This Common Luxury On Greek Beaches Is Becoming Absurdly Expensive Due To Tourists

As with most destinations during summer holidays, prices tend to climb along with tourist numbers. Certain areas in Greece are known for higher prices. Luxurious cave hotels overlooking the deep blue sea in Santorini, to $35 summer entry fees to the Acropolis in Athens. Some tourists prefer to enjoy some people-watching and a conservatively priced freddo espresso (iced coffee), while others opt for an overpriced Aperol Spritz while sitting at a seaside restaurant. Whatever your budget, tourists are shocked by how this common luxury on Greek beaches has skyrocketed in price.

Beach culture in Greece is just as quintessential as pasta is to Italian culture. It's a part of life. Recent price hikes in Greece have become a heated topic among tourists, with reports of $40 Coca-Colas making headlines. The soaring cost of beach lounge chairs — reaching nearly $400 in some areas — is pushing both tourists and locals to skip the comfort and save their hard-earned money.

Even the most savvy adventurers are running out of ways to travel Greece on a budget. What was once deemed an affordable day out at the beach with family and friends has now turned into a financial burden that only top-earning individuals can now afford, and people are fed up.

While most Greek beaches charge for lounge chairs but rarely display the prices upfront. This is turning off a lot of tourists and locals seeking some relaxing beach time after experiencing sticker shock when they learn the price. Greece is without a doubt one of the best destinations for a romantic getaway. However, nothing kills the romance more than being out of pocket more money than the cost of a flight just to enjoy a day on the beach.

With the rising costs of sun bed lounge chairs, and tourists ditching fancy beach club experiences for a more localized wallet friendly option, may have people rethinking what they need to pack for visiting hotspots in Greece on their next trip. Beach towels from home, anyone?

As reported in a recent article on Travel and Tour World, an outstanding 50% of Greek citizens are deterred from enjoying a beach holiday due to the recent price hikes. Even in less touristy places, such as Marathonas, sun loungers are costing nearly $60 for the day, which is nowhere near the cost in some higher priced areas, but still is putting a significant dent in beachgoers' wallets.

Greeks are fed up with being priced out of their own seaside views in favor of overspending tourists and price-hiking beach clubs. Dubbed "The Towel Movement" back in 2023 had hundreds of Greek residents protesting along public beaches with signs displaying their frustration as they marched in front of the expensive lounge chairs. With the ever-rising costs in today's economy, saving money can be harder than pronouncing pastourmadopita, but Greeks are now embracing free beaches with no-frills, no exorbitant price tags, but still providing beautiful views and blue waters. By bringing mats, beach towels, chairs, and food from home to enjoy a day on the beach with families and friends, it allows the locals to enjoy a slice of paradise without breaking the bank.

Even tourists are jumping to Tripadvisor to share their concerns over high prices in Greece. User @dennisandlesa asks "Why is Skiathos pricing the sunbeds so high? Skiathos now getting very very expensive drinks food and more! Time to move on to other islands shame I love Skiathos!!!!!" Another Tripadvisor user, @Konstandena, recommends Agii Saranta Beach and says "This beach is fantastic. The taverna and cafe is wonderful and the organized beach charges 12 euros for the umbrella and two chairs with comfortable padding. An absolute bargain compared to Mylopotamos. A beautiful spot and well worth a visit to lounge, swim in comfort!" With some research, Greece's beaches can certainly be enjoyed on a budget without draining your travel funds.