Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Iskele Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Iskele

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,955 in Nicosia versus $1,928 in Iskele.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,978 in Nicosia versus $2,951 in Iskele.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,002 in Nicosia versus $3,973 in Iskele.

Living in Nicosia is roughly 1% more expensive than in Iskele, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nicosia 42% above, Iskele 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 €14.95

$17.76 €15.30

-2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €59.2

$57.7 €49.74

19.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 €8.25

$9.53 €8.21

0.42%

Cappuccino

$3.68 €3.17

$3.62 €3.12

1.66%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.62

$1.99 €1.71

-6.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.19 €1.02

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 €3.98

$4.24 €3.66

8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.08

$4.01 €3.45

47.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.99 €1.72

-3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.54 €1.33

31.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$2.39 €2.06

28.45%

Eggs

$4.81 €4.15

$5.38 €4.64

-10.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 €11.91

$14.02 €12.08

-1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 €8.20

$9.30 €8.02

2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 €11.59

$12.63 €10.88

6.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.22 €2.78

9.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.90 €1.64

11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.09 €1.80

26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.15

$3.87 €3.34

-5.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.50 €1.29

32.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.20 €1.03

37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 €0.89

$0.65 €0.56

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.08 €0.93

10.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 €5.09

$5.82 €5.02

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.17

$7.06 €6.09

17.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.73 €1.49

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.10 €1.81

36.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.34 €2.02

17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.06 €40.56

$52.2 €45.00

-9.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 €5.48

$11.64 €10.03

-45.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.27 €1.96

-8.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.61 €40.18

$23.35 €20.13

99.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.82 €1.57

-2.20%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.6K €29.8K

$34.1K €29.4K

1.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.0K €29.3K

$34.4K €29.6K

-1.11%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$213 €184

$174 €150

22.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.39 €18.43

$22.48 €19.37

-4.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 €30.11

$36.07 €31.09

-3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €65.5

$70.8 €61.0

7.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.70 €16.98

$28.95 €24.95

-31.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.11

$11.82 €10.19

-0.76%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$542 €468

$442 €381

22.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,817 €8,461

$6,892 €5,940

42.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.5

$85.2 €73.4

23.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 €48.36

$46.84 €40.37

19.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.1

$98.0 €84.5

4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$93.2 €80.3

31.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 €715

$1,117 €963

-25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 €630

$811 €699

-9.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 €1,548

$1,901 €1,639

-5.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 €1,178

$1,389 €1,197

-1.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,172 €2,734

$3,046 €2,625

4.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 €2,010

$2,333 €2,010

-0.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,909 €1,646

$970 €836

96.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

3.31

35.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Nicosia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Iskele: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $829 in Nicosia and $1,117 in Iskele. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nicosia pays 97% 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: $69.0 in Nicosia vs $58.0 in Iskele for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $298 per month, with Iskele 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 Iskele: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iskele wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Nicosia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Iskele the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 97% higher in Nicosia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $829 in Nicosia versus $1,117 in Iskele. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $542 in Nicosia versus $442 in Iskele. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Nicosia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,928 in Iskele versus $1,955 in Nicosia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iskele but tight or insufficient in Nicosia. The gap between the two cities makes Iskele the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Iskele gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Nicosia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.