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Thessaloniki
Nation / PlaceGR

Thessaloniki

Greece's second city; first location outside Athens to receive the STR registration ban in March 2026.

Thessaloniki's 1st Municipal Community froze all new short-let registrations from 1 July to 31 December 2026, the first proof that Athens' STR clampdown replicates city by city rather than staying a one-off capital measure.

Last refreshed: 28 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Is Thessaloniki now under the same Airbnb ban as central Athens?

Timeline for Thessaloniki

#13 16 Aug

Mentioned in: Santorini boat checks find 12 in breach

Nomads & Communities
#12 26 Jul

Mentioned in: Greece's freezes miss half its nights

Nomads & Communities
#10 30 Jun

Greece freezes short-lets in second city

Nomads & Communities
#4 20 May

Mentioned in: Madrid court silent; Bustinduy aims at summer rent freeze

Nomads & Communities
#3 1 Mar

Received STR registration suspension extension from March 2026 under Law 5275/2026

Nomads & Communities: Athens STR ban widens to Thessaloniki, islands next
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Background

Thessaloniki is Greece's second-largest city and the economic and cultural capital of northern Greece, with a population of around 325,000 in the municipality and over one million across the wider metropolitan area. It hosts Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece's largest university, giving the city a substantial student population concentrated in neighbourhoods close to the campus.

Short-term-rental density in Thessaloniki rose through 2022 to 2025 as nomad and tourist demand shifted north from overcrowded Athenian neighbourhoods, a pattern that made the city the natural next test of whether Greece's capital-city registration controls would extend beyond Athens.

Authorities are also reviewing caps for island destinations including Santorini, Paros and Halkidiki, so Thessaloniki's experience functions as the proof of concept for whether Greece's registration-freeze model can replicate beyond a single flagship city.

Key Issues
Short-let registration freeze

The Athens registration freeze reaches Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki became the first location outside Athens to have STR registration suspensions applied to specific neighbourhoods in March 2026 under Law 5275/2026, extending a model previously confined to six central Athens districts. That expansion crystallised for the city on 1 July 2026: its 1st Municipal Community stopped taking new AMAD short-let registrations through the end of the year, struck existing registrations off The Register on any sale or transfer, and set a fine of half a year's rental income, minimum EUR 20,000, for unregistered lets.

The freeze follows an earlier licence-transfer ban in the same district and confirms that Greece is tightening the Athens model city by city through municipal ordinance rather than national legislation, ahead of a stated review of caps for island destinations including Santorini, Paros and Halkidiki.

Common Questions
Has Thessaloniki introduced an Airbnb ban like Athens?
Yes. Under Law 5275/2026, Thessaloniki had STR registration suspensions applied to specific neighbourhoods from March 2026, the first expansion outside Athens.Source: GTP Headlines
Why did Greece extend the Athens STR ban to Thessaloniki?
Rising STR density in Thessaloniki's residential areas prompted the government to apply the same Law 5275/2026 suspension model that covers six central Athens districts.Source: GTP Headlines
Is Thessaloniki cheaper than Athens for digital nomads?
Thessaloniki is significantly more affordable than Athens: long-term rents average 20–30% lower, co-working spaces are cheaper, and the cost of living is broadly comparable to mid-tier Eastern European cities.Source: nomads-and-communities topic context
What is the digital nomad scene like in Thessaloniki?
Thessaloniki has a growing nomad community centred on its university districts and waterfront; the city has multiple co-working spaces, fast fibre broadband, and a strong café culture that makes remote work comfortable.Source: nomads-and-communities topic context
How has the Greek digital nomad visa affected housing costs in Thessaloniki?
Thessaloniki has seen modest upward pressure on rents in desirable central neighbourhoods since Greece's nomad Visa programme launched, though the effect is smaller than in Athens owing to lower baseline demand from international workers.Source: nomads-and-communities topic context