Greece Internet Speed

Internet connection for Digital Nomads in Greece

When it comes to working remotely, having mobile and a good internet connection is a staple. Find below our complete guide on how to get internet in Greece.

It seems that the number of digital nomads flocking to Greece for the laidback lifestyle is progressively growing every day. The best thing about working remotely from Greece is that you can sit back in a café with a coffee in hand and work at your own pace.

If you’ve visited Greece before you’ll probably be aware that in certain areas the internet is rather on the slow side or in some cases non-existent. However, you can always check download speeds of a certain area before you travel to get an idea of what it will be like before you arrive. 

Greece Internet Speed

According to OOKLA, the speed test global index ranks fixed broadband in Greece at 97, along with mobile internet which is currently ranked at 28.

mobile internet Greece - Greece for Nomads

Mobile Internet in Greece

It is simple enough to set up your mobile phone for moving to Greece, and we have a couple of options to help you get started. These include buying a prepaid sim card or getting a mobile contract.

Firstly, you can grab a local Greece sim card, you will be able to pick these up in most supermarkets or Greek mobile companies stores and they’re fairly priced too.

Cosmote, Wind and Vodafone are the most commonly used mobile service providers in Greece, depending on which area of Greece you will be visiting there will be a service provider that will give you better coverage than others.

If you are travelling to the north of Greece, Cosmote will provide you better coverage over the other networks, whereas if you’re planning on visiting an island or more remote areas Vodafone and Cosmote will provide the best coverage.

Of course, there are areas where mobile phone service will be intermittent, or you may experience no service at all.

Another option would be turning on your global roaming before you start your journey, of course this can work out on the expensive side if this is not part of your existing phone plan, so be sure to check if it is included before using this method. However, if you are coming from another EU country you may be able to use your local Gb for free in Greece. Those of us living in Spain, for example, find it cheaper and more convenient using a Spanish data plan rather than purchasing a Greek SIM card. 

Many accommodations advertise themselves as having wifi but often it is simply a public network that is virtually impossible to get on or a very slow network. If you’re planning on staying in Greece for several months, consider getting a sim with a decent data package and using your mobile hotspot when you work.

Best Mobile Network in Greece

The main mobile data providers in Greece are:

Cosmote
Vodafone
Wind 
Frog (Using Cosmote Network)
Q (Using Wind network)

Cosmote has by far the best mobile internet network in Greece but there are specific locations like smaller islands that we have experienced better results with Vodafone and Wind networks.

Especially if you are headed to an off the beaten path area, it is worth it to check the 4G coverage of your destination before choosing a mobile data provider.

You can find a coverage map of the main ones by clicking on the pictures:

Greece Mobile Internet - Cosmote
Cosmote
Greece Mobile Internet - Vodafone
Vodafone
Greece Mobile Internet - Wind
Wind

In broad terms, 4G is available in most of the country, but you may spot some small secluded areas from the above maps where it’s missing. In that case you have two options: either change destination or rely on the wifi! 5G is also recently available in some parts of Athens.

Home Wifi

If you are lucky enough to be enjoying Greece for a longer period, you may want to consider setting up a broadband wifi connection in your apartment. Private internet connections are normally much better, although this does vary between regions and different companies. If you are planning to get your own flat and base yourself in one city, these connections are time-consuming to set up and most companies require a one year commitment. However, the improved stability and when possible, the reliability of the fiber optic will be highly beneficial for your daily work. 

Keep in mind that for all new connections you need a contract and a landline. Unlike other countries where you can get a standalone wifi contract, in Greece you will be assigned a landline even if you don’t need it. 

Greece for Nomads Tips

  • Ask for a Speed Test and confirm 5G/4G availability before booking any accommodation.
  • Check OpenSignal speed test coverage maps for the places that you are planning to visit.
  • Check our curated list of cafe / coworking spaces and accommodations where 4G or/and Wifi has been tested from our team.

Where else can I find wifi?

  • Cafés

On your digital nomad journey, you will come to find that a lot of the cafes you visit along the way, especially in the larger cities will have free WIFI, whether it’s a reliable connection is another story entirely.

For example, in bigger cities such as Athens users can expect up 17Mbps, unlike some of the smaller islands where you could expect considerably less.

Our team is preparing a list of our favorite laptop friendly Cafes and internet spots around Greece which we liked for the atmosphere and working setting/high-speed Internet. Check them here and contact us if you have any new spot to be added!

Another option is to get your hands on a 4G dongle to attach to your laptop, this means you will have the ability to work from almost any location from your apartment balcony right down to the beach!

  • Coworking Areas

Coworking areas seem to be a growing trend with more and more popping up along the way, as the number of digital nomads continues to rise people are creating more of these areas to meet the growing demand. Check our full list here.

They often boast a good WIFI signal, so many digital nomads enjoy working from these spaces as they know they can count on a good connection.

These work spaces have since proved to be an excellent space for nomads to work together, network and socialise, they have almost become hubs where they people are able to meet up and connect with other likeminded nomads.

You’ll be more likely to find these types of areas in larger cities such as Athens or Thessaloniki, if you’ve decided on moving to a smaller town or island you may not have this option.

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