# Cost of living - Cyprus



## BrissyExpat (Apr 8, 2010)

My apologies if this has been covered in the past, but my husband and I are currently living in Dubai. My husband has been offered an opportunity to work and live in Cyprus. My question is - how costly is it to rent etc.?. I have had a look at the 'stickys' on the forum and food seems to be reasonably cheap, but electricity looks expensive and was unable to check the property link as computer kept freezing. We would be looking at Nicosia or Larnica and needing probably a two bedroom unit/apartment etc.
Will google real estate agents and check with them as well, but any information will be gratefully received.
Thank you.


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## philly (Feb 5, 2010)

Food is as expensive more or less as Dubai, there is not much difference as far as I can tell having lived in Dubai for 5 years !

Wine veggies etc are cheaper of course, eating out is cheaper,taxi s are a joke petrol is much more expensive

You will not find it a cheaper way of life unless you intend to be buying in the markets and not eating out very much

Schooling is not as expensive as Dubai but is still a fair amount of money

I m not being negative but it is a different way of life here and it is not "cheap" to live here

If you husband is going to pay tax on his income you need to seriously crunch the numbers !


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## AradippouTales (Jan 27, 2010)

BrissyExpat said:


> We would be looking at Nicosia or Larnica and needing probably a two bedroom unit/apartment etc.


Folks I know have moved over this month. They wanted to rent a one or two bedroom place in the Larnaca area. Their preference was for an older property rather than new build; no interest in a pool. Their budget was 350€ - 400€ per month.

They spent just under a week looking and have just moved into an older three bed house. They found plenty to look at within their price range and are more than happy with what they've ended up with.

It's only a single data point but hopefully it helps some?
Mands


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## philly (Feb 5, 2010)

Yes I think that rental costs have def come down over the past year so thats a positive !


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

philly said:


> Yes I think that rental costs have def come down over the past year so thats a positive !


All we need is the cost of living to come down and we have found Utopia!!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Geraldine said:


> All we need is the cost of living to come down and we have found Utopia!!


Shops such as the new Euro shop are going a long way to helping bring shopping bills down
In the big supermarkets Timotei shampoo is €4 euros. In the euro shop I got it for €1. :clap2::clap2::clap2:
All we need now is the new Lidl shop to be built and opened and we will be laughing


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## BrissyExpat (Apr 8, 2010)

philly said:


> Food is as expensive more or less as Dubai, there is not much difference as far as I can tell having lived in Dubai for 5 years !
> 
> Wine veggies etc are cheaper of course, eating out is cheaper,taxi s are a joke petrol is much more expensive
> 
> ...


Thank you Philly Expat for your comments; they are greatly appreciated. I am very good at economising - so will probably utilise markets for shopping as you mentioned. I am from Brisbane Australia where groceries are very expensive - so feel confident Cyprus would be cheaper. We are certainly doing the 'numbers' with reference to paying tax here and will be taking everything into consideration. Thank you very much for your help and I did not regard your comments as negative - just realistic.


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## BrissyExpat (Apr 8, 2010)

AradippouTales said:


> Folks I know have moved over this month. They wanted to rent a one or two bedroom place in the Larnaca area. Their preference was for an older property rather than new build; no interest in a pool. Their budget was 350€ - 400€ per month.
> 
> They spent just under a week looking and have just moved into an older three bed house. They found plenty to look at within their price range and are more than happy with what they've ended up with.
> 
> ...


AradippouTales

Thank you for your comment re accommodation - it is much appreciated. The prices you quoted are very much within out price range and have been taken into consideration. I did have a look at some real estate websites which basically reflected the costs you quoted.
Thank you once again for your help.


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## BrissyExpat (Apr 8, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Shops such as the new Euro shop are going a long way to helping bring shopping bills down
> In the big supermarkets Timotei shampoo is €4 euros. In the euro shop I got it for €1. :clap2::clap2::clap2:
> All we need now is the new Lidl shop to be built and opened and we will be laughing


This all sounds great, and if we make the decision to move to Cyprus will certainly have a look at the Euro shop.

Thank you.


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## potamiou (Jan 10, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Shops such as the new Euro shop are going a long way to helping bring shopping bills down
> In the big supermarkets Timotei shampoo is €4 euros. In the euro shop I got it for €1. :clap2::clap2::clap2:
> All we need now is the new Lidl shop to be built and opened and we will be laughing


pp
Re "The new Lidl Shop". My understanding is that the new shopping mall near the new port at Limassol, was to have been built by Lidl with them as the main store. However I understand that the major Greek Cyp stores (Orphanides etc) objected and the licence was stopped. Hence the Mall opened about 18 months late with hardly anything worth going in for.
Dave & Sheilah


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

potamiou said:


> pp
> Re "The new Lidl Shop". My understanding is that the new shopping mall near the new port at Limassol, was to have been built by Lidl with them as the main store. However I understand that the major Greek Cyp stores (Orphanides etc) objected and the licence was stopped. Hence the Mall opened about 18 months late with hardly anything worth going in for.
> Dave & Sheilah


I don't know what the situation was with the Mall at Limassol but Hadjidemosthenous are building a store for Lidl on the road to Coral Bay.
The big supermarkets are bound to object as Lidl refuses to adhere to their price fixing policy but in the end they can't win because Lidl is massive all over europe and the EU will not let them get away with it.


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## cati (Jun 7, 2010)

we lived in dubai/uae/qatar for 7 years before relocating to Cyprus and we find cost of living much more expensive here. of course, we now pay rent and pay taxes! and gas is VERY expensive here too.

the figures quoted for apartments in Larnaca/Nicosia seem a bit low to me. we arrived a year and a half ago and we pay 800/month for a 3 bedroom 2 bath in Nicosia and at the time we were looking, this was an excellent price.

food is more expensive than in UAE, but booze definitely isn't : )

something you will also find here but have plenty of practice for already are demented drivers!


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## AradippouTales (Jan 27, 2010)

cati said:


> the figures quoted for apartments in Larnaca/Nicosia seem a bit low to me. we arrived a year and a half ago and we pay 800/month for a 3 bedroom 2 bath in Nicosia and at the time we were looking, this was an excellent price.


I was the one that mentioned 350€-400€ for a one/two bed place in Larnaca. The people who were looking found plenty in that price range. In the end they rented a larger, older property for the same money.

The rental market in Larnaca has softened hugely in the last couple of years. There are plenty of places for rent and landlords are reacting to that. 

When we arrived in '06 we rented a place in Aradippou. It was 3 bed (or 4, depending on how you counted) 2 bathroom place and the initial rent was 400 CYP so a touch under 700€ a month. We were still paying that price when we moved out in summer '09. The place has been empty ever since as the landlord can't get anyone to take it on.

I imagine that Nicosia prices are significantly higher and that there are less bargains to be had. Larnaca though is awash with empty property.

Mands


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

cati said:


> we lived in dubai/uae/qatar for 7 years before relocating to Cyprus and we find cost of living much more expensive here. of course, we now pay rent and pay taxes! and gas is VERY expensive here too.
> 
> the figures quoted for apartments in Larnaca/Nicosia seem a bit low to me. we arrived a year and a half ago and we pay 800/month for a 3 bedroom 2 bath in Nicosia and at the time we were looking, this was an excellent price.
> 
> ...


cati rental prices have dropped significantly in the past year.
I don't know about prices in Nicosia, I suspect they may be higher there, but certainly in areas such as Paphos and Larnaca etc you can get a very nice 3 bedroom with pool for a lot less than you are paying if you look around.


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## cati (Jun 7, 2010)

Veronica said:


> cati rental prices have dropped significantly in the past year.
> I don't know about prices in Nicosia, I suspect they may be higher there, but certainly in areas such as Paphos and Larnaca etc you can get a very nice 3 bedroom with pool for a lot less than you are paying if you look around.


how does one explain the difference in rent prices between Nicosia and Larnaca? pretty puzzling, no?
thanks, Veronica, for the info, though.


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

cati said:


> how does one explain the difference in rent prices between Nicosia and Larnaca? pretty puzzling, no?
> thanks, Veronica, for the info, though.


Probably owing to the status of Nicosia as a capital city.Nicosia hosts numerous diplomatic missions and emabassies, as well as UN peacekeeping personnel, several Universities, research centres and countless businesses, all combine to generate a very bouyant rental market. Many of those renting are supported financially by their governments NGOs and business HQs who are prepared to pay international going rates for renting in capital cities. I guess this results in inflated rents compared to other cities in Cyprus.


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## Tsenn (Oct 9, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Shops such as the new Euro shop are going a long way to helping bring shopping bills down
> In the big supermarkets Timotei shampoo is €4 euros. In the euro shop I got it for €1. :clap2::clap2::clap2:
> All we need now is the new Lidl shop to be built and opened and we will be laughing


Hi, I am brand new in Limassol n(arrived a week ago). Could you please tell me where to find this Euro shop. Thanks a lot.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Tsenn said:


> Hi, I am brand new in Limassol n(arrived a week ago). Could you please tell me where to find this Euro shop. Thanks a lot.


Hi welcome to the forum.

The Euro shop I was talking about is in Paphos but I am sure there will be something similar in Limassol.
Hopefully someone who lives in the Limassol area will be along to tell you where to find it.
If not, give me shout if you are going to be in the Paphos area anytime and I will tell you how to find the paphos shop.

regards
Veronica


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## Tsenn (Oct 9, 2010)

Dear Veronica,

Thank you kindly.

Regards,

Tsenn


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## Mycroft (Sep 9, 2009)

Veronica said:


> Hi welcome to the forum.
> 
> The Euro shop I was talking about is in Paphos but I am sure there will be something similar in Limassol.
> Hopefully someone who lives in the Limassol area will be along to tell you where to find it.
> ...


I too have been looking for a similar Euro Shop in Limassol, so far without any luck, as Paphos is a bit of a trek and has to be combined with a trip to Oliver's deli, and the Butcher ( him indoors likes crackling on his pork!). Also for information Chillies in Limassol has closed ( I understand for personnel reasons the franchisees have had to return to UK) so we are also waiting for a new Chillies. So if anyone knows anything about either in Limassol we in the sticks would be grateful
Thanks


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Mycroft said:


> I too have been looking for a similar Euro Shop in Limassol, so far without any luck, as Paphos is a bit of a trek and has to be combined with a trip to Oliver's deli, and the Butcher ( him indoors likes crackling on his pork!). Also for information Chillies in Limassol has closed ( I understand for personnel reasons the franchisees have had to return to UK) so we are also waiting for a new Chillies. So if anyone knows anything about either in Limassol we in the sticks would be grateful
> Thanks


I am amazed.
I would have thought that Limassol being so much bigger than Paphos would have had all of these shops.
We have several UK shops such as Chillies, GB and others in the Paphos area.
There is also an english baker for anyone who misses the cornish pasties, pork pies and all the usual pies and pastries.
Theres only thing for it you guys. You'll all have to move to Paphos


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