Moving from Singapore to Greece
A sea move from the Strait of Malacca to the Aegean. Here is the honest brief on container costs to Piraeus, the EU transfer of residence relief, the tax and social security numbers you will need, and a timeline you can plan around.
Claim the EU transfer of residence relief and your goods enter duty free.
Moving from Singapore to Greece is a well served sea move from one of the world's great ports to the largest in the Mediterranean. Containers leave the Port of Singapore and sail west through the Suez Canal to Piraeus, the port of Athens and a major Mediterranean hub. A realistic door to door window is about three to five weeks once consolidation, the ocean leg, customs and delivery are counted, helped by Singapore's exceptional shipping connections.
The customs picture is friendly if you prepare for it. Because you are moving your normal residence into the European Union, Greece lets your used household goods enter free of import duty and value added tax under the transfer of residence relief, provided you have owned and used them for at least six months and claim around the time you settle. A certificate of transfer of residence, often arranged through the Greek consulate, supports the claim, and on this route it is the difference between a clean clearance at Piraeus and an unexpected tax bill.
Prices below are in Singapore dollars and indicative for 2026. Your real number turns on volume, whether you share a container or take a full one, the sailing routing, and delivery from Piraeus to Athens or wherever you settle, including the islands.
What it costs in 2026, by home size and container.
Your bill is driven by volume, whether you share a container or fill your own, plus delivery from Piraeus. The figures below are indicative ranges for 2026 in Singapore dollars, door to door. For a wider view, see our Singapore cost guide at moving costs from Singapore.
Indicative 2026 ranges in Singapore dollars, door to door by sea from the Port of Singapore to Piraeus. Volume, season, the routing and final delivery distance within Greece, including island delivery, move the figure. Summer is the peak.
- +Best value for a studio or a part home
- +You pay only for the space you use
- −Slower, your goods wait for the consolidated load
- +Faster and sealed to your home only
- +The sensible choice for a full home
- −You pay for the whole box even if part full
- +Fastest way to get essentials to Greece
- +Useful while your container is at sea
- −Rarely sensible for a full household
Get moving quotes for Singapore to Greece.
Tell us your size and timing. We pass your request to vetted movers who run the route from Singapore into Greece and handle the transfer of residence claim, and you compare them on your own terms.
A realistic schedule for this route.
Working back from the day your container sails, here is a realistic schedule for a sea move from Singapore to Greece.
Sort your residence route
Decide your path, such as a financially independent person visa, the Golden Visa, a work permit or family reunification, because as a national from outside the EU you need a residence route to settle in Greece.
Get surveys and quotes
Have movers run video or in home surveys for an accurate volume and a binding price. Confirm they sail to Piraeus and handle your transfer of residence claim and consular certificate.
Book the sailing
Confirm your Singapore sailing date and lock a valued inventory, which you will need for insurance and the transfer of residence relief.
Get your AFM and AMKA
Settle in Greece and obtain your AFM tax number from the local tax office and your AMKA social security number, the two identifiers that underpin daily life in Greece.
Clear customs and deliver
Your agent lodges the transfer of residence claim with the Greek customs authority at Piraeus, applying the duty and value added tax relief, then delivers to your home.
Clearing your goods into Greece.
Greece applies European Union customs rules through the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, the AADE. Because Singapore is outside the EU, your move is an import, so your used household goods need a customs declaration, and the relief that keeps it free of import duty and value added tax is the transfer of residence exemption, claimed when you move your normal home into the EU. To qualify the goods should generally have been owned and used by you for at least six months, and the claim is made around the time you establish residence in Greece.
Greece typically expects a certificate of transfer of residence, often issued by the Greek consulate covering Singapore, alongside a detailed valued inventory, your passport, and proof you are settling such as a residence permit or lease. Your mover or a customs agent lodges the claim at Piraeus. Honest used valuations keep clearance smooth, because items that look new or commercial can attract duty, and alcohol, tobacco and goods bought new for import sit outside the relief.
Bringing a car from Singapore is possible but you must meet EU type approval and register it in Greece, which can be slow and costly, so weigh it against buying locally. Firearms, certain foods, plants and animal products are restricted or prohibited, so declare everything and check the current lists before you ship.
The routes in for this corridor.
A Singapore citizen needs a residence route to live in Greece, handled through the Greek consulate and the immigration authorities. Greece offers several popular long stay routes, and most arrivals quickly arrange their AFM and AMKA numbers.
Greece's residence by investment route, commonly through property, granting residence for the investor and family with minimal stay requirements.
For those with sufficient stable income from outside Greece who wish to reside without working locally, a popular route for retirees and the location independent.
For remote workers and freelancers serving clients outside Greece, granting residence while you keep your overseas income.
Routes for those with a Greek employer or joining family already resident, with permits handled through the immigration authorities.
How to pick a mover for this route, without the guesswork.
We do not rank or recommend individual companies. We teach you the criteria that separate a safe international move from an expensive mistake, then put your request in front of vetted movers who run this lane.
Check the trade affiliation. Membership of FIDI or IAM is the clearest signal a mover is financially screened and bound to industry standards for international household goods. For this route, ask whether the mover ships regularly from Singapore into Greece and handles the transfer of residence claim at Piraeus, including the consular certificate.
Insist on a binding pre move survey. A real video or in home survey of your volume is the only honest basis for a price. A quote given without one is a guess that tends to grow on moving day.
Compare like for like. Read what each quote includes: packing, materials, the ocean freight, customs clearance and the transfer of residence paperwork at Piraeus, destination delivery including any island leg, and insurance. The cheapest headline number is rarely the cheapest move.
Understand the insurance terms. Ask whether cover is full replacement value or depreciated, what the excess is, and how claims are handled on a sea route through Suez. Read the valuation clause before you sign.
Read recent reviews for this corridor. A mover strong within Asia may be weak on Greek clearance, where the consular certificate and AADE process reward experience. Look for verified reviews that mention a smooth clearance at Piraeus for someone moving from Singapore.
Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Singapore to Greece?
For a two to three bedroom household by sea, plan on roughly 4,800 to 15,000 Singapore dollars door to door in 2026, depending on volume, shared or full container, the routing, and delivery distance within Greece. A studio is less and a four bedroom home more. These are indicative ranges, not a quote.
How long does shipping take from Singapore to Greece?
Door to door is usually about three to five weeks. The sailing west through the Suez Canal to Piraeus, plus consolidation, customs clearance and final delivery, make up the time, helped by Singapore's strong shipping links.
Do I pay duty on my household goods moving to Greece?
Usually not, if you claim the European Union transfer of residence relief. Used effects you have owned and used for at least six months can enter free of import duty and value added tax when you move your home to Greece, with a consular certificate supporting the claim. Verify the current rules with the AADE.
Do I need a visa to move from Singapore to Greece?
Yes. Common routes are the Golden Visa, the Financially Independent Person visa, the Digital Nomad visa, and work or family routes. Confirm your route with the Greek consulate before you move.
Which port do my goods arrive at in Greece?
Most household shipments arrive at Piraeus, the port of Athens and the largest in the Mediterranean, and your mover delivers onward from there, including onward sea legs to the islands.
What are the AFM and AMKA numbers?
The AFM is your Greek tax number from the local tax office, and the AMKA is your social security number. Together they underpin banking, employment, healthcare and most official dealings, so they are early priorities after you arrive.
Last reviewed: 15 January 2026. We refresh this guide as costs, customs, and visa rules change.