Residents of Kastoria, a city in northern Greece known for its cold winters, are increasingly choosing to spend the season elsewhere rather than pay the high cost of heating their homes. The trend, described as “energy migration,” has become more pronounced over the past two years as the cost of living continues to rise.
Many residents who travel to Greek islands and other tourist destinations for seasonal work are extending their stays through the winter, taking jobs that allow them to earn money while avoiding months of expensive heating bills at home.
“Why should we stay in Kastoria at minus 15 degrees Celsius and spend five months’ wages on heating when we could be in Kos, where it’s 15 degrees?” a 55-year-old resident, identified as P.G., told the news outlet ThessPost.
For the second consecutive year, he plans to spend the winter on an island after the summer tourist season, working in the restaurant industry alongside his wife, who works as a hotel housekeeper.
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The decline of Kastoria’s fur industry
The couple’s decision reflects broader economic changes in Kastoria, where the decline of the fur industry has reduced local employment opportunities.
“Who doesn’t miss their hometown? The point, though, is being able to live with dignity,” P.G. said, explaining that life in Kastoria can be difficult for people working in the private sector, particularly those without stable public-sector jobs or pensions.
He recalled that the city once attracted workers from elsewhere because of its fur-making industry. Now, as the sector struggles, former fur-industry workers are leaving to find seasonal employment and accumulate the social insurance contributions they need to qualify for retirement.
Many of those taking seasonal jobs are between their 50s and 60s. With their children having moved to other cities for their studies and their parents no longer around, some couples say they have fewer reasons to remain in Kastoria when heating costs consume such a large share of their income.
Middle-aged couples are finding work in tourism-related jobs across destinations including Zakynthos, Corfu and Chania, as well as Cyprus and cruise ships. Their roles range from gardening, luggage handling and general duties to restaurant work, reception, security and cleaning.
Returning home only for the holidays
P.G. and his wife plan to return to Kastoria briefly for Christmas, New Year’s and the Ragoutsaria, a traditional local carnival celebrated on January 6-8. They will heat their home for about 15 days before leaving again.
Although Kastoria attracts visitors on weekends and during holidays as a winter tourism destination, P.G. said the rest of the week offers fewer opportunities to make a living from tourism.
Heating oil costs €1.55 per liter
Thanasis Papandreou, president of the Kastoria Labor Center, said the trend has emerged over the past two years as residents have come to see rising prices as a lasting problem.
Of the estimated 5,000 to 6,000 Kastoria residents who leave for seasonal work, about 30% are expected to remain away throughout the winter and return only for holidays, he said.
The cost of heating oil is adding to the pressure, with prices starting at €1.55 per liter this season, according to Papandreou. He said the heating allowance available to eligible households does not cover the full expense and is not accessible to everyone.
Natural gas has also failed to provide a widely used alternative. Unlike in the nearby city of Florina, where natural gas installations received full subsidies, Kastoria did not receive the same level of support, Papandreou said. As a result, fewer than 10% of the city’s residents have installed natural gas.
With temperatures already falling, Papandreou warned that some residents in surrounding villages are burning whatever fuel they can find, contributing to the toxic haze associated with such practices.