How Much Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Cyprus
Cyprus, the country of ‘siga siga’ (loosely translated from the native tongue in Cyprus to ‘slowly slowly’ in English). This epitomizes the slow-paced zeitgeist of the people of Cyprus, this makes Cyprus a superb location for expatriates from all over the world. This stunning country is predominantly Mediterranean with its citizens accustomed to a gentle, relaxed lifestyle and atmosphere. Who would not want such peace and year-long fantastical weather of Cyprus, it has magnificent beaches cascading along the south coast of the country, there are majestic and exceptionally beautiful higher lands in Nicosia, and towering, seemingly heavenly mountains located in Troodos, specifically the middle of it. Cyprus can easily be regarded as the diamond of the Mediterranean, this is part of the reasons many flocks to the country for some slice of its unique nature, some feel of the comfort and peace that permeates Cyprus.
For years Cyprus had the popular “citizenship by investment program” which granted substantial investors in the economy of Cyprus the opportunity to get a Cypriot passport, appropriately referred to as “passport by investment”. Many took advantage of this and acquired their passport to Cyprus, however, in the year 2020, specifically the 1st of November this way of getting the Cypriot passport was officially closed. This has in no small way impacted many people that had desired to obtain the Cypriot passport by investment. There are, however, many other ways to acquire the passport of this haven of the Mediterranean, many people still do it. It is imperative to consider the cost of living comfortably in Cyprus before you proceed to obtain its passport, if you cannot afford to live somewhere, it would be ill-advised to seek the passport of such a place as you would simply be setting yourself up for a great deal of hardship. To help you prevent such an occurrence we have done reasonable research and have made this exposition about the cost of living in Cyprus Comfortably. From the cost of rent(accommodation), food, utilities, to the cost of clothing and eating at restaurants is considered in this our article. We have presented this information in both a comprehensive and summary way.
Without much delay let us delve into this:
How Much do You Need to Live Comfortably in Cyprus (The Cost of Things)
The amount needed to live comfortably in any location is germane to the consideration of anyone desirous of moving to such a location. You would ask yourself certain questions like: would you be able to afford to live in said location? Do you want to live comfortably in said location? Considering the cost of living in your desired location, would it be ideal to move to the said desired location? If everything is in alignment, is it still your desire to move to such a location considering the comforts you can afford?
Because of these considerations, many have lost interest in moving to magical locations like Cyprus, a lack of adequate information on the cost of living comfortably in these locations contributes tremendously to this loss of interest. Therefore we have done the needful research and compiled this article that should help you get the answers to many vital questions you might be asking yourself about the cost of comfortably living in Cyprus and your desired move thereto.
Food Cost in Cyprus
Food is an absolute necessity for life and living, without food you would not be alive, the nutrients in food provide sustenance for your body and by extension most of your being. If you could not afford to feed well and therefore did not feed well, you would lose the vital functions of your body and die of malnutrition and/or starvation. This is the main reason the fight against hunger, malnutrition, and starvation is such a huge and noble fight. To acquire food you must have the resources to spare in exchange for the food, when you do not have this you would not be able to afford the needed food. The price of food differs from one location to the other depending on a variety of factors that are not necessarily the focus of this article. We are going to assess the cost of food in Cyprus in comparison to the cost of food in the UK. You would see the difference and would be able to decide for yourself the place best suited for you on the cost of food and feeding. Food amounts to a significant portion of the cost of living comfortably or otherwise, so it is good we start with this.
Generally, food is cheaper in Cyprus than in the UK, when buying food items like fruit and meats you are bound to spend less in Cyprus than you would in the UK. If you desire to get the best rates for meats and fruits in Cyprus it is advisable that you make your purchases at the supermarkets and fruit markets.
Dinning in Restaurants
Are you the type that likes to eat out and dine in restaurants? If yes, then Cyprus would be better for you than the UK. The restaurants located in Cyprus are reasonably cheaper than those in the UK. Cyprus has a lot of small local restaurants that give you the opportunity to enjoy delicious meals at way less than those in the UK. Try this when in Cyprus if you are into explorative eating. The local Cyprus meals made in these restaurants have explosions of unique flavors that could be traced to places like the Middle East, Greece, and Europe, all these combinations are sure to reward you for trying out these restaurants and their unique recipes.
Cost of Alcohol
Alcohol and alcoholic libations have become a vital part of life for most people, if you are a consumer of alcohol in whatever form then it is safe to say alcohol adds to the cost of living for you and if you want to live comfortably then some consumption of alcohol is needed in your life, whether regularly or occasionally.
Be it wine or beer the cost is cheaper in Cyprus than in the UK, imagine getting your alcoholic drink of choice at a cheaper rate, this should be a plus in the Cyprus column of your consideration. In Cyprus you can get a bottle of beer for as low as one Euro if it is made in Cyprus, if it is imported the cost becomes 1.36 Euro in the UK this would cost 2.08 Euros. If your preference is wine then you can get a bottle of it for as low as 5 Euros, this would cost at least 6 Euros in the UK.
Everyday Essentials and their Cost in Cyprus
If you consider bread and milk as everyday essentials then you are going to have to pay more for them in Cyprus because they cost more there, this is due to the fact that there is not much dairy production and rearing of cattle done in Cyprus so most of the dairy products used there are imported, this invariably leads to an increase in the cost of these essentials. There are at least eighteen percent more expensive in Cyprus than in the UK. This could be considered a plus for the UK, however, there are other things that could offset the extra you pay on milk and bread in Cyprus.
Utility Cost
Utilities are essential to modern-day life, this usually gulps a large portion of household expenses. The cost of getting electricity and water could set a household tens of thousands of Euros annually. If you can cut costs in this department of household expense then you are in luck, cutting such costs would give you access to considerably more money to spend on other things, save or invest. The cost of utilities in Cyprus is significantly lower than its cost in the UK. This way you would be able to save some money and explore more of Cyprus. The advantage of this reduced cost of utilities cannot be overemphasized.
Rent and Accommodation in Cyprus
If you cannot afford accommodation in a location then you are homeless, housing and accommodation are absolutely necessary for living comfortably. There is no surprise that this takes most of the earnings of individuals all over the world and why governments all over the world seek to provide adequate housing for their citizens and residents. When you put the UK in your consideration of rent as compared to Cyprus you would notice a great margin of difference as accommodation in Cyprus is way cheaper than in the UK, this can be considered one of the greater benefits of living in Cyprus, you would get to save thousands and thousands of Euros on this basis, especially when you assess it for the long term. The money you save could easily be used for various other beneficial things to you. This reduced cost of rent is across the board, no matter the type of property you want to rent. Just imagine the tremendous advantage this affords you to be comfortable; you could get a much bigger apartment, condominium, villa, or mansion in Cyprus than you would be able to get anywhere in Europe or the UK.
From our research we found these:
- To get a one-bedroom apartment in Cyprus City center would cost around 500 Euros, which is at least 300 Euros less what that would cost in the UK where it would cost around 840 Euros.
- The above apartment would cost around 390 Euros outside the city center of Cyprus while in the UK it would cost at least 660 Euros (almost 300 Euros more)
- To get a three-bedroom apartment in Cyprus City center would cost around 800 Euros, which is at least 500 Euros less what that would cost in the UK where it would cost around 1,350 Euros.
- The above apartment would cost around 650 Euros outside the city center of Cyprus while in the UK it would cost at least 1,000 Euros (about 350 Euros more)
Cost of Leisure
Depending on your interest in leisure activities you might pay more in Cyprus than you would in the UK, joining a gym in Cyprus is generally more expensive than in the UK.
If you are a movie fan then Cyprus would give you an advantage because international movies are less expensive to see in Cyprus than in the UK with the difference per ticket reaching 3 Euros.
Getting a Mortgage in Cyprus
Cyprus has a robust property market that makes it easy to get mortgages from most of the commercial banks in Cyprus even if you are a foreigner. The terms you would get would be quite similar to what you would get in the UK, such as the 30% deposit. There are however institutions in Cyprus that could help you fund your mortgage fully, depending on the facts of your situation and property. You would be able to service your mortgage in US dollars, Cypriot Pounds, and/or Euros. The lifeline for mortgages in Cyprus is usually 15 years.
Cyprus and Taxes
If you are not a resident of Cyprus you are taxed on only the sources of income gotten from Cyprus.
If you are an expatriate in Cyprus you are not charged capital gains tax on the sale of a property.
Transportation Cost in Cyprus
Due to its lack of a well-developed railway system, you might have to depend on buses with irregular schedules or taxis or drive yourself. But generally, the cost of bus tickets and taxi fares in Cyprus is less than in the UK. With a margin of 1.50 to 12 Euros depending on the means and distance.
Conclusion
From the aforesaid, it is safe to say that the cost of living comfortably in Cyprus is reasonable and much less than that of the UK and/or Europe. As a single person, you would spend summarily about 1,400 Euros monthly to live comfortably in Cyprus, if you are a family consisting of 4 persons you would spend about 3,200 Euros monthly on average.
However, the above estimates might increase or decrease depending on the peculiarities of your situation and desires.
Author: Christos Nikolaou
BEng Mechanical Engineering, MSc Real Estate, ETEK Property Valuer, Register and Licensed Real Estate Agent.Christos Nikolaou is the founder and Managing Director of Property Canvas, he holds a license as an Estate Agent from the Association of Real Estate Agents of Cyprus and he is a registered Property Valuer in the Technical and Scientific Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK). He is the author of our “How Much Do You Need to Live Comfortably in Cyprus” and is a certified advance negotiator.
