“Double-digit yields” is a phrase that sells property and disappoints owners in equal measure. Greek and Cypriot real estate can produce strong returns, but the headline numbers investors see online usually describe a best case, gross of the costs that actually decide what lands in your account. Here is a realistic 2026 breakdown.
What rental yield can you actually get in Greece?
For long-term letting, a realistic benchmark for urban Greek housing is roughly 4% to 5.5% gross a year, with Athens at the higher end and small apartments in strong districts occasionally above that. The national average gross yield sat around 4.4% through late 2025 and into 2026. Short-term tourist rental is a different game: well-run properties in high-demand areas can target 10% and, in the strongest cases, 12% to 14% gross — but that figure carries a full operation behind it.
And in Cyprus?
Cyprus tends to run a little higher, with average gross yields commonly in the 6% to 10% range and double digits achievable on well-positioned short-term stock, particularly in Limassol — the island’s dominant short-let market, supported by year-round leisure and corporate demand. Lower entry prices relative to much of the Mediterranean are part of why foreign buyers now account for a large share of transactions in Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos.
Gross versus net: the number that matters
Net yield is typically 1.5 to 2 percentage points below gross once you account for management, platform fees, cleaning, maintenance, taxes, insurance and void periods. A property advertised at a 12% gross short-term yield is often a 9% to 10% net proposition in a good year — still strong, but only if occupancy and rate hold. The gap between gross and net is not a rounding error; it is the whole operating question.
Where do double-digit returns actually come from?
They come from operations, not from the purchase. Two identical apartments on the same street can post very different net yields depending on pricing discipline, occupancy, guest ratings, cost control and how quickly problems are fixed. The asset sets the ceiling; the operator decides how close you get to it. This is why a realistic buyer looks as hard at who will run the property as at the property itself.
How Anchor thinks about it
Our position is simple: the operating model is the product. A headline yield is a claim; a realised yield is a track record. We run residential assets in Greece and Cyprus to a hotel-grade standard on a residential cost base, with owner reporting you can actually read, precisely because that is what converts a projected return into a distributed one. You can see the properties in our current care, read our approach, or look at how hospitality management underpins the numbers.
If you want a realistic view of what a specific property could net — not a brochure figure — let’s talk about your asset.
Yield figures are market averages for general guidance and vary by location, property and year. They are not a forecast or a guarantee of return.
