Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Paphos Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Paphos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,805 per month in Nicosia vs $2,010 in Paphos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,912 per month in Nicosia vs $3,140 in Paphos, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,018 per month in Nicosia vs $4,270 in Paphos, rent included.

Nicosia is about 10% cheaper than Paphos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nicosia and Paphos sit above the global median – Nicosia by 35%, Paphos by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 €15.23

$17.23 €14.83

2.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 €59.1

$69.1 €59.5

-0.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 €7.08

$8.71 €7.50

-5.63%

Cappuccino

$3.88 €3.34

$3.74 €3.22

3.74%

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

$1.57 €1.35

$2.20 €1.89

-28.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.36 €1.17

-36.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 €3.93

$3.76 €3.24

21.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €4.97

$4.40 €3.79

31.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.75 €1.51

12.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.76 €1.52

17.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.46 €2.12

12.60%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$4.58 €3.94

-1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 €11.77

$16.84 €14.50

-18.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 €7.78

$9.20 €7.92

-1.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 €11.10

$14.38 €12.38

-10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$2.81 €2.42

1.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.81 €1.56

12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.25 €1.94

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 €2.75

$3.96 €3.41

-19.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.38 €1.19

23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.16 €1.00

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.84 €0.72

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.87 €0.75

16.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 €4.90

$5.82 €5.01

-2.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.10

$6.89 €5.93

19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.89 €1.63

12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.42 €2.08

24.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.33 €2.01

16.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 €50.3

$57.3 €49.35

1.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 €4.58

$8.47 €7.29

-37.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.99 €1.71

-22.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 €45.25

$21.55 €18.56

143.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.60 €1.37

2.50%

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

$30.2K €26.0K

$25.3K €21.8K

19.47%

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

$32.3K €27.8K

$35.7K €30.8K

-9.56%

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

$217 €186

$189 €163

14.69%

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

$22.21 €19.13

$23.88 €20.56

-6.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.90 €30.91

$40.40 €34.79

-11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 €64.3

$68.9 €59.4

8.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.42 €26.20

$22.09 €19.02

37.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.80

$11.53 €9.93

-1.30%

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

$481 €414

$466 €401

3.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,428 €7,258

$7,728 €6,654

9.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 €82.0

$87.0 €74.9

9.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 €53.6

$54.5 €46.88

14.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 €82.1

$111 €95.8

-14.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$107 €92.5

15.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 €664

$1,055 €908

-26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 €549

$815 €702

-21.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,308

$2,053 €1,768

-25.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 €1,108

$1,594 €1,373

-19.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,191 €2,748

$4,438 €3,822

-28.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,414 €2,078

$2,634 €2,268

-8.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,891 €1,629

$1,936 €1,667

-2.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.34

10.60%

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

Last update for Nicosia: May 31, 2026

Last update for Paphos: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $771 in Nicosia versus $1,055 in Paphos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Paphos, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Nicosia versus $69.0 in Paphos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $305 – making Nicosia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Paphos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,805 in Nicosia, $2,010 in Paphos – roughly 11% apart. Paphos costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,708 per month in Nicosia and $3,015 in Paphos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nicosia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Nicosia and $466 in Paphos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Paphos, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nicosia, where all-in costs run around $1,805, than in Paphos at $2,010. In Nicosia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paphos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nicosia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Nicosia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Paphos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.