greece

We were just in Greece this past May. We went to Milos and Naxos and absolutely loved it. My son and another friend really liked Paros. These islands are not as expensive as Mykonos and not as crowded with tourists as Santorini

That was indeed a comment I made in my reply.

You may not know, but Mykonos has been known for over 50 years throughout Europe and beyond for being a very expensive destination that has always attracted the elite of show business, politics, cinema, music, etc. (basically, it was Aristotle Onassis who started it with huge parties). For some, it's even the most expensive island in the world (which is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration).

You'll also find boutiques of all the major luxury brands there: Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, etc.

Here's some examples among many others:

https://youtu.be/dMpaksY4sTE

https://youtu.be/xlWS7n2ivLU

It has also attracted many gay-friendly travelers since the 1980s for many years, and still does today.

So, to sum up, for any European Mykonos is a caricature of a place to party when you have a lot of money, and also a trap for tourists who believe that it is the only place where you can see the famous whitewashed houses, windmills and blue domes, while they are found everywhere in the Cyclades islands..

So, if Mykonos no longer appeals to you, my advice is to do some research on the other 22 Cyclades islands where you can go.
One or more good travel guides is recommended.

In the meantime, you can start here:

https://www.visitgreece.gr/islands/cyclades/

I had to laugh at your comment, JoLui, about Mykonos being the most expensive island in the world. That title would belong to the island I live and work on, Nantucket Island, where a hotel room averages $500+ nightly from June till October, it costs $250 DAILY to rent a Jeep, which is a necessity if one wants to visit our historical landmarks on beaches and restaurant meals for two people, including apps, mains, drinks, dessert, not including tips, can exceed $200. I’m working class, have zero desire to ever visit Mykonos or Santorini, yet have always eaten well and stayed in top notch mom and pop hotels and BnB’s in Greece and the islands for less than 1/3 of what it would cost to visit here. Not bragging, though, just stating fact. Personally I can’t stand the tourists that come here, with their hifalutin attitudes of superiority. Luckily I don’t work in the tourism sector so I don’t have to deal that crap.
That being said I think OP needs to buy a few guidebooks for the Greek islands and personally this past June we mainly used the Rough Guide to the Greek Islands which we much preferred to the Lonely Planet guide with its measly 6 pages on Rhodes and 2 pages for Symi. Luckily we plan well in advance for vacations nowadays, compared to the days pre-Covid when we’d just buy plane tickets and plan it as we went. Those days are long gone and one must do extensive research to find the most opportune time and places to visit.
Sifnos, Folegandros, Serifos and Milos all come to mind, having been to those islands or have had close friends who visited and absolutely loved them, as in the case of Serifos. On real estate they say it’s location, location, location. Travelers, like myself, say, research, research and more research. One can never do enough of it. One source we utilize is greeka.com. Tou don’t necessarily have to use their services but they DO have a great network of resources. Good luck and happy travels!

Jonrossjan, as I said in my reply, this reputation as "the most expensive island in the world" is probably exaggerated.

We might have to ask Irene, who still lives on Mykonos.

https://youtu.be/gfcB8C4ZfyI

I'm sure you can find much more expensive places, but you also have to put it into perspective with the local standard of living.
The average gross monthly salary in Greece is around €1,300 (US$1,500), from which you have to subtract about 20% tax.

And as you said, always do your research and prioritize location.

I would add: avoid social media at all costs.