Living in Cyprus
Rent, health cover and ways to get residency for a foreign retiree in Cyprus, checked 2026-09-26.
Rent for a one-bedroom flat
| City | Centre | Outside centre |
|---|
| Limassol | €1,481 | €1,244 |
| Nicosia | €720 | €622 |
Limassol is the most expensive city in Cyprus; Paphos and Larnaca rent for less.
Healthcare
Residents pay into the public GESY system through income contributions and small co-payments. Non-EU residents usually need private cover until they qualify.
- Comprehensive local private plan: €60–€80 a month
- GESY, 2.65% of income, at most: €4,770 a year
Residency routes
- EU registration (MEU1) (EU/EEA citizens): Register within four months of arrival. The fee is €20.
- Visitor permit (pink slip) (Non-EU, living off savings): €24,000 a year in foreign income. No work allowed.
- Digital nomad visa (Non-EU remote workers): €3,500 a month net from foreign work. Up to three years.
Tax on a portfolio
- Gains on shares, bonds and ETFs are exempt wherever they are listed.
- Non-doms (most people moving in) pay no special defence contribution on dividends or interest for 17 years; only the 2.65% health contribution applies.
- Social insurance and health contributions are deducted before income tax, within the one-sixth-of-income limit.
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