While official data from Greece’s Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) suggest inflation may be easing, housing remains the dominant driver keeping prices high for Greek households. ELSTAT’s June figures reveal that inflation is not evenly distributed across categories — shelter stands out as the single largest contributor to overall inflation, which stood at 4.4%.
Shelter Accounts for More Than a Third of Inflation
Of the total 4.4% annual inflation rate recorded in June, shelter alone contributed 1.553 percentage points — over one-third of the total increase. This makes it the heaviest burden among all major CPI categories, surpassing transport (1.018 points) and hotels, cafés, and restaurants (0.944 points). The data underscore that housing costs are not just another line item under pressure — they are the central engine fueling inflation.
Annual inflation in the shelter category reached 10.6%, driven by rising rents, home repairs and maintenance, housing-related services, electricity, natural gas, heating oil, and solid fuels.
Rents and Energy: A Double Squeeze
Rent for dwellings rose 7.1% year-on-year in June — confirming that housing costs continue to flow directly into family budgets. At the same time, energy added a second wave of pressure: natural gas prices jumped 24.6%, heating oil surged 53.2%, and electricity rose 2.8%.
This means households face a dual burden from housing: first, through rent and maintenance expenses; and second, via soaring utility bills and other home-related energy costs. As a result, even as headline inflation eased slightly from May, shelter costs remain firmly in double-digit territory year-on-year.
How Much More Are Households Paying?
In practical terms, a €600 monthly rent in June 2025 would rise to €642.60 in June 2026 — an extra €42.60 per month, or €511.20 annually, assuming the new level holds for 12 months.
Natural gas saw an even steeper relative jump: a €100 bill in June 2025 becomes €124.60 in June 2026 — an additional €24.60 per month, or €295.20 per year.
For comparison, transport prices rose 7.2% annually — pushed by fuel and airfares — while hotels, cafés, and restaurants rose 7.7%. Yet none of these categories weighed as heavily on the final inflation figure as shelter did.