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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,838 per month in Nicosia vs $1,778 in Protaras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,922 per month in Nicosia vs $2,869 in Protaras, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,005 per month in Nicosia vs $3,960 in Protaras, rent included.

Nicosia costs about 3% more than Protaras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nicosia and Protaras sit above the global median – Nicosia by 37%, Protaras by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.47 €14.95

$17.45 €14.94

0.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 €58.9

$70.1 €60.0

-1.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 €6.87

$8.77 €7.51

-8.44%

Cappuccino

$3.93 €3.36

$3.79 €3.24

3.69%

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

$1.51 €1.30

$2.16 €1.85

-30.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.30 €1.12

-33.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 €4.08

$3.76 €3.22

26.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €4.94

$4.44 €3.80

29.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.66 €1.42

18.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.70

$1.70 €1.46

16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 €2.44

$2.35 €2.01

21.28%

Eggs

$4.56 €3.91

$4.72 €4.04

-3.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$17.06 €14.60

-21.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.12

$9.59 €8.21

-1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 €10.84

$14.74 €12.62

-14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.49

$2.69 €2.30

8.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.87 €1.60

10.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.88

$2.38 €2.04

-7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 €2.77

$3.84 €3.29

-15.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.31 €1.12

26.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.13 €0.97

47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.92 €0.79

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.89

$0.83 €0.71

25.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 €4.95

$5.92 €5.07

-2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 €7.12

$10.24 €8.76

-18.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 €1.79

$1.84 €1.58

13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 €2.66

$2.32 €1.98

34.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.85 €2.44

$2.36 €2.02

20.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 €49.30

$51.8 €44.38

11.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 €4.56

$8.84 €7.57

-39.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.96 €1.68

-20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.5 €44.06

$20.92 €17.91

146.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.65 €1.41

-1.21%

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

$30.1K €25.8K

$25.6K €21.9K

17.95%

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

$32.8K €28.1K

$36.2K €31.0K

-9.54%

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

$223 €190

$186 €159

19.88%

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

$22.33 €19.12

$23.83 €20.40

-6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.28 €30.20

$39.58 €33.88

-10.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 €63.3

$70.9 €60.7

4.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.18 €25.83

$29.42 €25.18

2.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 €9.94

$11.48 €9.82

1.13%

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

$486 €416

$460 €393

5.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,442 €7,227

$7,946 €6,802

6.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.2 €82.3

$87.3 €74.7

10.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.9 €53.0

$55.1 €47.17

12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 €81.6

$111 €95.4

-14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €109

$106 €90.8

20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 €654

$771 €660

-0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 €555

$652 €558

-0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 €1,338

$1,510 €1,293

3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 €1,091

$1,339 €1,146

-4.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,263 €2,793

$4,169 €3,569

-21.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,389 €2,045

$2,145 €1,836

11.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,843 €1,578

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Protaras: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Nicosia versus $771 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 $69.0 in Nicosia versus $70.0 in Protaras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $313 – 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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,838 in Nicosia, $1,778 in Protaras – roughly 3% apart. Nicosia costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nicosia and $2,667 in Protaras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $486 per month in Nicosia and $460 in Protaras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Nicosia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Protaras, where all-in costs run around $1,778, than in Nicosia at $1,838. In Protaras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nicosia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Protaras – 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 Protaras. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nicosia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.