What are the general living standards of Greece?

Question

Are the people of Greece mostly poor, middle class, comfortable or rich? Just curious to know about the living standards there.

Answer 1

I would say mostly middle class or average. Although the paychecks may not be great dont forget that most Greeks own their own house(85%) which is the highest in EU. But in the cities its different as you would find a great deal paying rent. There are many poor people in rural areas, as in most other countries, but generally speaking you would find the more comfortable ones living in the cities and the least comfortable in rural areas. There are lots of Greeks struggling to keep a familyhold together, but then there are lots who don't. The thing is that Greeks are usually family knitted, meaning that they always have a family member to help. For example you would find most wifes having a job, and leaving their kids or babies to their grandparents, in which there is no need to hire a babysitter, and bringing an extra paycheck. The biggest problem Greece is facing today is unemployement, in which it is about 8%. Although it has dropped in recent years in 1997 it was 12%, it is still a big issue, lots of kids graduate from College and cant find a job. So imagine how it would be if most kids werent even graduatinggg?? Well at least the Greeks should be thankful its not a third world country where most the people starve to death, as most countries in the world are.

Answer 2

In the past 10 years or so the middle class has broken to upper middle class and lower middle class!!!
The upper middle class has a fat paycheck, works few hours, has income from other sources!!!
By making easy money and having spare time the upper middle class spends and spends and spends driving prices up!!!! this results to inflation and the lower middle class and the poor are becoming less comfortable!!!

The odd thing in Greece is that if you visit you will not find a really poor city-town or suburb!!! Greek people even if they are making good money or if they go under do not generally move to another town or even district!! It is possible to see next to a bautifull NEW house a 50 year old house that is falling apart!!!!

Answer 3

Mostly middle class. Very few people are really poor, some get by with difficulties, but they have satisfactory living standards, most are living comfortably, without being deprived of anything but without being rich either, and few are very rich. More or less like the rest of the western world.

Answer 4

I would say - lower middle class - middle class - poor comfortable - rich in that order - this is a guess from being here for 20yrs and moving in most of these circles! I know loads that don't own houses - and many of those that do have such large loans / mortgages that their kids will be paying long after they are pushing up daisies! Many own houses (family homes) in villages but of course do not want to live in them - far away from jobs/cities/towns - is this what you mean by a 'home owner?'

College graduates don't get jobs as they have no experience - too many for few jobs - (loads of people to do white collar jobs -= no one for manual work).

Yiayia's nowadays are not so willing to look after grandchildren as they were - they have their lives too - and many have their own ' things' without the burden of kids (again) and I am sure the next generation will be even more reluctant as they will be the working women! Things are changing here! Maybe we don't pay my mother-in-law to look after my kids on friday night/sat morn - but we pay her bills/give her money when she needs it (often) buy her electrical appliances when they break (often!) so in the end she's more expensive than a babysitter!

Answer 5

Most are lower middle class. Basicly they work there asses off all day and barely have enough to eat which is why a lot of Greeks move to the US. The reason they struggle to survive is because taxes are really high and mostly immigrants get any social services