Setting up a Bed and Breakfast Business
Many of us dream of escaping the rat race and moving to warmer climes and the established property market on the Greek Islands makes them a natural choice for many disillusioned Europeans. When reality sets in, the issue of earning a living becomes a key area for consideration and many people begin to dream again about owning their own Bed and Breakfast in a secluded sunny cove, where breakfasts of fresh fruit and fresh bread are served on a patio overlooking the clear blue sea. However, this dream in reality is not always as idyllic as it may first seem…
Education in Greece
Greece has a very good education system and whilst this may seem a daunting task at first, it is wise to send your child to the local state school even if private alternatives exist. By attending school, your child will rapidly pick up the language particularly if they are young children. It is also a good idea to engage a private language tutor during the first few months of your emigration here because this will help avoid any frustration of not making themselves understood. One thing is for sure though, no matter what the level of intelligence of your child or the speed at which they learn, they will in the end master the language and become bilingual and when that happens beware – you will be more reliant on them than they on you!
Living the Life in Kos
Sometimes dreams really do come true if you want them badly enough and are prepared to make the necessary sacrifices that come with the realization of every dream. When love blossomed for Karl Matterson, a 28 year old graduate from the London School of Economics, he didn’t expect to end up emigrating to a Greek Island he had never visited prior to meeting Kos born Eva Papadopoulu.
The Cost of Living
Everybody lives in different ways when they move out to the islands. Some expats crave the comforting Brit food they left behind, whilst others are happy to go local trying all of the seasonal produce that the Greeks eat and obviously this has a huge bearing on the individual cost of living here. Likewise the island you live on will also take its toll with Mykonos and Hydra being the most expensive and all islands are slightly more than the mainland because of the transportation costs involved. Your preferred mode of entertainment is another factor to consider; if you like strolls through the mountain or along the shoreline as opposed to regular meals out your cost of living will be much less. Nevertheless, whatever your lifestyle, living in the Greek Islands is substantially cheaper than life in the UK, the Mercer Cost of Living Survey estimates that the cost of living in Greece is around 30% lower than that of Northern Europe.