Housing & daily life

Finding stable housing is often the first step to feeling safe in Greece.
This page gives you simple guidance to understand your housing options, organise your daily life, and know where to ask for help.

This information is general and does not replace the advice of a social worker, lawyer, or specialised NGO.

1. Understanding your housing options

Several solutions exist, depending on your situation:

  • Emergency accommodation camps, collective centres, temporary solutions.
  • Apartments or shared rooms with other families or friends.
  • Rent-support programmes offered by some NGOs or European projects.
  • Staying with relatives or community membersfor a limited period.

Before accepting any housing, try if possible to:

  • visit the place at least once;
  • ask for the exact price of the rent and all bills (water, electricity, heating);
  • clarify who signs the contract and for how long.

2. Basic housing steps

To live more securely in Greece, it is helpful to:

  • keep all your important documents together
    (identity papers, asylum documents, contracts);
  • ask for help to read and understand rental contracts;
  • learn a few simple Greek phrases to talk with neighbours or the landlord;
  • write down useful phone numbers: medical emergencies, police, social services, local NGOs.

If you have a problem in your housing
(violence, threats, degrading conditions), speak quickly to a trusted organisation or a social worker.

3. Daily life and integration

Housing is connected to other parts of everyday life:

  • children’s schooling near your home;
  • access to health centres, pharmacies and hospitals;
  • access to public transport to go to classes, work or administrative appointments;
  • participation in neighbourhood activities (classes, workshops, events).

The more you get to know your neighbourhood, the easier it becomes to feel at home.

4. Organisations and useful resources

These organisations provide reliable information for refugees and migrants in Greece:

If you need more personalised support, you can also write to us via the “Contact & Participation” website.