# living costs



## jkelly (May 21, 2009)

Hi All

I'm getting into this expat thing now -

Could anyone give us an idea of what income a year is required to live in Cyprus, I have been told that basic tax's and council payments/ car tax electric / gas?/ Water etc are quite good.

We won't have a mortgage just ordinary costs
Dee and I intend to move over 2012 that's when I can get my hands on my company pensions - but they won't be very big but should be OK as state pension will kick in two years later.

Thanks all

Jimbo


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

jkelly said:


> Hi All
> 
> I'm getting into this expat thing now -
> 
> ...


If you want to have a decent life you would probably need around 1,000 euros per month. 
Obviously this will vary from couple to couple according to lifestyle, whether you smoke, drink heavily, want to go out for meals a lot etc.

There is a website called Cyprus Bill which gives day to day costs and is regularly updated.

Veronica


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## aliensong (May 26, 2009)

Yes, If you want to have a decent life you would probably need at least 1,000 euros per month. So, find a good job in cyprus is very necessary.lane:


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## Guest (Jun 12, 2009)

*Living Costs*



aliensong said:


> Yes, If you want to have a decent life you would probably need at least 1,000 euros per month. So, find a good job in cyprus is very necessary.lane:


Looked trough the czprus bills page. If I compare with German food prices its horriblz expensive on Cyprus if this page is correct

Fex youghurt cost 1.50 euro per kilo here

you need some income to live!


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## lakelander (Mar 31, 2009)

Veronica said:


> If you want to have a decent life you would probably need around 1,000 euros per month.
> Obviously this will vary from couple to couple according to lifestyle, whether you smoke, drink heavily, want to go out for meals a lot etc.
> 
> There is a website called Cyprus Bill which gives day to day costs and is regularly updated.
> ...


I assume by €1,000 you mean after rent/mortgage costs, otherwise it would not seem a lot to live on even if you were being very careful with your spending.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

lakelander said:


> I assume by €1,000 you mean after rent/mortgage costs, otherwise it would not seem a lot to live on even if you were being very careful with your spending.


As the OP said they dont have mortgage I am assuming thatalso means no rent.
So 1,000 is adequate.


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## jkelly (May 21, 2009)

Veronica said:


> If you want to have a decent life you would probably need around 1,000 euros per month.
> Obviously this will vary from couple to couple according to lifestyle, whether you smoke, drink heavily, want to go out for meals a lot etc.
> 
> There is a website called Cyprus Bill which gives day to day costs and is regularly updated.
> ...


Thanks all

That's good news to me.

Jimbo


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## Big_B (Jun 16, 2009)

Hi all,

I've been lurking the forum for the past couple of days and have come up with a couple of questions that I was hoping you would be able to help with 

1. Do you know what the the salary band is for a Business Analyst in the financial sector with 2.5 years experience?

2. I'm sure this has been asked 1million times but would you be able to provide figures for the following given that I'm a single guy with no family or kids and no expectation of having them any time soon. As such, a decent one bedroom apartment would be great.

The company is based in Nicosia (don't know where that is) and so would like to be close to that as I really don't enjoy traffic at all.

A smallish car would also be fine (e.g. Mazda 2 and upwards) but nothing cr4p like a Fiat Uno...

I would like to be able to go out to dinner or clubbing a couple of times a month but nothing too hectic or expensive....

So, after all that:

Rent 
Utilities 
Car Expenses 
Internet / Phone 
Insurance 
Medical Aid 
Groceries 
Entertainment 
Anything else?

Thanks in advance.
Big_B


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Big_B said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I've been lurking the forum for the past couple of days and have come up with a couple of questions that I was hoping you would be able to help with
> 
> ...


I cant help with the salary band but if you look at Cyprus Bill .com you will get a breakdown of costs.
Nicosia is in the centre of the island, stifling hot in the summer so you will probably want to escape to the coast at weekends like the Cypriots who live there do.

Veronica


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## Big_B (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks Veronica, will check it out.


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

There are currently 9 jobs advertised on the EURES website in the business/finance sector - the average salary listed is c 1300 Euros per month (minimum 750 and maximum 4000 per month - but that post required a PhD and fluency in Arabic and also was based offshore). Generally salaries in Cyprus are low, the vast majority in all sectors being below 1500 euros.

Nicosia in the last divided capital in the world, the military separation of the centre having created an urban sprawl and a road system that struggles to cope with the traffic. Make sure you get an apartment close to your workplace as parking and traffic in the city is a huge problem. During certain times of the day there is hardly any traffic at all but the working hours of most private companies, the schools and the civil service conspire to create multiple rush hours every day when the roads are virtually impassable. If you hate traffic, Nicosia will be a living nightmare.

Cars are expensive, even small and second hand cars compared to UK prices, but are essential as public transport is minimal (hence the traffic problem). I've noticed in the last couple of days that they have started to construct 2+ diamond carpool lanes on the major routes into Nicosia which will doubtless confuse the population even more as the average driving skills in the capital are very poor indeed. I commute to work - have been here 5 years and have not counted a single day when I have not witnessed either and/or car smashes, minor scrapes/ tailgate shunts, overturned vehicles etc.

Nicosia is doubtless the best place on the island for authentic Cypriot and international cuisine has countless restuarants and clubs - but as some forum members have poinnted out, some venues are decidedly frosty to strangers - but once you've made friends, life in Nicosia is fabulous. It is, however, unbearably hot during the summer when temperatures regularly soar above 40. Make sure your apartment has a breezy balcony (airconditioning can be useful but it is expensive).

Good luck!


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## Big_B (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks very much for all that info - i'm a bit suprised that the salaries seem so low. The traffic does sound like a nightmare and after coming from Joburg I'm really not keen to waste hours of my life sitting in my car.

Thanks again for all the great info.


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