Actually I don't consider Greece poor, though I know many of my friends (certainly in the UK, who thought I was nuts to move from London to Athens) assume/d it is.

The average wage is quite low, but then so is the general cost of living. Sure, I earned considerably more in London, but my outgoings now are so much less, I'm not struggling to cover my rent or buy (quality) food. There is still a noticeable gap between rich and poor, especially when you venture outside of the cities, but I don't see people suffering as I did in the UK.