Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nicosia and Protaras

For one person, living is cheaper in Nicosia: $1,834 a month against $2,021 in Protaras, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nicosia, Cyprus
Protaras, Cyprus
Nicosia
🇨🇾 Cyprus
$1,834
/mo nomad
Protaras
🇨🇾 Cyprus
$2,021
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nicosia and in Protaras

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nicosia and in Protaras actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,834 per month in Nicosia vs $2,021 in Protaras, rent included.

  • Nicosia $1,834
  • Protaras $2,021

A couple spends around $2,858 per month in Nicosia vs $3,018 in Protaras, rent included.

  • Nicosia $2,858
  • Protaras $3,018

A family of three spends $3,882 per month in Nicosia vs $4,015 in Protaras, rent included.

  • Nicosia $3,882
  • Protaras $4,015

Nicosia is about 9% cheaper than Protaras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nicosia and Protaras sit above the global median – Nicosia by 35%, Protaras by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.56 €14.84
$22.36 €20.04
-25.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 €61.2
$77.9 €69.8
-12.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.92 €7.99
$9.13 €8.18
-2.30%
Cappuccino
$3.75 €3.36
$3.85 €3.45
-2.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 €2.07
$1.92 €1.72
20.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 €0.78
$1.26 €1.13
-30.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.39 €3.93
$5.17 €4.63
-15.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.52 €4.95
$5.48 €4.91
0.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.68
$1.99 €1.78
-6.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.99 €1.78
$2.47 €2.22
-19.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.78 €2.49
$3.01 €2.70
-7.64%
Eggs
$4.75 €4.25
$4.63 €4.15
2.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.85 €11.51
$13.37 €11.98
-3.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.73 €7.82
$9.72 €8.71
-10.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.06 €11.70
$13.71 €12.28
-4.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.45 €3.10
$3.50 €3.14
-1.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 €1.83
$2.36 €2.11
-13.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.57 €2.30
$2.93 €2.63
-12.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.50 €3.14
$3.79 €3.40
-7.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 €1.69
$2.01 €1.80
-5.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 €1.42
$1.61 €1.44
-1.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 €0.82
$1.28 €1.15
-28.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 €1.03
$1.07 €0.96
6.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.42 €4.86
$6.59 €5.90
-17.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.73 €6.93
$8.76 €7.85
-11.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 €1.53
$1.87 €1.68
-8.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 €2.44
$2.86 €2.56
-4.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.60 €2.33
$2.23 €2.00
16.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.25 €39.65
$54.4 €48.75
-18.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 €5.46
$9.98 €8.94
-38.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 €1.77
$2.30 €2.06
-13.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.92 €40.25
$22.09 €19.79
103.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.71 €1.53
1.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8K €27.6K
$30.9K €27.7K
-0.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K €29.4K
$31.2K €27.9K
5.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 €186
$241 €216
-13.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.45 €18.32
$20.38 €18.26
0.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.64 €29.25
$32.60 €29.21
0.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.5 €65.9
$77.3 €69.3
-4.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.22 €17.22
$21.75 €19.49
-11.63%
Cinema Ticket
$11.31 €10.13
$13.33 €11.95
-15.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$520 €466
$687 €616
-24.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,426 €8,446
$10.5K €9,438
-10.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 €91.9
$97.0 €86.9
5.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.5 €49.75
$51.2 €45.86
8.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €88.0
$110 €98.7
-10.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 €105
$117 €105
0.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$784 €703
$720 €645
8.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$685 €614
$741 €664
-7.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 €1,514
$1,648 €1,477
2.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,307 €1,171
$1,144 €1,025
14.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,120 €2,796
$3,454 €3,095
-9.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,327 €2,085
$2,202 €1,973
5.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nicosia
Protaras
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,852 €1,659
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
3.93
13.99%

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

Last update for Nicosia: October 26, 2026

Last update for Protaras: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nicosia
$685
Protaras
$741 8.2% $56
Groceries & Markets
Nicosia
$303
Protaras
$327 8% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nicosia
$261
Protaras
$294 12.4% $32
Eating Out
Nicosia
$250
Protaras
$302 20.8% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Nicosia
$168
Protaras
$169 0.5% $0.9
Sport & Entertainment
Nicosia
$96
Protaras
$104 8.2% $7.9
Getting Around
Nicosia
$71
Protaras
$85 20.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $784 in Nicosia versus $720 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 $68 in Nicosia versus $78 in Protaras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $327 – making Nicosia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇾 Nicosia
🇨🇾 Protaras
🕒 Local time
03:23 3:23 AM
03:23 3:23 AM
Same time as Nicosia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
310,355 Capital
20,230
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nicosia Protaras 65 km
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Nicosia and in Protaras compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,834 in Nicosia, $2,021 in Protaras – Nicosia comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Nicosia compared to Protaras?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,750 per month in Nicosia and $3,032 in Protaras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Nicosia and in Protaras?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $784 in Nicosia and $720 in Protaras. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nicosia and Protaras?
Kindergarten costs $520 per month in Nicosia and $687 in Protaras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Protaras, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How far does $3,000 go in Nicosia compared to Protaras?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,834 in Nicosia and $2,021 in Protaras, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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