Living in Cyprus

(Last updated: September 2015)

Living in Cyprus and enjoying the exceptional weather sounds like a very solid foundation for an enjoyable life. And it is.

However, many guides similar to this have a tendency to primarily highlight the positives. This of course results in a presentation of living in Cyprus that is a bit rosier than it should be.
This guide might fall into the same trap. After all, I have been living in Cyprus with my wife and kids since 2012 and we absolutely love it and consider the quality of our life in Cyprus to be of a very high standard. But I will keep it as unbiased as possible.

A beautiful island

Cyprus is the island of the beautiful goddess Aphrodite, who according to legend rose from the sea just outside Paphos. And Cyprus is a beautiful island. Most places in this world are beautiful and it will always depend a lot on personal taste.

If you are living in Cyprus you will find places that are very special, whether it will be the rugged areas to the west, the mountains in the center around Troodos, the beautiful beaches along the south coast or the higher lands surrounding Nicosia. Unless you really only enjoy green foggy moors that is. There are none of them in Cyprus.

Cost of living in Cyprus

It is difficult to say anything overall about living costs in Cyprus as it depends on what you compare it with and where you come from. It is not as cheap as it used to be before Cyprus joined the euro and had the Cypriot Pound.

But very few things are expensive and most goods and commodities are average priced compared to the rest of Europe. Many daily groceries are around 10-20% cheaper than in Northern Europe.

Here are some things that stands out cost-wise:

What’s cheap in Cyprus

Here’s some of the things that will help you keep the costs of living in Cyprus low:

Local seasonal fruit

Local fruits and veges are very cheap to buy at the local fruterias and supermarkets

Rent

Renting property is cheap. Read more about rentals further down this page

Most utility bills

Electricity and particularly water bills are usually very low.

Hiring a cleaner (and most other services)

Hiring people to help you with various services such as cleaning, gardening, babysitting and similar is cheap. Often the hourly cost starts at €5, but there’s usually an increase in the quality if you go a bit higher.

Getting your car washed

This is magnificent. Get you car washed for as little as €5

Beers and local spirits

If you do enjoy the odd drink this is good news. Local spirits and beer is very cheap.

What’s expensive in Cyprus

Here are some of the services and products in Cyprus that are relatively expensive:

Internet access

Internet access in Cyprus is quite expensive, but you can get reasonably priced internet. Click here to read more about internet in Cyprus.

Milk

Milk is one of the few everyday products that is quite expensive. Most of it is imported as there’s not a lot of cattle in Cyprus.

Electronics

The purchasing power in Cyprus is lower than in many other European countries. However this isn’t reflected in costs of electronics. But there are some cheap alternatives available or you can order it online.

Clothing

Clothing is not as such cheap – there’s just limited options and very little that is very cheap. Luckily the internet is full of great options for online shopping. Just make sure they send from the EU to avoid import taxes.

Electricity bills in summer and winter

This is only relevant if you are a heavy user of air conditioning. If it’s cooling most of the day during summer and heating during winter, you can expect a significant increase in the numbers on your electricity bill.
However, if you plan on living in Cyprus it might be recommended to get used to the temperatures (particularly during summer) and save some euros from your budget.

You should look into installing solar panels. With the Net Metering scheme in Cyprus, you can save up to an estimated €1,250 yearly for up to 25 years. All it takes is a one off investment – Read more in our guide on solar panels in Cyprus.

Pace of life in Cyprus

Cyprus is a Mediterranean country, so it will be no surprise to you that the pace of life is mostly slow and relaxed. Sigá-sigá (slowly slowly) as we say (a lot) in Cyprus. This relaxed pace of life obviously have its perks, although it from time to time can be slightly annoying. For example when your electricity is out and it doesn’t seem like anyone is rushing to fix it. But you will quickly get used to it and learn to love it.

And remember, just because the general life in Cyprus generally operates at a slow pace, it is you that decide when you want the pace to pick up. As in most other places in the world, it is up to you, what you want to spend your time doing and how you want to do it.

It is really good to be able to work hard and yet still have plenty of time to relax a lot with family, friends and hobbies. Cyprus offers just that.

Finding a job and working in Cyprus

As many other European countries Cyprus suffers from unemployment. Particularly outside the tourist season, which luckily lasts from April to October. In this period plenty of temporary positions are available.

While there might be a lack of available jobs in Cyprus it is by no means impossible to find one. As in most other places it all depends on your willingness to work and find the jobs. You can read more about that here on the page about jobs in Cyprus.

Finding your new home

Once you have decided to move to Cyprus you will need to find a place to live. As mentioned above this is one of the main benefits of living in Cyprus. Long term rental is cheap compared to prices in most other places in Europe. No matter whether you’re looking for villas or apartments you will find a vast selection of opportunities at a relatively low cost.

There is also always a good deal to be made in the property market in Cyprus. The country has a rich history of particularly British expats moving here and a lot of properties have been constructed during the years. The construction of properties in a variety of price classes continue and that means there are always plenty of properties for sale in Cyprus.

For you, it is all about making sure that you get a good deal and the perfect new home for you and your family’s future.