heating oil, electric highly taxed. Wood burning stove that does not smoke up your home and furniture. Pressure washer, great washer and some extra parts. Forget bringing a high powered car, you could pay up to 1600.00 euros a year just for your tags, then the car is taxed again on your income by its size. If you have a 3 or 4 litter car, you could end up paying 5 to 8 thousand euros and year on your income tax. Houses are also taxed by its size, so be ware . Be prepared to pay for private insurance for health, the hospitals here for free care goes with the saying. Nothing is free in this world. 3 thousand a year for that if you are healthy. Drugs are still reasonable but for how long I don't know. Bring lots of good quality clothing, shoes , don't bring junk, not worth it. Keep thinking your moving to the most exspensive place in Europe to live at. Food is exspensive. A yard egg cost 45 cents here. A loaf of bread 2.20 euro. Meat about 9 a kilo, gasoline for your car is at 1.89 a liter today. So good luck. Laws change everyday here, so what is the law today, don't exspect it tomarrow.


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## ratzakli (May 20, 2012)

Well Brenda - what can I say?

I was actually only asking about the approximate cost of having the furniture moved across so I could get on with my planning. I didn't say I couldn't afford it - I just thought it would be nice to have a rough idea so I knew whether the quotes I get are reasonable or not.

Of course, I do appreciate the trouble you took in sending your replies.

I just wonder why you would ever need a 3 or 4 litre car on the island? Surely a decent 1.6 litre would be fine - even for a good sized family. As for a "great pair of snow boots", I think a reasonable pair of wellies and 2 pairs of socks would do the job!

Comparing the prices you are talking about in Greece with those in the UK, the Greek ones seem, on average, to be slightly better. Over here, we currently pay £100 per month just for electric - plus £180 per month for council tax and £60 per month in water rates. We also pay an average of £150 per month for heating oil, which only covers our central heating and hot water, and we are out at work for most of the day so we actually use it for less than 5 hours a day. On top of that, we spend about £40 on bottled gas for 2 portable heaters that we use to top up as and when needed. So things aren't always perfect wherever you live.

We have lived on Kefalonia before for 8 years and we would be moving back to live off our pensions rather than having jobs so our income would be the same over there as it would be over here. However, the added benefit of decent weather throughout the year gives Greece the edge in my book.

Thanks again

Stuart


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

Stuart, 

Whilst it certainly has got a lot more expensive out here over the last few years you are so right, its a great place to live (with short winters). I live in the Peloponnese though, not Kef.
Last year we really wished we had gone to France, but now I am not so sure. It seems people in many Europeans countries are suffering from higher and higher taxes. If you enjoy the laid back lifestyle, summer months in the sun and can accept things being a little more basic than mainland Europe its still a great way to spend retirement......
I wish you well........


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## concertina (Oct 18, 2012)

you must remember that the national health service in greece is hopeless now so l strongly advise you to obtain medical insurance here.My husband has cover through his job at athens airport,they switched from allianz to general now and it looks a good deal covering out of greece travel as well.private medical is superb here.l am also covered and having had some major health issues and ops l cannot emphasize this enough to you.l would not want to be butchered in the public hospitals.And i believe the public health is only for people who pay in through their job.hospitals used to turn a blind eye to this but not now with shortages of money.Pregnant greek women are being turned away if they are not paying their stamps ,maybe they are unemployed,most likely,there is no mercy now.


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## ratzakli (May 20, 2012)

concertina said:


> there is no mercy now.


Unfortunately, "mercy" costs money but few people are willing to pay what they should either in taxes or in other premiums.

Whereas other countries have more strict tax regimes in place, Greece is now having to deal with the catastrophe that comes from decades of tax avoidance.

I still remember those TV adverts from the early 1990's that begged people to stop tax fraud by asking for tax receipts in shops and restaurants. The slogan was _"Αγαπάς την Ελλάδα; Απόδειξη!"_ 











20 years later on and the birds have sadly come home to roost.


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