Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Protaras Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Protaras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,793 per month in Nicosia vs $1,794 in Protaras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,888 per month in Nicosia vs $2,885 in Protaras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,983 per month in Nicosia vs $3,976 in Protaras, rent included.

Nicosia and Protaras have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €15.11

$17.26 €14.95

1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 €60.9

$70.7 €61.2

-0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 €6.96

$8.70 €7.53

-7.70%

Cappuccino

$3.93 €3.40

$3.78 €3.27

3.97%

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

$1.52 €1.31

$2.15 €1.86

-29.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.30 €1.12

-36.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 €4.03

$3.68 €3.18

26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.88

$4.35 €3.77

29.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.68

$1.70 €1.47

14.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.77 €1.53

16.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 €2.50

$2.34 €2.03

23.50%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.91

$4.80 €4.16

-6.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.47 €11.66

$17.25 €14.94

-21.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.20 €7.97

$9.35 €8.10

-1.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 €11.04

$14.43 €12.50

-11.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.54

$2.71 €2.35

8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.81 €1.57

10.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.37 €2.05

-3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.32 €2.87

$3.97 €3.44

-16.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.38 €1.19

25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.12 €0.97

47.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.84 €0.73

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.90

$0.88 €0.76

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 €5.11

$5.67 €4.91

4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 €6.77

$9.00 €7.80

-13.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.78

$1.86 €1.61

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.68

$2.40 €2.07

28.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 €2.37

$2.24 €1.94

21.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 €50.4

$52.9 €45.82

10.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 €4.69

$8.83 €7.65

-38.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.99 €1.73

-21.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 €45.83

$21.62 €18.72

144.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.64 €1.42

-3.66%

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

$30.6K €26.5K

$25.3K €21.9K

21.28%

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

$32.7K €28.3K

$35.6K €30.9K

-8.37%

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

$224 €194

$187 €162

19.68%

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

$21.94 €19.00

$23.21 €20.10

-5.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.13 €31.29

$39.48 €34.19

-8.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 €65.5

$70.4 €61.0

7.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.18 €26.13

$29.61 €25.64

1.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 €9.95

$11.70 €10.13

-1.88%

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

$498 €431

$464 €402

7.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,331 €7,214

$7,698 €6,666

8.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 €85.6

$89.5 €77.5

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 €55.3

$55.5 €48.03

15.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 €83.3

$109 €94.1

-11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$105 €90.8

22.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 €679

$787 €681

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €562

$649 €562

-0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 €1,322

$1,524 €1,320

0.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 €1,113

$1,336 €1,157

-3.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,119 €2,701

$3,628 €3,142

-14.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 €2,048

$2,444 €2,116

-3.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,893 €1,639

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Protaras: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $784 in Nicosia versus $787 in Protaras. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Nicosia versus $71.0 in Protaras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $311 – 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 Protaras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,690 per month in Nicosia and $2,690 in Protaras. 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.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Protaras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $498 per month in Nicosia and $464 in Protaras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nicosia, where all-in costs run around $1,793, than in Protaras at $1,794. In Nicosia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Protaras 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, Protaras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.