# winter in Greece



## amron (Mar 10, 2009)

We have retired to Bulgaria and have very cold winters here. 
We have thought of renting somewhere in a warmer climate during the winter months. 
Can anyone suggest which parts of greece are warm and how much does it cost to rent for about 2-3 months.
As we are on a pension we would also need to know the cost of living etc


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## TTdots (Feb 17, 2009)

*islands*



amron said:


> We have retired to Bulgaria and have very cold winters here.
> We have thought of renting somewhere in a warmer climate during the winter months.
> Can anyone suggest which parts of greece are warm and how much does it cost to rent for about 2-3 months.
> As we are on a pension we would also need to know the cost of living etc


The warmest parts of Greece in the winter are Crete and Rhodes, which have sunshine and it rarely rains or snows. 

the life there in the winter is much cheaper as it is not tourist period. I would expect that you find something decent for 400-500 euros per month. A meal out will cost about 50 euros for two people (with house wine). Of course with the local products it will be relatively cheap to buy groceries. 
Fuel costs about 80 cents per litre, but you should not be spending much to go around as the distances are short.


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## amron (Mar 10, 2009)

*winter in greece*

Thank you for your reply.
I was trying to compair keeping warm here in Bulgaria to moving to greece.
We spend a lot less keeping warm here i am afraid but this information is always worth knowing.
thank you


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## Howard Lewis (Sep 26, 2008)

The winter in Rhodes is lovely


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## amron (Mar 10, 2009)

*winter in greece*



Howard Lewis said:


> The winter in Rhodes is lovely


How much is an apartment and the cost of living, do you have an idea as we are living on a pension
thank you


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## amron (Mar 10, 2009)

Hi Howard,
Are you able to use a pool in winter? We are looking at middle Jan to end March.
Can you say what extras we would have to cover for please as our budget is very small. We pay in the winter here 100 pounds for wood a month and about 25 pounds a month for electric. But whilst my husband is pensioned and thats what we live on i am not and can work. I think i would have to obtain work. Is work easy to get for a couple of months at that time of year?

Thanks Howard


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## crete7 (Apr 7, 2009)

Hi There,
I have lived in Crete for many years, and being the southern most Island has a moderate winter. It is possible to find house sits there for the winter period, and will cost next to nothing,
you will have to look on a Cretan expat site and you will find many opportunities, The average cost of living there, approximately 500- 1000 Euros per month. Sadly Greece has become the most expensive place to live in Europe, compared to ones income. Food in the supermarkets is double of that in Germany!
You mentioned that you live in Bulgaria, how is it there? I bought a village house there near Vieliko Turnovo , some years ago but have been hesitant to move there as I have heard there is some crime in the area,, plus the language barrier doesn't help.
Iwould be interested in your opinions of living there and the present day cost of living.
Also as a General builder is there much work about for expats?
Regards Geoff


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## amron (Mar 10, 2009)

hi crete7 I am thinking you want to know what Bulgaria is like, am i correct? 
If so, well here goes... Its a poor country, the villages are self sufficient although thinks do improve but very slowly. Village life is cheap, 50p a botle of beer, cigs are 1 pound a pkt. labour works for around 10-20 pounds per day. Now in sunny beach and other tourist areas same prices as in UK. There will always be work for a good builder. An experienced person would get 50 lev per day thats about 25 pounds per day but remember if you live in the villages then it costs nothing to live. Of course you can charge what you want. Property not through an agent you can get easily. Its knowing someone at the end of the day. We have land with permission for a house, or has a fall down house on it, in our village for 4,000 pounds. Land for less. The winters are so very cold here, thats the only real problem.
please stay in touch if you need help


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## crete7 (Apr 7, 2009)

amron said:


> hi crete7 I am thinking you want to know what Bulgaria is like, am i correct?
> If so, well here goes... Its a poor country, the villages are self sufficient although thinks do improve but very slowly. Village life is cheap, 50p a botle of beer, cigs are 1 pound a pkt. labour works for around 10-20 pounds per day. Now in sunny beach and other tourist areas same prices as in UK. There will always be work for a good builder. An experienced person would get 50 lev per day thats about 25 pounds per day but remember if you live in the villages then it costs nothing to live. Of course you can charge what you want. Property not through an agent you can get easily. Its knowing someone at the end of the day. We have land with permission for a house, or has a fall down house on it, in our village for 4,000 pounds. Land for less. The winters are so very cold here, thats the only real problem.
> please stay in touch if you need help


H i there,
Thank you for your reply, I was wondering how you are getting on with the locals, and the language barrier. And by the way in what area you have bought your property? I have heard that building materials have equaling that of other
European countries. By the way the pelloponese in greece is cheaper than the Islands, out of season appartments you get for 100 euro a month and the people are friendly around an area Methonie.
Regards Geoff


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## amron (Mar 10, 2009)

crete7 said:


> H i there,
> Thank you for your reply, I was wondering how you are getting on with the locals, and the language barrier. And by the way in what area you have bought your property? I have heard that building materials have equaling that of other
> European countries. By the way the pelloponese in greece is cheaper than the Islands, out of season appartments you get for 100 euro a month and the people are friendly around an area Methonie.
> Regards Geoff



Hi Geoff
Locals are wonderful in the villages, they welcome brits for sure. Many will help you with the language as you can imagine you say many words wrong. English is part of late schooling now but locals know with Englsh you get jobs in sunny beah etc. 
In the towns they think they are a bit more refined so look down on villages and prefer to live in apartments in the town of Yambol, our nearest by the way.
Materials in Yambol (inner towns) are far cheaper than Bourgas, varna or Sofa, we live in a village called Krumovo by the way. Uncut bread is around 40p , beer is about 50p clothes are cheap, and odd items like sea salt in uk is a fortune here its, 20p for a kilo.
We have sunny days now with odd sunbathing ones although bulgarians dont take their woollies off until July august
regards
Thank you for the advice re;accomodation, something i may look into further, later.


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## Brenda G. (May 8, 2009)

amron said:


> We have retired to Bulgaria and have very cold winters here.
> We have thought of renting somewhere in a warmer climate during the winter months.
> Can anyone suggest which parts of greece are warm and how much does it cost to rent for about 2-3 months.
> As we are on a pension we would also need to know the cost of living etc


First , Greece is exspensive, but during the winter months you might get a better deal. Second, go south, we are on a Ionian Island and it is cold here too. So Crete would be your best bet for warm. Now I can't tell you how the Cretans are but the name is a bit frightening. Like anywhere in the world, depends on the house, where it is located, and how big it is. So good luck in your search.


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