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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.

Last refreshed: 11 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

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

Timeline for Thessaloniki

#1030 Jun

Greece freezes short-lets in second city

Nomads & Communities
#420 May

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

Nomads & Communities
#31 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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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

Background

Thessaloniki is Greece's second largest city, the economic and cultural capital of northern Greece, with a population of around 325,000 in the municipality and over one million in the wider metropolitan area. In March 2026 it became the first location outside Athens to have STR (short-term rental) registration suspensions applied to specific neighbourhoods under Law 5275/2026, extending a model that had previously been confined to six central Athens districts. That extension crystallised on 1 July 2026, when the city's 1st Municipal Community froze all first-time AMAD short-let registrations until 31 December 2026; unregistered lets now face a fine of 50% of rental income, minimum EUR 20,000.

Thessaloniki has a significant student population (it hosts Aristotle University, Greece's largest university) and experienced rising STR density through 2022-2025 as nomad demand shifted north from overcrowded Athenian neighbourhoods. The extension of the Athens model marks a political decision to treat Thessaloniki's housing market as equally deserving of protection rather than as an alternative destination that absorbs demand displaced from the capital.

Authorities are reviewing further caps for island destinations including Santorini, Paros and the tourist-resort area of Halkidiki. Thessaloniki's 1 July freeze is the first proof that the Athens model replicates city by city rather than remaining a one-off capital measure.

More questions
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