Athens ranks among the world’s 20 cities that are most accessible and most attractive to remote workers, according to research by the global human resources platform WorkMotion.
The Greek capital ranks 17th out of a total of 85 countries worldwide, after Budapest (15th) and Oslo (16th) and before Wellington (18th) and Bangkok (19th). The top of the list is occupied by Barcelona, followed by Dubai, Prague, Madrid and Melbourne.
The survey examines a number of factors, such as the existence of an institutional framework for a remote working visa for employees who work remotely with the help of technology, the infrastructure (collaborative spaces, internet speed, public services etc.), the security provided by the respective city, access to the health system, availability of real estate, means of transport, taxation and social security contributions, rent, finding an apartment and also the cost of meeting basic needs (food, energy costs etc.).
According to the research “The Cities Best Facilitating Remote Work: Workation 2023,” Athens is developing into a hotspot for those who, since the pandemic, have been looking for destinations that combine remote work with holidays (“workation”), ready to explore the part of the world they choose to stay in.
Athens’ assets include the visitor’s experience in the capital – i.e. the lifestyle (sightseeing, nightlife etc.) it offers, access to the health system – while the city scores high on the index that measures the quality and cost of transport. The introduction of the digital nomad visa, which was launched in 2021, has contributed positively, while the capital is highly rated in terms of the cost of finding a home and covering basic needs.
The research concludes that the cost of renting is relatively affordable for remote workers, ranking Athens 22nd among 85 cities worldwide. At the same time, the city is at 20th in terms of food basket affordability. Of course the relevant list includes cities with a much higher cost of living, such as San Francisco, Melbourne etc. A big thorn for remote workers regarding Athens remains taxation and social security, in terms of which the Greek capital ranking 63rd.
This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.
