Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Athienou Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Athienou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,803 in Nicosia versus $1,757 in Athienou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,908 in Nicosia versus $2,736 in Athienou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,014 in Nicosia versus $3,715 in Athienou.

Living in Nicosia is roughly 3% more expensive than Athienou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nicosia 35% above, Athienou 31% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.07 โ‚ฌ14.56
$17.05 โ‚ฌ14.54
0.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.3 โ‚ฌ60.0
$58.2 โ‚ฌ49.61
20.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.42 โ‚ฌ7.18
$8.91 โ‚ฌ7.60
-5.50%
Cappuccino
$3.76 โ‚ฌ3.21
$3.62 โ‚ฌ3.09
3.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 โ‚ฌ1.31
$1.50 โ‚ฌ1.28
2.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 โ‚ฌ0.69
$0.98 โ‚ฌ0.83
-17.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.67 โ‚ฌ3.98
$3.53 โ‚ฌ3.01
32.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 โ‚ฌ4.81
$4.24 โ‚ฌ3.61
33.02%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 โ‚ฌ1.64
$1.68 โ‚ฌ1.43
14.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.99 โ‚ฌ1.69
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.46
16.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.88 โ‚ฌ2.46
$2.42 โ‚ฌ2.06
19.01%
Eggs
$4.43 โ‚ฌ3.78
$3.75 โ‚ฌ3.20
18.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.66 โ‚ฌ11.65
$15.19 โ‚ฌ12.96
-10.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.45 โ‚ฌ8.06
$8.71 โ‚ฌ7.43
8.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.94 โ‚ฌ11.04
$13.35 โ‚ฌ11.39
-3.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 โ‚ฌ2.50
$2.84 โ‚ฌ2.42
3.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 โ‚ฌ1.69
$1.82 โ‚ฌ1.55
8.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 โ‚ฌ1.92
$1.91 โ‚ฌ1.63
17.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 โ‚ฌ2.77
$2.62 โ‚ฌ2.23
23.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 โ‚ฌ1.42
$1.32 โ‚ฌ1.12
25.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.68 โ‚ฌ1.43
$1.13 โ‚ฌ0.96
48.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 โ‚ฌ0.74
$0.64 โ‚ฌ0.55
35.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 โ‚ฌ0.86
$0.89 โ‚ฌ0.76
13.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.92 โ‚ฌ5.05
$5.93 โ‚ฌ5.06
-0.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.65 โ‚ฌ7.38
$8.38 โ‚ฌ7.15
3.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 โ‚ฌ1.79
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.45
23.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 โ‚ฌ2.64
$2.31 โ‚ฌ1.97
34.20%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.70 โ‚ฌ2.31
$2.34 โ‚ฌ2.00
15.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.0 โ‚ฌ48.59
$51.9 โ‚ฌ44.30
9.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.29 โ‚ฌ4.51
$7.39 โ‚ฌ6.30
-28.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 โ‚ฌ1.36
$2.03 โ‚ฌ1.73
-21.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$52.7 โ‚ฌ44.98
$21.35 โ‚ฌ18.21
146.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.65 โ‚ฌ1.41
$1.64 โ‚ฌ1.40
0.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K โ‚ฌ26.0K
$25.7K โ‚ฌ21.9K
18.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K โ‚ฌ27.9K
$33.3K โ‚ฌ28.4K
-1.82%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$220 โ‚ฌ188
$191 โ‚ฌ163
15.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.60 โ‚ฌ19.28
$22.25 โ‚ฌ18.98
1.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.81 โ‚ฌ30.54
$33.76 โ‚ฌ28.80
6.07%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.7 โ‚ฌ64.6
$71.6 โ‚ฌ61.1
5.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.82 โ‚ฌ25.44
$29.73 โ‚ฌ25.36
0.30%
Cinema Ticket
$11.48 โ‚ฌ9.79
$11.64 โ‚ฌ9.93
-1.37%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$485 โ‚ฌ413
$443 โ‚ฌ378
9.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,420 โ‚ฌ7,183
$7,806 โ‚ฌ6,659
7.86%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.0 โ‚ฌ82.7
$76.2 โ‚ฌ65.0
27.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.0 โ‚ฌ52.9
$32.36 โ‚ฌ27.60
91.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 โ‚ฌ79.4
$89.7 โ‚ฌ76.5
3.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 โ‚ฌ110
$106 โ‚ฌ90.1
22.10%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$760 โ‚ฌ648
$774 โ‚ฌ660
-1.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$641 โ‚ฌ547
$662 โ‚ฌ564
-3.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,529 โ‚ฌ1,304
$1,522 โ‚ฌ1,298
0.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 โ‚ฌ1,104
$1,320 โ‚ฌ1,126
-2.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,276 โ‚ฌ2,794
$4,163 โ‚ฌ3,551
-21.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,404 โ‚ฌ2,051
$2,509 โ‚ฌ2,140
-4.18%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Nicosia
Athienou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,838 โ‚ฌ1,568
$1,812 โ‚ฌ1,545
1.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.8
3.74
28.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nicosia: April 22, 2026

Last update for Athienou: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Nicosia and $774 in Athienou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nicosia pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70 in Nicosia vs $58 in Athienou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $283 per month, with Athienou cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Nicosia vs Athienou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nicosia and Athienou?
Nicosia and Athienou differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,803 vs $1,757 including rent). Athienou is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Nicosia or Athienou?
Nicosia pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Nicosia and Athienou?
Rent for a central apartment: $760 in Nicosia versus $774 in Athienou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Nicosia or Athienou?
All in, you'll spend $1,803 per month in Nicosia versus $1,757 in Athienou โ€“ a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Nicosia and Athienou?
A monthly transit pass in Athienou runs roughly 10% less than in Nicosia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,757 in Athienou versus $1,803 in Nicosia, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Athienou but tight or insufficient in Nicosia. The gap between the two cities makes Athienou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nicosia and Athienou?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Nicosia or Athienou?
Expats usually find Athienou gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 3% less than in Nicosia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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