Cost of living in Cyprus – 2015

Hmm difficult to answer definitvely

but here goes in the Payia Paphos area
How much does it cost to live in Cyprus?

> accommodation prices  - very reasonable and better quality (some would say cheap in comparison to other countries) and can vary from €180 upto €250 for 1-2 bedrooms. to €350-550 for 2-3 bedrooms and upwards of €600 for larger villas etc etc

> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc.) - usually €1.50 per journey by bus  - taxis are expensive i.e €7-9 for a 1-1.5km journey

> food prices (your monthly budget) - our budget is somewhere in the region of €100 per week -so approx €430 a month... we find milk ( €2 per 1.5L) bread (€1.60 for sliced vienna loaf) and eggs (€3.95 for 30 medium)  expensive here in comparison to Malta (93c per litre, 90c for a hobza sliced loaf and €2.50 for 15 really large eggs)

> health prices (for those who need medical insurance) - we have to have private healthcare as we are retired but not on state pension and dont work so we pay approx €600 per year each and thats with an excess on what is termed a bronze plan

> education prices (if you need to pay) - no idea!!!!

> energy prices (oil, electricity) - very expensive for electricity, overall incl extras approx €0.21-0.23c per unit  - water is very cheap - petrol is getting cheaper every week currently €1.128 per litre for UL 95G diesel is approx 3c dearer, kerosen is about 85c and heating diesel is about 88-90c, 10kg gas bottles are approx €11-12.50

> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone) - internet access is very expensive  - more than double Maltas prices for 20% of the service - i.e malta 30mbps UL optical service €20 per month. cyprus service via cyta 6mbps  €47..... Mobiles usage are cheap.... cant comment on telephone and television as we dont have and dont need a landline and use internet tv and skype.
 

> price for a good menu in a traditional restaurant - average for us is about €25 per head

> price for a coffee or a drink - coffee / tea usually between €1 -€2.50 depending on type - alcoholic drinks the range is tremendous  between €1.50 and €4.50 although we do find spirits here quite expensive.. and as usual the local beers (like maltas) to be the most expensive beers...

> price for cinema tickets  - not been to cinema here yet so no idea

Cost of living in Cyprus (Nicosia city center)
> accommodation prices
Studio, 1 -2 bedroom is around 200  to 350 euro
3-4 bedroom 350- 500, euro
> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc.)
1.50 euro and 5 euro for one day 40 euro monthly pass. Intercity fare is between 5 to 9 euro
> food prices (your monthly budget)
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 10-15euro
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)    5.60uro
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) 3euro in resturant in super market 1euro
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 4euro in restaurant in super market 1.5
> health prices (for those who need medical insurance)
30 to 50 euro
> education prices (if you need to pay)

> energy prices (oil, electricity)
Electricity Around 100 to 150euro for 2 months in 1-2 bedroom
Water 40 to 80 euro for 2 months

> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone)
Internet + television + telephone 40euro
> price for a good menu in a traditional restaurant
20-30 euro

> price for a coffee or a drink
Espresso 2euro
Cappacino 3 -4 euro
Frappe 1.5-3euro

> price for cinema tickets
8-10 euro

your water prices seem very high to me...
your healthcare prices seem rather low for private - is that private or something else?
your electricity seem high too....unless its winter with ac heating
internet, tv , phone are all dependent on who you go with and are subject to package and use.

or are these from a website in costs of living...

I write the price on my experience, these prices may be little up or down. I visit many time to visit doctor and I pay around 30 to 50 euro par visit.
I am living in ,2 bed room apartment n paying around 60 to 80  euro for water in summer, 40  to55 in winter.

Thanks Q.... is that because Nicosia is more expensive for water or do yo use a lot of water

30-50 euros for a doctor visit  - or call to surgery and is that with prescription or just the fee

If you start taking shower twice a day not once on weekend

Give me ur email so I sent you copy of my paid bills😭

i dont need that Q am not doubting what you say - am just interested

we shower everyday sometimes twice in summer but then we have a comm pool to keep cool and our water consumptions are very very low.. hence my interest

thats why am asking

Hi looking to move to Paphos in September, when will these results be known. Obviously interested.

i dont think there will be results published - the forum relies heavily on member contributions and comments and as you can see we dont get many people replying... sad but true...

if you have specific questions or concersn please feel free to ask away - we live in Peyia area of Paphos and have been here 8 months now and love it - we plan to be here for many years...

Whoa!  We already live on the northern Costa Blanca (have been here 8 years) and were considering a move to Cyprus, but the cost of living looks terrifying!  Apart from electricity, which is about on a par with us, food/eating out bills, etc appear to be about double what I pay.  Diesel is dearer as well. Are there any tax advantages?  And how much do prescriptions cost (here we pay a maximum of 8€ per month, regardless of cost).  And how are prescriptions managed?  I ask as my husband is an insulin dependant diabetic, and here we simply visit the GP for a prescription "overhaul" annually and then pick up what´s needed at the Farmacia every 2 weeks.

you can earn €19500 per year each tax free here

Thanks - that balances things out a bit!

Quick query on cost of ASDL and "Brit" TV.  How much is an internet connection monthly, and is it possible to get a SKY package in Cyprus?  We have SKY here, and I freely admit it´s a pirate version via the internet, but it works very well and is €25 per month.  And apologies for the brain-picking session, but could you give me an idea of how much council tax equivalent is in Paphos?

Many thanks for your help.  Before we moved to Spain it was a difficult decision between Paphos and Javea, with Javea winning by a small margin as at the time Pahos property was much more expensive.  We still love it here, but are beginning to get itchy feet so a move is a definite possibility.

it varies depending in  supplier we have cyta  - and 6mbps at €47 per month and €150 install
holitec and primetel are cheaper but cant vouch for their stability etc

packages can be got here for as little as €12 per month  with a mag250 box

council tax has just gone up and its about €160

and now they've got plans to remove the 30% tax on worldwide income interest etc  due to the impending implementation of the status of Non Domicile... from the 4th sept.

its even better

That is incredibly helpful, thank you!  Taken food bills V. other "monthlies" into account, things begin to stack up very nicely all at once.

We may yet bump into you in Paphos .....

Many thanks

Yvonne

it may surprise you but we lived in malta for 6yrs and we compare costs to the Malta costs not UK  and thus resisted coming here on the basis of costs - but we were and still are surprised at costs here much better than we had originally thought.... it is of course swings and roundabouts as usual .. but quality and customer service is far superior..

good luck

for what we used to pay for a large three bed apartment with garage space in a quality village in northern malta (€625 a year ago and those same properties now command €950-€1100) - here for €675 we get a 4 bed villa with drive and 8m x 4m private pool fully furnished with quality furnishings and small low maintenance gardens all round plus outbuildings for pool shower, toilet, pump room and utility room on a lovely little project with fab views....in a quality village in Peyia Paphos.

xxx

Hi oduntanjimmy

Per forum policy, please avoid publishing personal info.

Z

oduntanjimmy wrote:

*********@*********

Hi. I'm new to this site, so apologise if I get things wrong.
My husband and I are moving to Peyia next year, having just bought a house there. We get the keys to our house soon , and will be staying in our house for the first time for a holiday. The house is fully furnished. But we will need to buy some items to start.
Where is the best place in Peyia to buy supplies.  EG. Cutlery. Crockery. Duvets. etc.  this will just be stuff we need for our first stay. So doesn't need to be the best of quality. We will eventually be bringing all our own things from the UK.

Thanks

Hi Kitchy

You might want to check any of the supermarkets close to your area. A couple of supermarkets you can search close by are Phillips and City Supermarkets.

Hope this will be helpful
Z

Kitchy wrote:

Hi. I'm new to this site, so apologise if I get things wrong.
My husband and I are moving to Peyia next year, having just bought a house there. We get the keys to our house soon , and will be staying in our house for the first time for a holiday. The house is fully furnished. But we will need to buy some items to start.
Where is the best place in Peyia to buy supplies.  EG. Cutlery. Crockery. Duvets. etc.  this will just be stuff we need for our first stay. So doesn't need to be the best of quality. We will eventually be bringing all our own things from the UK.

Thanks

Thanks

No problem

Kitchy wrote:

Thanks

City Supermarket hasnt existed for a long time it is now part of Phillipos and a DIY section.... we have lived in Peyia  for 18 months now

Phillipos is ok, and we do use it a lot, but you would be  better off going to Jumbos in the Kings Avenue Mall in Paphos for just about everything..and opposite is Sun Tower also quite good for stuff or Carrefours also in Paphos  Lidls is also handy for some stuff but they are on the coast road towards ToTK, Papantonious is in Chloraka is quite good too....

Thanks for the correction Toon

Glad someone local could make better suggestions

Z

Thanks for that. You've been a great help

your welcome.....

"€180 upto €250 for 1-2 bedrooms" Is this monthly rent?

yes in some places.....

Thanks for answering. I will be maybe looking for small decent basic but nice place, a big room, or small flat. January-Feb next year. Im working person, not a tourist, so no airabnb and similar services...If you happen to know something, or may give me tips, I would appreciate much. Kind regards.

its easier to find a place once you are here........and the budget is how much.. it will also depend on what area you need / want to live in terms of your need to work and the work opportunities inthat location  - - Paphos is more touristy, Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca are more likely to have far more job opportunities

Thanks for replying Toon. Is it still - given the situation in Turkey and further towards middle east now...you know the political mess - moderately safe place to live? I know we can't expect much these days, but I mean like the basic daily  life. And I am aware too that it is difficult to predict what will happen in the (even near) future, in terms of the events and stuff...

Cyprus us just as safe as anywhere else in the world.....and just as at risk as anywhere else too.  If we felt at risk here then we would not be here at all   the fact is we dont feel at risk at all....

Thanks Toon. But given what just happened yesterday in Turkey...It is like if we were about to say life in middle east is ok and safe now...so not really like every other place in the world. But thanks, always good to know from someone who is already there, on the place. Greetings. Meg

NOWHERE is 100% safe am afraid... i think the question should be do you feel safe and we do.....  Nowhere in the middle east can be said to be safe due to proximity to the conflicts in the region but having said that and comforted by the existence of British forces here on land air and sea....

When we lived in Malta for 6-7 yrs we went through the same things when Libya kicked off and Egypt and Tunisia....

Plenty of accommodation available and you can often negotiate a lower price. Important to find out exactly what is included in the rent. It is usual for utilities and rates to be an additional charge. However, if you find a place on a complex then communal charges should be included in the rent. We are still noticing that prices overall continue to drop and the choice of products, especially in the supermarkets is much wider now. Regarding safety issues, yet another advantage of renting accommodation is that you can leave at any time.

What would be the way to look for place if I'm not there yet? Thinking of coming Jan-Feb, would like to rent small flat or big room.

Regards