Greece Currency & Money Guide: Exchange, Cards, and Tips

Greece uses the euro (€), and you’ll get the best value by withdrawing cash from bank ATMs, paying by card in euros, and avoiding airport exchange desks and dynamic currency conversion. Cards and contactless are widely accepted, but you should still carry some cash for small purchases and tips.

For most travellers, the simplest strategy is:

• Bring a small amount of euros from home for your first day
• Use bank-affiliated ATMs (Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, National Bank of Greece) for further cash
• Pay by debit/credit card where possible, always in EUR, not your home currency

If you’re budgeting in another currency like SGD, the Hello app’s multi-currency expense tracking automatically converts euro transactions to your home currency, making it much easier to stick to your daily budget.

Tipping in Greece is appreciated but modest: rounding up the bill or leaving around 5–10% in cash at restaurants is standard, while leaving small change for taxi drivers and café staff is fine. Combine that with a Hello eSIM for Greece to stay connected and keep an eye on your spending in real time while you explore Athens, Santorini, or Crete.

Greece’s official currency is the euro (EUR), and virtually all everyday transactions—restaurants, ferries, hotels, taxis—must be paid in euros, not foreign cash. According to the Official Athens Guide and multiple local tourism resources, businesses generally do not accept foreign currency for payment.

The euro is divided into 100 cents, with coins ranging from €0.01 to €2 and notes commonly in €5, €10, €20, €50, and €100 denominations. Many small businesses prefer smaller notes, so try not to pay with €200 or €500 bills.

Exchange rates fluctuate daily. In mid-2026, SGD to EUR has hovered roughly around SGD 1 ≈ €0.66–0.70, while USD 1 ≈ €0.90–0.95, based on averages from major currency trackers and bank rate data during 2025–2026. Always check a live converter like XE or Google on the day you exchange, because banks and exchange bureaus build their margin into the rate.

If you’re tracking a mixed-currency trip (for example, flying from Japan to Greece), the Hello app lets you log expenses in euros and instantly see them converted to SGD, USD, or other currencies using automatic exchange rates. That’s particularly useful for keeping an eye on your real costs when prices are displayed only in EUR.

The best way to get euros in Greece is to withdraw cash from bank-affiliated ATMs, which usually offer better rates than airport exchange desks or hotel currency services. Greek banks like Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank and National Bank of Greece are widely recommended for fair exchange and lower fees compared with independent ATM operators.

You can exchange foreign currency at Greek and international banks, post offices, and dedicated bureaus at Athens International Airport, Piraeus Port, and central areas around Syntagma and Monastiraki. The Official Athens Guide notes that exchange rates are clearly displayed in banks, and you’ll need your passport to convert cash. Specialist bureaus in Athens, such as Kapachange or Eurochange, are known to offer competitive rates compared to airport counters, according to local money guides.

To get the best Greece exchange rate:

• Check the mid-market rate on apps like XE or Google before exchanging
• Avoid exchanging large amounts at airport desks unless necessary
• Compare at least two providers (bank vs. bureau) before committing
• Exchange only what you need instead of large blocks of cash

If you prefer to monitor how today’s rate affects your budget, the Hello app’s multi-currency tracking and automatic exchange conversion let you see exactly how much that €40 dinner in Athens costs in SGD or USD, helping you adjust spending on the fly.

Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in Greece, especially in major tourist areas such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Santorini, and Mykonos, where many businesses are effectively cash-light. Local guides note that Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere, while American Express and Diners may be refused at smaller establishments.

Contactless terminals (tap-to-pay) are common in supermarkets, metro stations, restaurants, and hotels. If your card supports contactless, you can usually tap to pay for anything from a €1.20 metro ticket to a €40 taverna dinner. Most card terminals also support mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay when linked to your bank card, although foreign wallets such as WeChat Pay or PayPay are not widely used by local merchants.

For the best value, make sure you:

• Use cards with no foreign transaction fees, if possible
• Always choose to pay in EUR when given a choice on the terminal (not your home currency)
• Decline dynamic currency conversion and let your bank handle the rate

A Hello eSIM for Greece keeps you connected so you can instantly check card notifications, monitor real-time exchange rates, and safely approve 3D Secure or banking app prompts, which are increasingly required for higher-value card transactions at hotels and car rental agencies.

Using ATMs in Greece is usually the cheapest way to get euros, but you should stick to bank-operated machines and watch out for extra fees and conversion tricks. Greek travel finance guides consistently recommend ATMs attached to banks like Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, and National Bank of Greece over standalone machines from independent operators.

Bank ATMs typically charge a local withdrawal fee of around €2–€3 per transaction (data from 2024–2025 Greek banking fee disclosures), and your home bank may add its own fee. To minimize costs, withdraw a few hundred euros at a time rather than doing many small withdrawals, and know your daily withdrawal limit before you travel.

When the ATM asks whether you want to be charged in your home currency (SGD, USD, GBP), always choose EUR and decline any “guaranteed rate” or dynamic currency conversion. According to multiple consumer finance advisories, these conversion offers can add 3–8% to your effective exchange cost.

Cash is still important in rural areas, small tavernas, beach bars, and for tipping. Many island ATMs (especially in peak season on smaller islands or the Peloponnese) can run out of cash, so carry at least €100–€200 in reserve if you’re heading somewhere remote.

You can then log each ATM withdrawal in Hello, which records the actual euro amount and fees and converts it automatically into your home currency—useful for tracking how much you’ve truly spent including ATM charges over a multi-week Greece trip.

Tipping in Greece is appreciated but not strictly mandatory, and amounts are usually modest compared with some other countries. Local hospitality guides emphasize that service staff often rely on tips as a significant part of their income, especially in tourist areas and on the islands.

For restaurants and tavernas, a typical tip is 5–10% of the bill if service was good, or simply rounding up—e.g., leaving €3–€5 on a €45 dinner. At cafés and bars, leaving small change (around €0.50–€1 per drink) is common when you receive table service. It’s best to tip in cash, even if you pay the main bill by card, as electronic tips may not be distributed fully to staff.

Other common tipping practices in Greece include:

• Taxi drivers: rounding up to the next euro, or adding €1–€2 on longer rides
• Hotel porters: €1–€2 per bag
• Housekeeping: €5–€10 per week, left in the room
• Tour guides: €5–€10 per person for a half-day tour, more for full-day experiences

Because tips are usually small amounts, keeping a stash of coins and low-value notes (€5, €10) is very handy. You can easily track these cash tips as part of your daily budget in the Hello app; its AI receipt scanning and multi-currency tracking make it simple to see how these extras add up over a week in Athens or Santorini.

Smart Greece money management comes down to three habits: use bank ATMs, pay by card in euros, and keep small cash for tips and rural areas. Here are answers to common questions travellers ask when planning their Greece itinerary.

Q: What currency is used in Greece?
A: Greece uses the euro (EUR) for all everyday transactions. Foreign currencies like USD or SGD are not generally accepted in shops or restaurants, though some hotels may quote rates in other currencies.

Q: Are there common money scams I should watch out for?
A: The main issues are dynamic currency conversion at ATMs or card terminals (offering to charge in your home currency at a poor rate), high-fee independent ATMs in tourist areas, and occasional overcharging or incorrect bills. Always check the amount before tapping your card, ask for a printed receipt, and decline conversion offers.

Q: How much should I budget per day?
A: For mid-range travel in 2026, expect roughly €60–€100 per person per day outside accommodation: €15–25 for a sit-down meal, €5–10 for breakfast or snacks, €1.20–€1.40 for a single metro ticket in Athens, and €20–40 for attractions or tours.

Q: How can I track shared expenses on a Greece trip?
A: Hello’s expense splitting and multi-currency automatic conversion let you record a bill in EUR (like a €120 group dinner in Athens) and divide it fairly among friends paying in different home currencies, making group budgeting much easier on multi-country trips.