Cost of Living in Cyprus: Our Real Monthly Budget
Is Cyprus cheap? The honest answer: it depends very much on how you want to live. Some things are noticeably cheaper than in most of Europe, others clearly more expensive. Instead of averages from websites, here are numbers from our own life on the island, based on our bills and receipts from 2025 and early 2026.
Housing: location is everything
Prices have risen in recent years, and location makes the biggest difference. Close to the sea you pay more and get smaller plots. A little inland, you get much more space for your money. These are the rents we have paid ourselves:
| Place | Property | Monthly rent |
|---|---|---|
| Polis, Paphos district | Older 3-bedroom house in beautiful nature, quite remote | €700 |
| Near Larnaca | Modern furnished house with pool | €2,500 |
| Pervolia, Larnaca | Luxury villa close to the sea, about 500 m² | €4,500 |
| Chloraka, Paphos | Modern furnished house, central | €4,700 plus utilities |
A comparable villa in Paphos costs considerably more than in the Larnaca area. And even in expensive homes, do not expect every detail of construction to match what you know from home. Insulation, windows and finishing are often more pragmatic. That is one reason why buying a new build appeals to many of our clients.
Utilities
| Item | Our experience per month |
|---|---|
| Electricity (house, AC, heating by electricity) | €150–200 |
| Water | about €30 |
| Gas | usually none, most homes have no gas connection |
| Internet | €30–50 |
Hot water is often covered by solar panels, and homes with photovoltaics save noticeably on electricity.
Groceries
Local produce is cheap and excellent: oranges cost us around €0.72 per kilo and peppers about €2.45 per kilo. Imported goods are more expensive: dairy, branded products, sweets and cosmetics. Butter costs around €12 per kilo, ten eggs around €3.40, a kilo of pasta about €1.40. A water filter at home is worth it: no carrying bottles, and it saves money.
Our real monthly budget
This is what we spend on average as a couple with four cats. It is a comfortable lifestyle, not a minimum budget: a large modern house with pool, help in the house, leisure activities and investment in our business.
| Category | Per month (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Rent and utilities | €5,250 |
| Groceries | €500 |
| Butcher | €80 |
| Coffee | €50 |
| Cat food | €50 |
| Business costs (software, tools, training) | €400 |
| Restaurants and delivery | €150 |
| Hairdresser | €30 |
| Cleaning help | €250 |
| Window cleaning | €60 |
| Storage for furniture | €120 |
| Leisure (diving, sports, padel) | €100 |
| Fuel | €150 |
| Private health insurance (both of us) | €485 |
| Total | about €7,300–7,400 |
A smaller home or one further from the sea, and fewer comfort items, bring this down considerably. If you own your home, the largest item changes completely.
Why Cyprus is still worth it for us
Looking only at prices, Cyprus is not automatically cheap. What we get for it is what counts for us: more than 300 sunny days a year, the sea in front of us and mountains behind, a safe everyday life, the relaxed Mediterranean pace the Cypriots call siga siga, and a community of people who chose the same life.
Who Cyprus suits financially
Cyprus works well if you earn your income independently of location, from a business, investments or a pension, and if sunshine matters more to you than four distinct seasons. It is harder if you plan to rely on a local salary, since wages here are low compared with living costs.
