Car rental · Greece · File no. 007
Rent a car in Mykonos without getting played
Real deposits observed, per agency
Amounts observed at the counter during my own rental, not the amounts advertised online.
| Agency | Indicative price /day | Deposit blocked | Excess | Counter insurance | Verdict | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loueur local via Localrent“No deposit” filter (local providers like Best1n) with Premium Insurance included. Ideal for debit cards, meet & greet, payment on delivery. | 30-60 €/day | 0 € | 0 € | Included by default (full coverage) | ✓ My pick | Book |
| Sixt MykonosPremium fleet but pricey; standard deposit held. | 40-80 €/day | 800 € | 1,200 € | Super Top Cover ~32 €/day | · | Book |
| Loueurs locaux hors plateformeVariable cash deposit, vague terms: beware of off-platform scams. | n.c. | Varies | Varies | Vague, “depending on your face” | ✗ Avoid |
⏲ Figures collected on 5 September 2025
Average market prices for an economy car (low season to high season), indicative only: they vary with the season, the model and how early you book. This is not the price paid, just a benchmark to compare.
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The ultra-safe alternative: Sixt Mykonos
If you prefer the rigour of a big chain and travel with a Gold/Platinum credit card, go with Sixt Mykonos: an impeccable fleet (convertibles, premium small SUVs), but expect a standard deposit hold on your account.
Do you actually need a car in Mykonos?
Yes, if you want to escape the bus crowds. Mykonos is not just its fortified town: to hop from cove to cove and reach the quieter sunsets without relying on the island's rare (very expensive) taxis, the small no-deposit car is the perfect choice.
When NOT to rent here
If you stay in the heart of Chora (Mykonos Town): the centre is fully pedestrian, cars are banned and the rare public car parks are packed and pricey (20-30 €). For Chora, I did everything on foot. The local KTEL buses link Chora well to the southern beaches. I only rented for the Armenistis lighthouse, Ano Mera and the wild northern beaches.
Where you pick up the car
→ Meet & greet at JMK airport, the agent waits with a sign
- 01Mykonos airport (JMK) is tiny and quickly saturated in summer. At the baggage exit, my local agent waits in front of the terminals (meet & greet).
- 02No indoor counter, no 45-minute queue in the sun: a 2-minute walk to the car park.
- 03We sign the contract on the hood, I get the keys in 10 minutes flat.
The fuel trap
“Same to same”, very common in Greece. The car came at half a tank. The trap is returning it full because fuel on the island carries a surcharge: I photographed the level at the start to time my last stop at the pump.
At the counter: what they will push
To refuse politely
- Sixt's ~32 €/day “Super Top Cover” if your Premium Insurance already covers everything
- Any cash haggling “depending on your face” with an off-platform agency
To insist on
- A photo of the fuel level at the start
- The voucher showing “Zero Deposit, Payment on Delivery”
What I experienced
The roads dropping to the beach clubs (Jackie O', Scorpios) are steep, winding and packed. Having a small automatic car, without the dread of a hill start or a clutch scrape, saved my trip.
For the airport return, the agent asked me to park in the free lot opposite, leave the keys under the mat and send him the location by WhatsApp. A typically Greek level of trust, stress-free before boarding.
The anxious questions (the real ones)
+Can you rent without a deposit in Mykonos with a debit card?
Yes. Localrent's “no deposit” filter (local providers with Premium Insurance included) lets you pay by debit/cash on delivery, with no hold. Meet & greet at JMK airport.
+Do you need a car in Mykonos?
Recommended to escape the bus crowds and reach the quieter coves without relying on expensive taxis. But for Chora (pedestrian centre), it is all walking plus the KTEL bus.
+What is the fuel trap in Mykonos?
“Same to same” policy: you return at the level received. Do not fill the tank fully because fuel is surcharged on the island, photograph the gauge at the start.
An agency that is not in this table?
Thinking of booking elsewhere and wondering if it is safe? Give me the agency name and the city: I will tell you straight what I know, and add it to the file if it earns its place.
Ask me what I think