Kea

Buying Property in Kea, Cyclades

Kea, also called Tzia, is the Cycladic island closest to Athens. Its port of Korissia is about 40 minutes to an hour by ferry from Lavrio, and Lavrio is roughly 35 km from Athens International Airport. The island has 2,335 year-round residents (2021 census), no airport, and a property market that prices well below the better-known Cyclades.

That combination of proximity and price is why Kea keeps appearing on the shortlists of buyers who want a Cycladic home they can reach from Athens for a long weekend. Median asking prices for standard homes were €2,184 per m² in August 2026, against €2,969 per m² on Mykonos (GEOAXIS).

Quick Facts

• Location: Western Cyclades, about 60 km southeast of Athens and 20 km from Cape Sounion, in the South Aegean Region.
• The island: 2,335 residents (2021 census); Ioulida (Chora) is the hilltop capital and Korissia the port.
• Access: Ferries from Lavrio in about 40 minutes to an hour, with up to eight crossings a day; there is no airport on the island.
• Best for: Second homes within reach of Athens, traditional village houses, homes by the bays.
• Property types: Village houses in Ioulida, coastal homes around Vourkari and Otzias, holiday homes and villas around Koundouros.
• Golden Visa: With fewer than 3,100 residents and outside Attica, Kea falls in the €400,000 zone under Law 5100/2024 (we confirm per property).

Where to Buy: Kea's Micro-Markets

Kea is small enough to know village by village, and each village suits a different kind of buyer.

• Ioulida (Chora): The hilltop capital with a car-free centre, a Venetian castle site and the archaeological museum; mainly traditional village houses.
• Korissia: The main ferry port and the island's largest, busiest coastal village.
• Vourkari: A former fishing village beside the yacht marina, with a waterfront of tavernas that is lively in summer.
• Otzias: A sheltered bay with a wide, shallow sandy beach, popular with families.
• Koundouros: The southwest resort area of small coves, where holiday homes and villas concentrate.
• Pisses: A small village in a fertile valley behind a long beach, busy in summer.

What Property Costs in Kea (2026)

Kea has no published transaction data, so the figures below are asking-price medians, the most reliable public benchmark available for the island.

• Standard homes: €2,184 per m². Median asking price for standard housing, August 2026.
• Luxury homes: €6,549 per m². Median asking price for luxury housing, up 5.36% year on year.
• Mykonos, for comparison: €2,969 and €16,790 per m². The same standard and luxury medians on Mykonos.

Asking-price medians from GEOAXIS, adjusted by 10% and reported by Athens News in August 2026. Request a live valuation for any specific property.

Key Figures & Sources

• Population: 2,335 registered residents. Source: ELSTAT census, 2021.
• Ferry access: Lavrio to Korissia in about 40 minutes to an hour, with up to eight crossings a day. Source: Ferryhopper route data, 2026.
• Asking prices: Median €2,184 per m² for standard and €6,549 per m² for luxury housing. Source: GEOAXIS via Athens News, August 2026.
• Golden Visa tier: €400,000, as an island of fewer than 3,100 residents outside Attica. Source: Law 5100/2024.
• Short-term rentals: AMA registration, safety standards and fines of €5,000 to €20,000 apply. Source: Law 5170/2025.

Who Buys & Lifestyle

Kea draws Athenians looking for a second home they can reach without a flight, and international buyers who want the Cyclades within easy reach of Athens. Most visitors arrive by ferry from Lavrio rather than by air, and the island's villages, bays and walking paths are the reason people return. See our two sea-view villas with pools on Kea.

Buying & Golden Visa

Kea falls in the €400,000 Golden Visa zone under Law 5100/2024, because it has fewer than 3,100 residents and sits in the South Aegean Region rather than Attica; we confirm the applicable threshold for each property before you commit, and a Golden Visa property cannot be let short term. Short-term letting of other homes requires AMA registration under Law 5170/2025, and the Special Spatial Framework for Tourism of August 2026 allows zone-based limits to be introduced later, though none is in force on Kea today. Non-EU buyers purchase with an AFM tax number, a lawyer and a notary, all possible by power of attorney. BUY GREECE runs the process remotely from Chicago and Glyfada, Athens, with six-check due diligence on every candidate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kea a good place to buy property? For buyers who want a Cycladic home within reach of Athens, yes. Kea is about 40 minutes to an hour by ferry from Lavrio, has 2,335 year-round residents, and its median asking prices sit well below Mykonos: €2,184 per m² for standard homes against €2,969 on Mykonos (GEOAXIS, August 2026).

How do you get to Kea from Athens? By ferry from Lavrio to Korissia, about 40 minutes to an hour with up to eight crossings a day. Lavrio is roughly 35 km from Athens International Airport. Kea has no airport.

How much does property cost in Kea in 2026? Median asking prices were €2,184 per m² for standard homes and €6,549 per m² for luxury homes in August 2026, according to GEOAXIS data reported by Athens News. These are asking prices; no island-level transaction data is published.

Is Kea eligible for the Greek Golden Visa? Yes, at the €400,000 threshold. Kea has fewer than 3,100 residents and is in the South Aegean Region, not Attica, so it falls outside the €800,000 zone under Law 5100/2024. We confirm the threshold for each property.

Can Americans buy property in Kea? Yes. American and other non-EU buyers can buy in Greece with an AFM tax number, a lawyer and a notary, all manageable by power of attorney, and our lawyers confirm before purchase whether any area-specific permit applies to a property. BUY GREECE runs this remotely from Chicago and Glyfada, Athens.

Explore the rest of the region on the Greek Islands hub, compare Mykonos, or contact BUY GREECE for current Kea availability. Selling? List your Kea property with us.