# Whats it really like to live in cyprus?



## lost in cyprus (Sep 10, 2012)

My wife and i lived in cyprus with the air force from 2003-2006 and have always hankered over going back to live full time in the real world (so to speak). Id love real life opinions on what its really like to make a go of it, especially with 2 young school age children. Weve started retraining in preparation, learning greek, retraining so my wifes a primary school teacher and me to do plumbing and electrics (currently uk police officer). What i really want to know is can it really be done in your mid thirties with this skill set and by having a 5 year plan to make it happen and hopefully avoid the recession! Or would australia be a better (safer) bet? 
Kind Regards


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

lost in cyprus said:


> My wife and i lived in cyprus with the air force from 2003-2006 and have always hankered over going back to live full time in the real world (so to speak). Id love real life opinions on what its really like to make a go of it, especially with 2 young school age children. Weve started retraining in preparation, learning greek, retraining so my wifes a primary school teacher and me to do plumbing and electrics (currently uk police officer). What i really want to know is can it really be done in your mid thirties with this skill set and by having a 5 year plan to make it happen and hopefully avoid the recession! Or would australia be a better (safer) bet?
> Kind Regards


Hi Welcome to the forum.
I think that your main obstacle will be your childrens schooling. Very little hlp is given to non Greek speaking children in the local schools and the cost of private schooling is prohibitive unless you are earning megabucks.
Take a look at the sticky thread on schooling in Cyprus for more information.

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/cyprus-expat-forum-expats-living-cyprus/6423-schooling-cyprus.html


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## PositiveLady (Sep 10, 2012)

Hello,

I'm also asking the same question. We have visited Paphos many times for holidays, also getting married there at The St George Hotel and love the place. The question is, is living there all that's its expected to be? We have children aged 19, 12 and 3. My 19 year old currently works there and we are seriously thinking of moving over. The main issue for me is schools.


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## berni109 (May 28, 2010)

Hi,
schooling,schooling,schooling - unless you can afford private education dont do it. very young kids will pick up language older ones will struggle.
jobs are a real problem to find - the state sector is all sewn up - jobs go the family and friends - Cypriots are unlikely to employ you because east Europeans will work for less even in the skilled trades and setting up a business looking for work from the expat community is a limited market which will take a long time to generate sufficient income.
IMHO
bern


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

well said berni


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## PositiveLady (Sep 10, 2012)

Thanks for the reply guys much appreciated.


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## arisoftnet (Sep 12, 2012)

*Pleasant But Expensive!*

Hi there people .... basically this is my first post.

I'm a Cypriot , a father of 3 Children and we have a good life in Cyprus ,but i have to say that life is Cyprus has become extremely expensive!

One of the most expensive countries in Europe ...... the question is ... does it worth it ??

Well Yes and No ...example a vacation to a good hotel in Protaras for 5 nights will cost you around 3k euro .. always talking to the size of my family including dine around. Yes expensive as with the same money you can go to Spain at Majorka all inclusive!

In Cyprus it is a good place to raise your family with many options of good schools .. as for the rest ...crime and corruption rules the world!


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## Guest (Sep 12, 2012)

cyprusbid said:


> Hi there people .... basically this is my first post.
> 
> I'm a Cypriot , a father of 3 Children and we have a good life in Cyprus ,but i have to say that life is Cyprus has become extremely expensive!
> 
> ...


I dont think you are right. Cyprus has become more expensive but Cyprus is not one of the most expensive countries in Europe. All of the northern countries is for sure much more expensive. Sweden, Germany, Denmark, France.......

We stayed 2 persons all inclusive seven nights in 5 star in Limassol for 150 euro per night including a cheap flight from Germany.

The biggest problem for a family with children is the cost of private schooling as I see it. And the lack of work.



Anders


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## arisoftnet (Sep 12, 2012)

Vegaanders said:


> I dont think you are right. Cyprus has become more expensive but Cyprus is not one of the most expensive countries in Europe. All of the northern countries is for sure much more expensive. Sweden, Germany, Denmark, France.......
> 
> We stayed 2 persons all inclusive seven nights in 5 star in Limassol for 150 euro per night including a cheap flight from Germany.
> 
> ...


Dear Anders ,

This is exactly the point !!! For us Cypriots it is much more expensive than foreigners !!!! On Capo Bay hotel in Protars i had to pay 2.5k euro for 5 nights and i went there driving!!! An another couple from england with 2 kids all inclusive for 7 nights including British airways tickets ... they paid 1.6k Euro !!!!

What do you think about that ??? i call the hotel directly am telling them that am a Cypriot and they give me supposely a special rate .... but when you go for example on book dot com the price you can get as a foreigner it is much cheaper!!!!


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## Guest (Sep 12, 2012)

I agree that is strange. Next time you have to book like we do using Expedia or Trivago f ex. Then you get the low prices and dont have to book flight.

Anders


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

On the forums we often see Brits complaining that Cypriots get cheaper prices, but this is the first case I've seen of a Cypriot complaining that the Brits are getting better prices!!!



Pete


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## Kalimera (Oct 19, 2011)

I have a recent food bills from Paps supermarket and will post the prices on here shortly if you like? Give you an idea of prices. We never go for imported brands if we can help - always local produce etc.


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## Christopher Dancey (Jul 10, 2010)

*Cyprus or Australia ?*



SWJ said:


> I have a recent food bills from Paps supermarket and will post the prices on here shortly if you like? Give you an idea of prices. We never go for imported brands if we can help - always local produce etc.


Australia every time. My wife lived in Perth and we have two properties in Cyprus ( one we let ), my wife regrets coming back to the UK from Australia. 

Our villa in Paphos needs a lot of maintainence, the plaster is falling off in many rooms because the villa is shut for part of the year, the problem is single cavity walls which means that insulation is poor.

If we could sell our villa, we would go back to Australia, incidentily we have bought the deeds to our apartment which became available this year...only the villa to go.


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## oxocube123 (Nov 27, 2011)

lost in cyprus said:


> my wife and i lived in cyprus with the air force from 2003-2006 and have always hankered over going back to live full time in the real world (so to speak). Id love real life opinions on what its really like to make a go of it, especially with 2 young school age children. Weve started retraining in preparation, learning greek, retraining so my wifes a primary school teacher and me to do plumbing and electrics (currently uk police officer). What i really want to know is can it really be done in your mid thirties with this skill set and by having a 5 year plan to make it happen and hopefully avoid the recession! Or would australia be a better (safer) bet?
> Kind regards


hello lost in cyprus. I think australia would be a far better option for you especially with the skills you are now learning, all of the 10 pound poms are now retiring and australia is crying out for skilled workers, and will pay for them too. The employment situation is bad here in cyprus and the unemployment figures are very high for a small island, as bernie109 said you would be able to find some work with the ex pat community, and would be paid the rate and get your money but it is not in abundance to support a wife and family unfortunately. The australian health care would be better too. I think it is a far better bet for a land of future opportunity. Good luck


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## anski (Aug 17, 2008)

lost in cyprus said:


> My wife and i lived in cyprus with the air force from 2003-2006 and have always hankered over going back to live full time in the real world (so to speak). Id love real life opinions on what its really like to make a go of it, especially with 2 young school age children. Weve started retraining in preparation, learning greek, retraining so my wifes a primary school teacher and me to do plumbing and electrics (currently uk police officer). What i really want to know is can it really be done in your mid thirties with this skill set and by having a 5 year plan to make it happen and hopefully avoid the recession! Or would australia be a better (safer) bet?
> Kind Regards



Cyprus is ideal for people of retirement age with savings & in receipt of adequate pension.
My advice in your situation with a young family requiring good education & you & your wife obviously needing to earn reliable consistent income go for either Australia or New Zealand. Both countries will fulfil your needs. Look on either of the country forums for more information.


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

This issue is not so strange around the world in places with a high tourist interest.
I currently live in Dubai and on researching hotels for myself and friends I find that it's much cheaper to book a hotel, including return flights, from the UK than I can book the same hotel directly. 
It's nothing to do with any form of discrimination against nationals rather it's all about the purchasing power of travel firms using block booking.

regards

Rema


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