Several people have asked me to e-mail and relist a small survey I did in Jan 2009, the original post follows with the figures updated for 2010, again with the help and contribution of the folks in here.
Take from it what you wish and please comment, so I can update for next year
Original letter
This is a result of reading several so called “cost of living” figures round the internet which I felt were years out of date, and not that detailed, so with the generous help of many people from the forums (most of whom actually live on Crete)  we have produced a more up to date figure.
These numbers are based on a modest standard of living for 2 adults with options below of any EXTRAS you may wish to add or subtract, plus shown at the right hand side further options,  for example,  a larger car or house cost.
Also remember,  as and when you set up a new home anywhere, you will have many one of costs ..i.e. have phone/internet  installed, sky tv installed, a barbeque and garden furniture etc etc etc, so add at least a further 3000 euro on year one costs.
Brian c
                                               
                                                    euro                              
1. RENT/MORTGAGE ……………...……       €       3,600      to       €  7,000      VARIES FROM 2 BED FLAT TO 3 BED HOUSE
2. GROCERIES FOR A YEAR………….       €       5,500      to       €  7,500      depends on your diet, do you grow food etc INC'S TOILETRIES
3. RATES & WATER………….…………..       €          230      ..      MAY BE GOING UP SOON                  
4. PERSONAL CARE ……………………….       €       1,500      ..       DENTIST/PRESCRIPTIONS/HAIRCUTS ETC            
5. ELECTRICITY…………….…………...…       €          800      ..       PLUS, DEPENDANT ON USE                  
6. OIL/WOOD/HEATING/……………...       €          800      ..       2/3 BED HOUSE WOULD BE NEARER 1000 EURO      
7. TV LICENCE …………………………….       €             51      ..      ………       WHETHER YOU HAVE A TV OR NOT      
8. INTERNET&PHONE…….……………...       €          600      ..      PHONE AND INTERNET OFTEN COME AS A PACKAGE DEAL
9. CLOTHING………………………………….       €          560      ..      ………       I WISH MY WIFE WOULD READ THIS      
10. EMERGENCY /MAINTENANCE…       €          700             REPLACEMENT WASHING MACHINE/LEAKING ROOF ETC ETC?
                                                           €  14,341        TOTAL OF ITEMS 1 TO 10 THAT ARE PRIORITIES      
                              EXTRAS                                                
ENTERTAINMENT(i.e.eating out) ....       €       4,200      ..        EATING OUT TWICE A WEEK AT 20 EURO A HEAD      
CAR COST/REPAYMENTS YEARLY .       €       1,600      ..      ……….       DEPENDS ON CAR OF COURSE            
One CAR FUEL FOR A YEAR………….       €       1,500      ..      ……….       DEPENDS ON MILAGE            
CAR INSURANCE & road tax………..       €          650      to        €  1,150        DEPENDANT ON CAR SIZE            
INSURANCE LIFE……………………….….       €          700                                          
INSURANCE BUILDING…………………       €          300                                          
INSURANCE CONTENTS……………….       €          170                                          
INSURANCE HEALTH…………………….       €       2,500      …       FOR 2 PEOPLE, ..or do you qualify for nat health/ika
SKY TELEVISION…………………….…….       €          400      ..       not sure on this price for sky?                  
HOLIDAYS/FLIGHTS TO BRITAIN...….. €       2,200                                          
PET /FOOD & HEALTH CARE ........       €       1,000                                          
POOL MAINTENANCE?..................       €       1,000      ..      or 100 euro for the chemicals if you do it yourself                                    
                                               
GRAND TOTAL FOR EVERYTHING       €    30,561             ..      PLUS ONE OF SET UP COSTS OF AT LEAST 3000

I'm betting this is not as cheap as most of us thought, but of course not everyone has the same requirements, and once there you can find cheaper ways to do some of the things, i.e learning the cheaper and better places to shop and eat

I have asked some of my Greek friends (couples) and the concensus seems to be that around €1500 per month gives them a reasonable standard of living, but that excludes rent/mortgage; return flights to UK; pool costs and health insurance.  It does include running a small car, but not the initial purchase.

Is that just the electricity part Jon,as you know the rates ,ERT are itemised separately.
keep an eye on your meter readings maybe do a daily check and see when you consume the most.then you can isolate the culprits .
we only use our air con in the very hot months, and then only when we are in the room, but that can be expensive.
Do you have solar water? if not that would save money.
cook outside with a BBQ and turn up your fridge a couple of degs.
I expect you know all this but your bills are very extreme
Do you have your pool pump on unnecessarily?
cannot think of anything else 

Have you got any near neighbours who could be poaching from your supply
I know its a stupid question but hope you are not still on builders electric?

Hi BrianC
thanks for the explanation
  TD says that the 4K includes council tax, ERT and of course VAT so it is not just the Electricity, which makes more sense.
my total bill a year for all these is about 700 so within your scale

Hi RIC 
Getting someone in to do it for you  and possibley any pump maintenance ?? ...... like I said   its info that I've been fed and gathered. and any info from folks like yourself with firsthand experience helps to make it more accurate for later updates
So for those reading this ..there is another saving of 8 or 900 euro if you do your own maintenance and add chemicals.
Thanks RIC, I will update the above list accordingly.

p.s. never having owned a pool I have no idea whats involved

I do not have a pool here but had an outside one in the UK for 20 years.
did all the testing and treatments ourselves.
the pool was only completely emptied twice if I remember I just dropped down the level added a shock dose of chlorine and then hoovered to waste after a few days.
I used the Blue Crystal Alpha/Omega system which is also an over wintering solution,it is completely safe and you can swim in the pool directly after using it.
I also kept the ph levels in check and the chlorine levels.I probably spent the same amount as RIC does here every year.
never had a problem with the pump and only had to change the filter sand.
we had a heat exchanger to heat the pool, in the early and late months ,on the same circuit as our hot water supply so it was relatively inexpensive to heat the pool.
happy days

I have become out of touch with property prices in Akrotiri recently and it is becoming even more confusing because of Greece's current crisis.  Does anyone have any figures which indicate the shift in property values, say over the last 3 years?

Peter