My Greece Travel Budget

Things to Keep in Mind

• These costs were for 2 people and include my full 1-week Greece trip through Zakynthos, Kefalonia, and 1 night in Athens.

• This is not an exact budget everyone should expect to spend. Your final cost can change a lot depending on your travel style, the time of year, how early you book, where you stay, how many boat days you do, and how much you spend on food, drinks, and activities.

• I visited during summer, rented a car, stayed in hotels, did multiple boat experiences, and ate out quite a bit, so this was not the cheapest possible version of the trip.

How to save money in Zakynthos and Kefalonia

• Travel with someone if possible. Car rental, fuel, ferries, boat rentals, and hotels are all easier to split if you’re traveling as a couple or with friends.

• Book early. This is especially important for summer. Hotels, rental cars, ferries, and boat rentals can get more expensive or sell out if you wait too long.

• Choose your accommodation carefully. You don’t need a luxury hotel to enjoy Zakynthos. A well-located budget or mid-range stay can save you a lot of money and still make the trip easy.

• Rent a car, but compare prices early. A car gives you way more freedom, but prices can change a lot depending on the season. I recommend booking early and checking different pickup locations.

• Do some meals from the grocery store. Eating out in Greece is amazing, and I definitely recommend enjoying the food. But buying water, snacks, breakfast items, and simple lunches from the market can save a lot over a full week.

• Travel in June or September. You can still get great weather and beautiful water, but prices and crowds may be better than July and August.

My Cost for 1 Week in Greece

Costs for 2 people (Prices in USD)

• Car rental for 7 days: $553.32

• Gasoline + tolls: $201.62

• Ferries total: $332.18

• Hotel in Kefalonia for 3 nights: $970.40

• Hotel in Zakynthos for 3 nights: $597.04

• Hotel in Athens for 1 night: $99.00

• Wine tasting: $103.48

• Boat cruise in Kefalonia: $144.93

• North boat rental in Zakynthos: $219.24

• South boat rental in Zakynthos: $215.90

• Gasoline for boats: $72.00

• Food + groceries: $1,232.25

• Gifts: $28.06

Total cost for 2 people: $4,769.42

Total cost per person: $2,384.71

Average cost per person per day: about $341

International flights were not included.

Approximate Zakynthos-only cost

Based on what I spent, a Zakynthos-only version of this trip would be around:

Approx. total for 2 people: $2,800 to $3,000

Approx. total per person: $1,400 to $1,500

Important note about this budget:

This budget is higher because I combined Zakynthos with Kefalonia on the same trip. So the total includes extra ferries, food, fuel, and activities from both islands.

If you are only visiting Zakynthos, your total should be lower, especially if you skip Kefalonia, avoid the extra ferry connections, and only book the Zakynthos activities.

My honest thoughts

This was not a super cheap trip, but it also wasn’t a luxury trip. But for the kind of trip this was, with two islands, multiple boat experiences, beaches, viewpoints, and a lot of freedom to explore, I think it was completely worth it.

If you want to save money, I would focus on booking accommodation earlier, doing more simple meals, traveling outside peak season, and sharing boat rentals with more people.