According to Localrent, a rental car in Greece costs €23 a day in January and €47 in August, before fuel at €2.205 a litre and the tolls. As of 6 October 2026, Localrent shows September as the busiest month (83% demand), you pay only 15 to 20% at booking, and a ferry with the car needs the rental firm’s agreement before you book. Outside the EU, pack the international driving permit. Here is what to check before you pay.
The essentials before you book (as of 6 October 2026)
Without a car many places are hard to reach, and taxis are expensive, Localrent notes. The figures to know:
- €23 to €47 a day in Localrent’s monthly table: January lowest, August highest. The cheapest models are at €15–25 in high season, according to Localrent.
- 83% demand is what Localrent shows for September, the year’s peak (the page does not explain the figure).
- 15 to 20% advance payment online through Localrent, the balance when you collect the keys. Cancellation is possible up to 7 days before; 6% of the amount paid is kept (payment service fee).
- EU licence: enough, according to ADAC (the German motoring club). From other countries, the rental firm may ask for the international driving permit.
- Ferries, borders, tracks: the car goes to an island only with agreement before booking; borders are off limits; paved roads only.
- €2.205 a litre for Euro 95 (week of 28 September), 25.6% more than a year ago; Athens–Kalamata toll: €16.35.
Figures taken from pages read on 6 October 2026. Prices move daily: this is a dated reading, not an offer.
What a rental car costs in Greece: prices month by month
On its Greece page, Localrent shows a price and a demand figure for each month. The page does not explain how they are calculated; we read the price as a daily price and both series as an order of magnitude:
| Month | Price per day | Demand |
|---|---|---|
| January | €23 | 46% |
| February | €23 | 38% |
| March | €23 | 48% |
| April | €26 | 56% |
| May | €31 | 71% |
| June | €39 | 80% |
| July | €44 | 76% |
| August | €47 | 77% |
| September | €44 | 83% |
| October | €38 | 62% |
| November | €32 | 50% |
| December | €28 | 49% |
In Localrent’s table, August is a little more than double January. Over a week: 7 × €47 = €329 in August, 7 × €44 = €308 in September, 7 × €38 = €266 in October, 7 × €23 = €161 in January. September costs as much as July: the drop only shows in October. For when it gets crowded, see the crowd calendar for Greece.
On islands, prices are often 15 to 25% higher according to Localrent; on €329 that would be about €378 to €411 (our own calculation). The Athens, Rhodes, Corfu and Crete pages show another series (€27 in January, €46 in July): an order of magnitude, not an offer. Car, ferry and lodging together: see the 10-day budget for Greece.
Licence, age and papers: what you must show
There are two hurdles: what Greece requires, and what your rental firm requires.
- EU licence: valid in Greece; an international permit is not needed according to ADAC.
- Other countries: Canada writes (5 October 2026) that a tourist may drive with a Canadian licence; according to GOV.UK a UK photocard licence is valid, and a paper licence may need the 1968 international permit as well. The US Embassy in Athens says rental companies may require the permit and that it may be needed after an accident.
- The country list: Greek City Times (30 July 2026) cites Law 4850/2021 and a six-month exemption for Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States, with the permit generally required otherwise (the source also mentions agreements with a few more countries); we could not check this list against an official source.
- Localrent: recommends it in addition to the national licence; some firms may refuse the handover without it. Copies and electronic licences are refused; all documents must be valid until the end of the rental.
Outside the EU, get the international permit before you leave: it is issued only in your home country. Age: Localrent states 21 with one year of driving (limited choice) and 23 with three years for the best conditions; ADAC gives 18, with a young-driver fee.
Local firms or big brands: deposit and insurance
Localrent is not a rental firm but a booking platform for small local companies (“since 2011” and more than 30,000 customers a year, according to its About page).
| Route | What we read | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Local firms through Localrent | 15 to 20% advance, balance at handover; extended insurance often included; “no credit card” filter | The insurance and deposit line on the car page (“?” icon by the price) |
| Big brands through ADAC (Europcar, Sixt, Enterprise, Avis, Hertz) | Deposit blocked on a credit card, never in cash; full tank on pick-up, full tank on return | Insurance offered at the desk: the European Consumer Centre warns about it for broker bookings (true of any platform) |
Can you trust the platform? On Trustpilot, Localrent shows on 6 October 2026 4.6 out of 5 from 5,320 reviews, 86% with five stars and 5% with one star. The criticism concerns insurance disputes after damage and the condition of some vehicles: the two points covered here.
Insurance. The Greece page says extended insurance is included for most vehicles. The terms state: standard insurance does not cover damage to wheels, undercarriage, windscreen and interior. What applies to your car is on the line of the offer, not in the name of the insurance. After an accident, inform the rental firm and get a police report, otherwise the cover lapses.
Deposit. Localrent gives no figure: it appears for each car behind the “?” icon. A Cretan rental firm (AthensCars, 27 April 2026, a competitor) cites €500 to €2,000 for big brands: only a benchmark. To see local firms for your dates, use the comparison of local car rental firms in Greece, sorted by price, delivery included.
Ferries and islands: one car per island, or one for the whole trip?
The answer is in the contract, not the timetable. Localrent’s terms allow ferries between the islands and the mainland only by prior arrangement: contact support before completing the booking.
- According to Localrent many firms allow it but add insurance or raise the deposit. Without notice, the trip breaks the rental agreement.
- ADAC mentions possible fees and excluded vehicles.
- Even short crossings count: for Salamis, Aegina or Kea, Localrent asks for the same agreement.
Vehicle spaces go fast, Localrent notes, and the ticket comes on top of the rental. Renting on each island is often simpler. Example: four days on Naxos in August = 4 × €47 = €188, or €216 to €235 with a 15 to 25% island markup (our own calculation). To pick the island, see which Cyclades island to choose; for the right boat, Greek ferries: booking guide. On Santorini the roads are narrow with virtually no shoulders: sort out hotel parking in advance. For a scooter instead of a car, GOV.UK requires at least category A1 and helmets.
Peloponnese and mainland: tolls, fuel, distances
Tolls exist only on the mainland, according to Localrent. Three typical routes for a car (mydiodia, prices checked 30 September 2026):
| Route | Distance | Time | Toll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens–Patras | 212 km | 2 h 25 | €13.80 |
| Athens–Kalamata | 239 km | 2 h 40 | €16.35 |
| Athens–Thessaloniki | 499 km | 4 h 55 | €36.70 |
All stations accept cash and cards, according to mydiodia. The Rio–Antirrio bridge costs €15.90 for a car, the ferry next to it €8.
Fuel comes on top. Euro 95 averaged €2.205 a litre (week of 28 September 2026), 25.6% more than a year earlier. For Athens–Kalamata, with an assumed 6 litres per 100 km: 239 × 0.06 = 14.3 litres × €2.205 = about €32.
Worked example, a week in the Peloponnese from Athens in October: 7 days × €38 = €266, round-trip tolls 2 × €16.35 = €32.70, fuel for an assumed 700 km: 42 litres × €2.205 = €92.61. Total: about €391. One-way rentals are common in the Peloponnese (service fee); on rural roads Localrent warns of potholes. The route is in the one-week Peloponnese road trip.
The traps and how to avoid them
- Gravel means no cover. The terms limit the car to paved public roads. The Mykonos page prohibits dirt roads, the Zakynthos page says insurance excludes them. Park on the asphalt.
- Fuel rule. Same level as at pick-up: lower, and you pay the difference at the rental firm’s rate; higher, and nothing is refunded.
- Petrol stations. In the countryside many close around 8 pm, on some islands as early as 7 pm; on Santorini they are rare at night and mostly take cash. Localrent advises keeping €20–50 in cash. Mainland fuel is 10 to 20% cheaper than on islands.
- Parking in Athens. All street parking is paid: blue for residents, white up to 3 hours (no charge at night, on Sundays and public holidays), yellow for emergency services. You pay by kiosk ticket, parking card or the My Athens Pass app; by 9–10 am everything is taken. Elsewhere, Localrent describes the colours differently: read the signs.
- Reachability. Your phone number must be reachable during the rental and the day before pick-up, otherwise Localrent accepts no quality complaints.
- Fines. Speed cameras are common, fines can reach hundreds of euros according to Localrent. According to ADAC they can be enforced in Germany above €70, and the rental firm charges a handling fee.
Photograph or film the car from every angle at pick-up and return, and have each damage noted in the handover report. The European Consumer Centre Germany (3 July 2025) warns against claims after return and advises a written return protocol.
Booking and collecting: the process and a checklist before paying
According to Localrent’s guide, you choose places and dates (pick-up and return may differ); the list shows only available cars, sorted by price. With the advance paid by card the car is reserved; the voucher fixes the final price. Example: a week in August at €329, advance 15 to 20% = €49.35 to €65.80, balance €279.65 to €263.20 at the key handover.
Place and time. Depending on the car: airport, office or delivery; at the airport, give your flight number. The minimum is 24 hours, so pick-up Monday at 3 pm and return seven days later at 7 pm = eight days charged. If you visit Athens first, collect the car on departure (an option ADAC also mentions; it notes airport offices generally cost a little more). Cars with airport handover appear in the search with pick-up in Athens, Thessaloniki or on an island.
Before paying: every point is on the car page or in the voucher.
- Does the insurance line name wheels, undercarriage, windscreen and interior?
- What is the deposit, and is a credit card needed?
- Do pick-up and return times match, with no extra day?
- Is a ferry planned? Then ask support first, before booking.
- Are age, original licence and expiry date right (outside the EU, the international permit too)?
- Is the cancellation window right: 7 days (30 for luxury cars and convertibles) or 24 hours with “Free cancellation”? Within the window 6% of the amount paid is kept (€2.96 on €49.35); later, the advance is kept in full.
If these lines check out, you can open the offer for your dates; the balance is paid only at key handover. Localrent shows September as the peak of demand (83%): ADAC advises booking several months before the trip.
