Moving to Cyprus
Cost of Living in Cyprus, 2026
The real numbers: rent by city, the weekly shop, bills, fuel and three honest monthly budgets. No estate-agent gloss.
The real numbers: rent by city, the weekly shop, bills, fuel and three honest monthly budgets. No estate-agent gloss.
The short version: day-to-day life in Cyprus costs noticeably less than the UK or most of western Europe, but rent varies wildly by city. Limassol has become genuinely expensive; Larnaca and Nicosia remain very liveable on a modest budget. The average net salary in Cyprus is around €1,636 a month, which tells you what the local economy is priced around.
All figures below are crowd-sourced market averages (Numbeo, updated July 2026) rounded sensibly, cross-checked against what we see on the ground. Treat them as a reliable guide, not a quote. Last checked July 2026.
Monthly rent, long-term lets. The single biggest variable in your budget.
| City | 1-bed, city centre | 1-bed, outside centre | 3-bed, city centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limassol | ~€1,400 | ~€1,200 | ~€2,300 |
| Paphos | ~€950 | ~€870 | ~€1,870 |
| Larnaca | ~€800 | ~€600 | ~€1,475 |
| Nicosia | ~€720 | ~€610 | ~€1,525 |
The pattern is simple: Limassol is the business and marina city and prices like it. Paphos carries a premium in the expat-favourite coastal areas. Larnaca is the value pick with an airport, a beach and a promenade. Nicosia is the capital without the sea, and your rent thanks you for it. Villages 15 to 20 minutes inland from any coast are cheaper again.
| Item | Typical monthly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity, water, rubbish (85 m² flat) | ~€185 (range €110 to €300) | Summer air-con and winter heating are the swing factors. Many homes rely on air-con units for both. |
| Broadband (60 Mbps+, unlimited) | ~€28 | Fibre now widely available in towns. |
| Mobile plan (calls + 10GB+ data) | ~€18 | Prepaid SIMs are cheap and easy to get. |
Supermarket staples, national averages. Local fruit and veg from street markets is cheaper still, and better.
| Item | Price | Item | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk (1 litre) | €1.58 | Chicken fillets (1 kg) | €7.69 |
| Bread (500 g loaf) | €1.71 | Beef (1 kg) | €11.96 |
| Eggs (12) | €3.96 | Apples (1 kg) | €2.78 |
| Local cheese (1 kg) | €11.77 | Tomatoes (1 kg) | €2.95 |
| Rice (1 kg) | €2.51 | Potatoes (1 kg) | €1.47 |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | €7.00 | Local beer (0.5 l bottle) | €1.58 |
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | €15 |
| Three-course meal for two, mid-range | €60 |
| Cappuccino | €3.40 |
| Draught local beer (0.5 l) | €4 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | ~€1.48 |
| Local bus ticket | €2 |
| Monthly bus pass | €45 |
| Taxi start + per km | €6 + ~€2/km |
| Cinema ticket | €10 |
| Gym membership (monthly) | ~€65 |
Honest note on transport: Cyprus is a car island. Buses exist and are cheap, but outside the city centres almost everyone drives. Budget for a car if you are moving here. If you do want to try the buses first, our getting around guide lists every route running today, city by city.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private full-day nursery / preschool | ~€430 / month | Range roughly €300 to €700 depending on city and hours. |
| International primary school | ~€7,400 / year | Range roughly €5,000 to €12,000. Public Greek-language schools are free. |
More on the school system, catchments and waiting lists on our Moving to Cyprus page, and healthcare costs on the Healthcare & GeSY guide.
Including rent, based on the tables above. Your mileage will vary, but these are realistic starting points.
1-bed flat (€600 to €800), bills and internet (~€230), groceries (~€300), car and fuel (~€250), eating out and life (~€300+). Comfortable without being flash.
2-bed near the coast (~€1,000 to €1,300), bills (~€260), groceries (~€450), one car (~€300), regular tavernas and trips (~€400+). The classic expat setup.
3-bed (~€2,300), bills (~€320), groceries (~€700), two cars (~€500), international school for one child (~€620/month averaged), activities and extras. Limassol is the premium option; the same life in Larnaca costs €1,000+ less.
Figures compiled from Numbeo market data (updated 3 July 2026) and local checks. Rounded deliberately. Last checked July 2026.
The first €22,000 of income is tax-free, non-dom residents pay no tax on dividends or interest, and there is no inheritance tax. See the full picture, then let us handle the paperwork.
Day-to-day life in Cyprus costs noticeably less than the UK or most of western Europe, but rent varies wildly by city. Limassol has become genuinely expensive, while Larnaca and Nicosia remain very liveable on a modest budget. The average net salary is around €1,636 a month, which tells you what the local economy is priced around.
A single person in Larnaca or Nicosia lives comfortably on roughly €1,500 to €2,000 a month including rent. A couple on the Paphos coast should budget around €2,300 to €3,000, and a family of four in Limassol around €4,500 to €6,000 or more. The same family life in Larnaca costs €1,000 or more less each month.
For a one-bed city-centre flat expect around €1,400 in Limassol, €950 in Paphos, €800 in Larnaca and €720 in Nicosia. Three-bed city-centre homes run from about €1,475 in Larnaca to €2,300 in Limassol. Villages 15 to 20 minutes inland from any coast are cheaper again.
Larnaca and Nicosia are the value picks among the cities. Larnaca has an airport, a beach and a promenade, with one-bed flats outside the centre around €600, while Nicosia is the capital without the sea and your rent thanks you for it. Limassol is the business and marina city and prices like it.
Electricity, water and rubbish for an 85 m² flat average around €185 a month, ranging from €110 to €300 depending on how hard the air-con or heating works. Broadband is about €28 a month and a mobile plan with 10GB or more of data about €18.
A meal at an inexpensive restaurant is around €15, and a three-course meal for two at a mid-range place about €60. A cappuccino is €3.40 and a draught local beer €4.
Honestly, yes. Buses exist and are cheap, at €2 a ticket or €45 for a monthly pass, but outside the city centres almost everyone drives. Budget for a car if you are moving here.
