Handling money in Athens is easy once you know the basics: the euro, when to use cards versus cash, how ATMs and fees work, and the tipping customs. Plan a smooth, well-budgeted trip alongside skip-the-line sightseeing tickets and tours from My Greece Tours.
This practical money guide is part of the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover the currency, cards versus cash, ATMs and fees, avoiding poor exchange rates, tipping customs, and how much to budget.
What currency is used in Athens?
Athens, like all of Greece, uses the euro (EUR). Businesses accept only euros, so you cannot pay in other currencies. The euro comes in notes ranging from 5 up to 500 euros, plus coins of 1 and 2 euros and smaller cent pieces. High-value notes like the 200 and 500 can be hard to use, so it is best to carry smaller denominations. Getting euros from an ATM in Athens is usually the easiest and best-value way.
The currency of Athens and all of Greece is the euro, abbreviated EUR and symbolised by the sign that looks like a stylised E. As a full member of the eurozone, Greece uses only the euro for everyday transactions, so you will need to pay in euros and cannot use pounds, dollars or other currencies in shops, restaurants or for tickets. The euro is issued in banknotes of five, ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred, two hundred and five hundred euros, and in coins of one and two euros along with smaller cent coins of one, two, five, ten, twenty and fifty cents.
A practical tip is that the very high-value notes, the two hundred and especially the five hundred, are awkward to spend, as many smaller businesses are reluctant or unable to change them, so it is wise to carry and use smaller denominations for daily expenses. The most convenient and generally best-value way to obtain euros for your trip is simply to withdraw cash from an ATM once in Athens, rather than buying euros at poor rates before you travel. Knowing this, the rest is about cards and cash. Understanding when to use each is key.
Should you use cards or cash in Athens?
Athens is increasingly card-friendly, and the main tourist areas, hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions widely accept credit and debit cards as well as contactless payments, so you can pay for most things by card. However, you should still carry some cash, as small tavernas, kiosks, street vendors, markets, local buses and family-run businesses may be cash-only, and cash is the preferred way to tip. Carrying around €50 to €100 in cash for daily expenses, alongside your cards, covers all situations comfortably.
The good news for visitors is that Athens, like much of Greece, has become increasingly card-friendly in recent years, so you can comfortably pay for the majority of your expenses with a credit or debit card. In the main tourist areas, hotels, restaurants, larger shops, supermarkets, museums and attractions widely accept card payments, including contactless tap-to-pay and mobile wallets, making cashless spending easy and convenient for most of your trip. That said, it would be a mistake to rely on cards alone, as cash remains important in plenty of everyday situations: many small, traditional tavernas, corner kiosks, street vendors, market stalls, bakeries, local buses and small family-run businesses still operate on a cash-only or cash-preferred basis, and crucially, cash is the customary and best way to leave tips.
For this reason, the sensible approach is to use your card for larger and everyday payments while keeping a modest amount of cash on hand, and a good rule of thumb is to carry around fifty to a hundred euros in cash to cover casual meals, coffees, snacks, tips and small purchases. With this mix, you are prepared for anything. Getting that cash is straightforward via ATMs.
How do ATMs and fees work?
ATMs are plentiful across Athens and the easiest way to get euros. Foreign cards are usually charged a fee, often around €2 to €5 per withdrawal by the Greek bank, plus any fee from your own bank, so withdrawing larger amounts less often reduces the total cost. Use ATMs attached to major banks rather than the standalone “Euronet” machines, which often charge higher fees and poorer rates. Always decline the “with conversion” option to get a better exchange rate.
Cash machines, or ATMs, are found all over Athens, at banks, in the streets, at the airport and at transport hubs, and using them is generally the easiest and most cost-effective way to obtain euros during your trip. Be aware, however, that withdrawing cash with a foreign card usually incurs fees: the Greek bank operating the ATM often charges a fee of around two to five euros per withdrawal for non-Greek cards, and your own bank at home may add its own foreign-transaction or withdrawal fee on top, so the costs can add up if you make many small withdrawals.
The simple way to minimise this is to take out larger amounts less frequently rather than small sums often. It is also wise to choose your ATM carefully: machines attached to and operated by the major Greek banks generally offer fairer fees and rates, whereas the ubiquitous standalone yellow-and-blue “Euronet” machines aimed at tourists often charge notably higher fees and worse exchange rates, so they are best avoided. A crucial tip applies at every ATM and card terminal, which we cover next. Avoiding bad exchange rates saves real money.
How do you avoid poor exchange rates?
The key trick is to always decline “dynamic currency conversion”. When an ATM or card machine asks whether to charge in euros or in your home currency, always choose euros (or “without conversion”). Letting the machine convert to your home currency uses a deliberately poor exchange rate that costs you more. Let your own bank do the conversion instead. Also avoid currency-exchange bureaux, which offer poor rates; withdrawing euros from a bank ATM is almost always cheaper.
One of the most important and money-saving things to understand in Athens, and indeed throughout Europe, is how to avoid the trap of poor exchange rates, chiefly the practice known as dynamic currency conversion. When you use an ATM to withdraw cash, or pay by card in a shop or restaurant, the machine will often ask whether you want to be charged in euros or in your own home currency, such as pounds or dollars, sometimes phrased as “with conversion” or “without conversion”. The golden rule is to always choose to be charged in euros, the local currency, and to decline the conversion to your home currency.
Although being charged in your familiar currency seems convenient and reassuring, the machine applies a deliberately unfavourable exchange rate with a hidden mark-up, so you end up paying noticeably more; choosing euros lets your own bank handle the conversion at a far better rate. The same logic means you should generally avoid the currency-exchange bureaux found in tourist areas, which typically offer poor rates and high commissions; simply withdrawing euros from a reputable bank ATM is almost always the cheaper and smarter option. Mastering this one habit saves real money. With cash in hand, knowing the tipping customs is useful.
What are the tipping customs in Athens?
Tipping in Athens is appreciated but modest and not obligatory. In restaurants, leaving around 5 to 10 percent or simply rounding up the bill is customary for good service. Tipping is also welcomed in cafés and bars and for taxi drivers, hotel staff and guides, usually by rounding up or leaving small change. Crucially, tip in cash, leaving it on the table, even if you pay by card, since electronic tips often fail to reach the staff. Tipping remains a courtesy, not a strict expectation.
Understanding tipping customs helps you handle social situations gracefully, and happily the Greek approach is relaxed and modest compared with some countries, with tipping appreciated but never obligatory or heavily expected. In restaurants and tavernas, the usual practice for good service is to leave a tip of around five to ten percent of the bill, or more simply just to round the total up to a convenient figure, which is perfectly acceptable, especially for casual meals. Tipping is also welcomed in other settings: in cafés and bars you might leave the small change or round up, taxi drivers are typically tipped by rounding the fare up to the nearest euro, and a small tip is appreciated by hotel staff such as porters and housekeeping, and by tour guides who have given good service.
The single most important practical point is that you should tip in cash, leaving the money on the table or handing it directly to the person, even when you pay the main bill by card, because tips added to card payments frequently do not reach the waiters and staff. Keeping some small notes and coins handy makes tipping easy. It is a courtesy, not a duty. Finally, knowing roughly what to budget helps planning.
How much should you budget for Athens?
Athens is moderately priced and generally cheaper than many Western European capitals. Budget travellers can manage on around €50 to €70 a day, mid-range visitors on roughly €100 to €150, covering accommodation, food, transport and sights, while luxury costs more. Public transport is very cheap, a single ticket around €1.20, and food can be inexpensive if you eat at tavernas and bakeries. Carrying €50 to €100 cash a day, backed by cards, comfortably covers daily spending.
It helps to have a rough sense of costs when planning your trip, and the reassuring news is that Athens is a moderately priced destination, generally more affordable than many other Western European capitals such as London or Paris, offering good value for money. Daily budgets naturally vary with your style of travel: budget-conscious travellers staying in hostels or simple guesthouses, eating at tavernas and bakeries and using public transport can comfortably get by on roughly fifty to seventy euros a day, while mid-range visitors in a decent hotel, enjoying restaurant meals, attractions and the occasional taxi might spend around one hundred to one hundred and fifty euros a day, with luxury travel costing considerably more.
Several things keep costs down: public transport is remarkably cheap, with a single ticket around one euro twenty and good-value day and multi-day passes available, while food can be very inexpensive if you favour local tavernas, souvlaki shops and bakeries over tourist-trap restaurants. The major sights such as the Acropolis carry admission fees, but many viewpoints and neighbourhoods are free. Carrying fifty to a hundred euros in cash a day, supported by your cards, comfortably handles daily spending. With these basics, your money goes far. The budget angle is detailed in the Athens on a budget guide. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What currency does Athens use?
Athens, like all of Greece, uses the euro (EUR). Businesses accept only euros, so you cannot pay in pounds, dollars or other currencies. The euro comes in notes from 5 to 500 euros and various coins. It is best to carry smaller denominations, as high-value notes can be hard to use, and the easiest way to get euros is usually to withdraw cash from a bank ATM in Athens.
Can you use credit cards in Athens?
Yes, Athens is increasingly card-friendly, and hotels, restaurants, larger shops, supermarkets and attractions in the main tourist areas widely accept credit and debit cards as well as contactless payments. However, you should still carry some cash, around €50 to €100 a day, as small tavernas, kiosks, street vendors, markets and local buses may be cash-only, and cash is the best way to tip.
Do you tip in Athens?
Tipping in Athens is appreciated but modest and not obligatory. In restaurants, leaving around 5 to 10 percent or rounding up the bill is customary for good service, and rounding up is welcomed for taxis, cafés and bars. Always tip in cash, leaving it on the table even if you pay by card, since electronic tips often fail to reach the staff. Tipping is a courtesy, not a strict expectation.