# Big step!



## Marie 37 (Feb 6, 2013)

Hi, like other likeminded individuals I plan on moving to the paphos area shortly. Trying to work out the numbers and I was wondering what my outlays would be, roughly, for a one bed apartment. From what I can gather around 270 per month for rent, 50 euros for electric, 20 for water..... What am I missing?? Tv, council tax? Etc. please help! Trying to be as organised as I can!
Also, assistance with work would be great, I'm one of life's grafters (!!) and have plenty of office, sales, banking, bar, retail experience
Thanks for your assistance in advance
Marie


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## Mycroft (Sep 9, 2009)

Welcome to the forum.
You do not say how old you are or if you are coming alone or with dependants, this would be useful for any one advising on living expenses,

Please consider carefully the move over here, it is a very difficult time for Cyprus financially and jobs are very difficult to find even for locals. The language of the country is Greek not English. Do you speak fluent Greek? Either Russian or Chinese may be an advantage to. When you are budgeting please also consider that you will have to also pay for healthcare, and there is no social security unless you have paid into the Cypriot Social Security Fund. Electricity is the most expensive in Europe, however this does depend on how much you use. I am sure some one will be able to give you more detailed renting figures to base your sums on.

If you do decide to move over her, please make sure you have adequate funds to support your self for at least 6 months and have enough in reserve to return to UK if necessary. 

Good luck in what ever you decide. Kind regards


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

€50 per month for electric seems very low. We spend more than that per week on average albeit in a larger place.
€20 per month for water is too high. Allow €50 for the year.

Check previous threads where you can find checklists for budgeting purposes.

Pete


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## Marie 37 (Feb 6, 2013)

Mycroft said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> You do not say how old you are or if you are coming alone or with dependants, this would be useful for any one advising on living expenses,
> 
> Please consider carefully the move over here, it is a very difficult time for Cyprus financially and jobs are very difficult to find even for locals. The language of the country is Greek not English. Do you speak fluent Greek? Either Russian or Chinese may be an advantage to. When you are budgeting please also consider that you will have to also pay for healthcare, and there is no social security unless you have paid into the Cypriot Social Security Fund. Electricity is the most expensive in Europe, however this does depend on how much you use. I am sure some one will be able to give you more detailed renting figures to base your sums on.
> ...



Thanks!!

I should have said that I am 37 with no dependants at all and healthy ( touch wood)! I do have sufficient funds to keep me going for 6 months and will be renting my home out in the uk just in case. My initial thoughts were that the lack of gas charges would cover the increase in electricity . Add to that the lack of council tax etc i believed cost of living would be better than the uk..... Appreciate your help and guidance


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Have you factored in health insurance. Unless you are lucky enough to find a job where your employer actually bothers to pay social insurance for you you will not be entitled to free healthcare.


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## Marie 37 (Feb 6, 2013)

How much is that normally? Is it something to sort when there or from the uk? Thanks again btw


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Its impossible to say how much as some companies charge far more than others and of course it depends on so many things.
It can't really be done until you get here but you will need to do it fairly quickly as you will need to prove you have insurance to get your residency.
some people wil ltell you that it is ok to just have the most basic insurance and while that is acceptable to immigration if you have any major health problems it can be very expensive to pay for medical treatment so I would not recommend skimping on insurance.


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## Marie 37 (Feb 6, 2013)

You guys are so helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!


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## MacManiac (Jan 25, 2012)

Marie 37 said:


> Thanks!!
> 
> I should have said that I am 37 with no dependants at all and healthy ( touch wood)! I do have sufficient funds to keep me going for 6 months and will be renting my home out in the uk just in case. My initial thoughts were that the lack of gas charges would cover the increase in electricity . Add to that the lack of council tax etc i believed cost of living would be better than the uk..... Appreciate your help and guidance


We have been here for four months now and I think we believed that the cost of living would be cheaper than in the UK. This has proved not to be the case. Some things are much cheaper, some far more expensive but - overall - I think our outgoings are about the same as they were in the UK.

Of course it all depends on your lifestyle and vices, as to where your money goes wherever you live. The advice Veronica gave regarding health insurance is spot on in my opinion. No one knows what is just around the corner (the mythical No 52 bus) and, if you do not qualify for health care, an accident or a serious illness could be potentially ruinous. When we first moved out we stayed in a friend's apartment in Polis, and one of our neighbours there told us that someone living in the same complex had had to sell his investment property to meet his wife's hospital bill. Whether this was an exaggeration I could not tell, but some food for thought. I suppose it is similar to risking driving without insurance, getting away with it for years (and saving those annual premiums) and then being involved in a serious accident. The costs involved could be enormous and dwarf any savings.

Pete's advice re electricity costs is pretty pertinent as well. We are averaging just over 100 Euros a month here for electricity, and that is without using it for heating and with the pool set to minimal maintenance for the winter. We calculate our annual bill will be somewhere in the region of 1500 - 1800 Euros, and that will be without using air conditioning.

Good luck with your move. As I sit here in February with the sun streaming through the windows, it has been worth every cent.


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

I most definitely agree with the health insurance advise. While holidaying last September my hubby was admitted to the Evangelismos with acute Cholecystitis and had stones trapped in his common bile duct! He was in for 5 days, and the bill was 24,000€....that did include re arranging flights and extra accommodation for myself! We had excellent insurance but I met 2 other Brits who had no cover and the one lady had to pay 22,000€!!


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

Marie 37 said:


> How much is that normally? Is it something to sort when there or from the uk? Thanks again btw


The cheapest quote we've had is £125 per mth  that covers just about every eventuality for the both of us!


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## Marie 37 (Feb 6, 2013)

Man alive that's a lot! Guess I would be roughly half seeing as its only me. ....
Decided its worth a shot, it's only six months out of my life worst case scenario and I can always come home. All information provided has certainly helped take those rosé tinted glasses off - exactly what I was looking for . Thanks!! Marie


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## kempo23 (Apr 27, 2012)

Sounds like the 'European Health Card' is a waste of time! Do you think Europeans are treated this way when they are in the UK? No, they are not. There is huge concern in the UK now with regards to Romanians and Bulgarians coming to use the benefits and healthcare systems. Seems unfair


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2013)

kempo23 said:


> Sounds like the 'European Health Card' is a waste of time! Do you think Europeans are treated this way when they are in the UK? No, they are not. There is huge concern in the UK now with regards to Romanians and Bulgarians coming to use the benefits and healthcare systems. Seems unfair


The EHIC card is for tourist use, and for emergencies. It should not and can not be used for some planned health care. Such things must be taken care of by the normal Cyprus Health Care system.

If UK have decided to let foreigners use the EHIC otherways its a UK problem, not a problem with the foreigners

Anderts


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

kempo23 said:


> Sounds like the 'European Health Card' is a waste of time! Do you think Europeans are treated this way when they are in the UK? No, they are not. There is huge concern in the UK now with regards to Romanians and Bulgarians coming to use the benefits and healthcare systems. Seems unfair


It isn't quite that cut and dried these days with the UK NHS.Where as non uk residents used to come here for surgery and were put on the waiting lists with little or no fuss, these days if they are not resident they are treated as a private patient and have to pay. Also patients that do not speak English (even resident) and need an interpreter now have to pay for one!


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## kempo23 (Apr 27, 2012)

Good!


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## wracgirl (Feb 6, 2009)

PatandDave said:


> It isn't quite that cut and dried these days with the UK NHS.Where as non uk residents used to come here for surgery and were put on the waiting lists with little or no fuss, these days if they are not resident they are treated as a private patient and have to pay. Also patients that do not speak English (even resident) and need an interpreter now have to pay for one!


Thats why it's us the taxpayer spend's thousand's of ££££££££££££££ a day for interpreter's in our hospitals and most who do come here for ops from EU and none EU dont pay then disappear once back in their own country's,I will keep saying it ""come on in this country loves you all""


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2013)

wracgirl said:


> Thats why it's us the taxpayer spend's thousand's of ££££££££££££££ a day for interpreter's in our hospitals and most who do come here for ops from EU and none EU dont pay then disappear once back in their own country's,I will keep saying it ""come on in this country loves you all""


Would be nice to know where in UK I can go and get my eyes fixed with laser. I have a EHIC card



anders


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Laser eye surgery has always been available only by paying for it privately. Never been available on the NHS.


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2013)

Veronica said:


> Laser eye surgery has always been available only by paying for it privately. Never been available on the NHS.


It was just an example as it seems that everything can be done for free in UK. 




Anders


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## wracgirl (Feb 6, 2009)

Vegaanders said:


> It was just an example as it seems that everything can be done for free in UK.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yes free if you are coming in as an immigrant,no work no job,then you do and free perscriptions,I could go on but I won't


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

I've worked for the NHS for 18 yrs and worked in the private sector prior to that. I work in Anaesthetics and get so frustrated at some of the things I see. We once had a patient (an Asian lady) having a Gynaecological procedure and kicked up holy hell because the Anaesthetist was male ( he was also Asian and I have to say one of the best Anaesthetist I've ever worked with) he stood his ground and told her if she wasn't happy to go find herself a female....he had a written warning for it!!! That said, and yes I do agree that it falls upon us tax payers, we have an NHS to be proud of....for how long, is anyone's guess...I'm sad but proud to have been a loyal employee!


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

wracgirl said:


> yes free if you are coming in as an immigrant,no work no job,then you do and free perscriptions,I could go on but I won't


Not in the trust that I work for.....it's pay before you get treatment.....only emergency surgery will be treated as such and especially not lazer eye surgery....as an employee I obviously get perks, but no time soon am I going to be throwing away my varifocals or contact lenses, unless I pay for the surgery!


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2013)

wracgirl said:


> yes free if you are coming in as an immigrant,no work no job,then you do and free perscriptions,I could go on but I won't


I can only say that I feel sorry for Uk. This is nothing that has to do with EU, this is something government has decided if it is as you say which I have hard to believe

Anders


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