How Much Does a Golden Visa Cost? Europe Price Comparison 2026

How much is a golden visa in Europe? A European golden visa costs from EUR 250,000 at the lowest entry point, Hungary’s fund route, which is level with Greece’s special-category tier and Portugal’s cultural route, up to EUR 800,000 for prime-zone Greek property, plus each programme’s own fees and conditions. Every figure on this page is an official programme amount set by the country’s own rules, not a headline estimate. Below, each of the six active EU programmes is itemised so you can see the true entry cost, not a vague “from EUR 250,000” number.

On this page

• Golden visa costs at a glance (all 6 programs)
• Hungary: EUR 250,000 fund or EUR 1,000,000 donation
• Greece: EUR 250,000 to EUR 800,000 across four tiers
• Cyprus: EUR 300,000 plus income proof
• Malta: property plus a fixed fee stack
• Portugal: EUR 250,000 to EUR 500,000, no property route
• Bulgaria: around EUR 512,000 in regulated instruments
• So which golden visa is cheapest?
• Costs this comparison does not include
• Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information about European residency-by-investment programmes and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Programme terms and figures can change. Obtain independent professional advice before making any application or investment decision.

Golden visa costs at a glance (all 6 programs)

The table below is the itemised comparison most cost pages avoid. It separates the qualifying investment from the fees and income conditions, so you can see what each programme really costs at entry and what the money actually buys.

Every figure above is a legislative programme amount. Government processing and due diligence fees vary by case and change over time, and professional advisory fees are separate and quoted per engagement.

Hungary: EUR 250,000 fund or EUR 1,000,000 donation

Hungary’s Guest Investor Residence Permit is the lowest entry point among the active EU programmes, and it offers two very different routes.

The 250,000 EUR government-approved real estate fund route

The main route is a subscription of at least EUR 250,000 into a government-approved real estate fund, where the fund must hold a minimum of 40% of its assets in Hungarian residential property. This is a fund holding rather than a direct property purchase: the former EUR 500,000 direct real estate route was abolished on 1 January 2025, so buying an apartment yourself no longer qualifies. Your capital is tied to the fund’s performance and liquidity, which is a point to weigh with your adviser.

The 1,000,000 EUR public-interest donation route

The alternative is a EUR 1,000,000 donation to a public-interest trust supporting higher education. Unlike the fund, the donation is not returnable. Almost all applicants use the EUR 250,000 fund route rather than the donation, but the option exists.

The Hungarian permit is a 10-year residence permit rather than immediate permanent residence. For the full cost detail, see our Hungary golden visa cost and requirements guide, and for the programme itself, what the Hungarian Guest Investor Program is.

Greece: EUR 250,000 to EUR 800,000 across four tiers

Greece restructured its real estate thresholds under Law 5100/2024 into a tiered system, and the new amounts have applied in full to investments made since 1 September 2024, after the transition window for the old thresholds closed at the end of August 2024. The cost depends heavily on where and what you buy.

800,000 EUR in the highest-cost areas

In the most sought-after areas, including Attica (Athens), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands, the minimum real estate investment is EUR 800,000, for a property of at least 120 square metres.

400,000 EUR in the rest of Greece

Elsewhere in Greece, the real estate minimum is EUR 400,000, again for a property of at least 120 square metres.

250,000 EUR for conversions and restorations

Two special categories keep an entry point at EUR 250,000: converting a commercial property into residential use, and restoring a listed building of historical or cultural value. These carry conversion and restoration complexity, so the low headline number comes with real project risk.

The short-term-rental ban

One rule affects the investment case directly: property acquired through the Greek golden visa cannot be let on short-term rental platforms. Under the 2024 law, a breach can trigger permit cancellation and an administrative fine of EUR 50,000. If your plan depended on holiday-let yield, this route no longer supports it. A financial alternative exists under separate legislation: an investment of at least EUR 500,000 in qualifying Greek securities, funds or a fixed-term deposit. For the property detail, see our Greece golden visa property guide.

Cyprus: EUR 300,000 plus income proof

Cyprus sets a single investment threshold with an income test attached.

300,000 EUR plus VAT, or commercial, shares or funds

The qualifying investment is at least EUR 300,000. On the residential route this is new property bought from a developer, plus VAT at the standard 19% (a reduced 5% rate may apply to a qualifying primary residence under conditions, which should be confirmed with the Cyprus Tax Department). The same EUR 300,000 minimum also applies to commercial real estate, shares in a Cypriot company or units in a Cypriot investment fund.

The 50,000 EUR per year secured foreign income requirement

On top of the investment, Cyprus requires proof of secured annual income from abroad of at least EUR 50,000 for the main applicant, with EUR 15,000 for a spouse and EUR 10,000 per child. This is income to demonstrate, not a fee, and the earlier requirement to pledge a EUR 30,000 bank deposit was abolished in the May 2023 revision of the criteria. One structural caveat sets Cyprus apart in this table: Cyprus is not in the Schengen Area, so the permit does not carry Schengen travel rights. For the property specifics, see our Cyprus real estate for permanent residency guide, and for the full checklist, the Cyprus permanent residency requirements.

Malta: property plus a fixed fee stack

Malta is the programme whose true cost is most often understated, because the property number is only part of it. Malta pairs a property component with a fixed stack of government charges.

Property from 375,000 EUR, or rental from 14,000 EUR per year

The property component is a choice: buy a qualifying home from EUR 375,000 (from EUR 300,000 in South Malta or on Gozo), or rent one from EUR 14,000 per year. The rental route front-loads far less capital, since no large sum is tied into a single home.

The fixed components: 37,000 EUR, 60,000 EUR and 2,000 EUR

Whichever property route you take, three fixed charges apply identically: a EUR 37,000 government contribution, a EUR 60,000 administration fee for the main applicant (paid as EUR 15,000 at submission and EUR 45,000 on the Letter of Approval in Principle), and a EUR 2,000 donation to a Malta-registered NGO. That is roughly EUR 99,000 in fixed charges on top of the property component.

Family and asset rules

Since the 2025 reform, a spouse and minor children carry no additional government contribution or administration fee. Additional adult dependants, such as parents or grandparents, are EUR 7,500 each. Malta also sets an asset threshold to demonstrate: total assets of at least EUR 500,000 including EUR 150,000 liquid, or EUR 650,000 including EUR 75,000 liquid. In return, Malta grants immediate lifetime permanent residence, which no other programme in this table matches at entry. For the full breakdown, see how much Malta permanent residency costs and the Malta Permanent Residence Programme guide.

Portugal: EUR 250,000 to EUR 500,000, no property route

Portugal is a fund and contribution programme, not a property one, since the 2023 reform.

500,000 EUR investment fund route

The core route today is a subscription of at least EUR 500,000 into a qualifying, regulated Portuguese investment fund aimed at capitalising Portuguese companies. This is the route most applicants use. For the detail, see our Portugal golden visa investment funds guide.

250,000 EUR cultural and heritage route

A lower entry point of EUR 250,000 exists for contributions to cultural heritage and artistic production, reduced further in low-density areas. It carries fewer investors and more project specificity than the fund route.

Real estate route closed

Say it plainly: Portugal closed the direct real estate route in 2023. You can no longer qualify for the Portuguese golden visa by buying property or by a direct capital transfer. Anyone still marketing a Portuguese “property golden visa” is describing a route that no longer exists.

Bulgaria: around EUR 512,000 in regulated instruments

Bulgaria sits at the top of the entry-cost range in this table. The qualifying investment is around EUR 512,000 equivalent, placed in a government-approved Alternative Investment Fund, an exchange-traded fund listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, or shares of Bulgarian companies traded on that exchange. The figure is derived from a Bulgarian lev amount, so the exact euro equivalent should be confirmed at the time of application. The investment must be held for five years.

Two recent changes strengthen Bulgaria’s position: it became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2026. One risk should be disclosed: Bulgaria remained on the FATF grey list for money-laundering oversight as of mid-2026. At its June 2026 plenary the FATF found Bulgaria’s action plan substantially complete and cleared the way for removal, subject to a final on-site assessment, so some banks may still flag Bulgarian exposure during due diligence until delisting is confirmed. For the requirements, see our Bulgaria golden visa requirements guide and the Bulgaria golden visa overview.

So which golden visa is cheapest?

Here is the honest verdict. Hungary’s EUR 250,000 fund route is among the lowest entry points, level with Greece’s special-category tier and Portugal’s cultural route. No single programme is simply “the cheapest,” and any page that claims one is glossing over the detail.

Three things separate the cheapest entry from the cheapest all-in cost:

• Fees change the picture. Malta’s property number can look mid-range until you add roughly EUR 99,000 in fixed contributions and fees. Hungary and Portugal add government and processing fees on top of the investment, but no comparable fixed contribution stack.
• Income tests are real costs of qualifying. Cyprus asks for EUR 50,000 per year of secured foreign income, which is capacity you must demonstrate every year even though it is not a fee you hand over.
• The route type matters as much as the number. A EUR 250,000 fund subscription behaves very differently from a EUR 250,000 restoration project or a EUR 1,000,000 non-returnable donation. Liquidity, recoverability and risk all differ.

The right question is not “which is cheapest,” but “which is cheapest for the outcome I want,” weighing permit type, Schengen access and family reach against the number.

Costs this comparison does not include

This page compares the official programme amounts. It does not include every cost of an application, because those vary by case and change over time. Budget separately for:

• Government due diligence and processing fees, which differ by programme and are revised periodically.
• Local transaction costs on property routes, such as stamp duty, notary and agent fees.
• Legal, tax and advisory costs, which depend on family size and complexity.

On that last point, our position is simple: we quote official programme amounts here, and advisory fees are quoted per engagement.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a golden visa in Europe?
Active EU programmes start at EUR 250,000, Hungary’s fund route, level with Greece’s special-category tier and Portugal’s cultural route, and run to EUR 800,000 for prime-zone Greek property, plus each programme’s own fees.

What is the cheapest golden visa in Europe?
Hungary’s EUR 250,000 fund route is among the lowest entry points, level with Greece’s special-category tier and Portugal’s cultural route. The all-in cost depends on fees and the route you choose, so the cheapest entry is not always the cheapest overall.

How much does the Malta program cost?
A qualifying property from EUR 375,000 (or a lease from EUR 14,000 per year), plus a EUR 37,000 government contribution, a EUR 60,000 administration fee and a EUR 2,000 NGO donation. That is roughly EUR 99,000 in fixed charges on top of the property component.

Can I still get a golden visa by buying property in Portugal?
No. Portugal closed the real estate route in 2023. The current routes are the EUR 500,000 investment fund and the EUR 250,000 cultural and heritage contribution.

Does the golden visa price include government fees?
No. Each programme adds its own contributions, administration and due diligence fees on top of the qualifying investment. Malta’s fixed fee stack is the largest of the six.

Is the investment refundable?
It depends on the route. Fund and share routes can usually be exited after the holding period under each programme’s rules. Donations, such as Hungary’s, are not recoverable. Property can be sold subject to the programme’s holding rules.

The bottom line

The right golden visa is the one whose cost matches the outcome you want, not the one with the lowest sticker number. Hungary and Portugal’s cultural route offer the lowest entry, Cyprus adds an income test and no Schengen, Malta charges more upfront but grants lifetime permanent residence from day one, Greece spans a wide price range by zone, and Bulgaria sits highest but now carries full Schengen access. For a side-by-side view of what each programme delivers for the money, see our guide to the best golden visa in Europe for 2026. If you want an itemised projection for your own family and objectives, a confidential conversation with an accredited advisor is the sensible next step. The Aegir Global team advises HNW families and their professional advisors on exactly this, and advisory fees are quoted per engagement.