Cost of Living Comparison Between Paphos and Protaras Cost of Living Comparison Between Paphos and Protaras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,959 in Paphos versus $1,794 in Protaras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,043 in Paphos versus $2,885 in Protaras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,126 in Paphos versus $3,976 in Protaras.

Living in Paphos is roughly 9% more expensive than in Protaras, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paphos 47% above, Protaras 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.02 €14.74

$17.26 €14.95

-1.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 €61.1

$70.7 €61.2

-0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 €7.49

$8.70 €7.53

-0.57%

Cappuccino

$3.80 €3.29

$3.78 €3.27

0.53%

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

$2.15 €1.86

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.30 €1.12

-1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.82 €3.31

$3.68 €3.18

3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 €3.84

$4.35 €3.77

2.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.52

$1.70 €1.47

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.77 €1.53

-3.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.34 €2.03

5.56%

Eggs

$4.75 €4.11

$4.80 €4.16

-1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.89 €14.63

$17.25 €14.94

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 €8.29

$9.35 €8.10

2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.78 €12.80

$14.43 €12.50

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.35

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 €1.64

$1.81 €1.57

4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.37 €2.05

-2.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.37

$3.97 €3.44

-2.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.38 €1.19

-5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.12 €0.97

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.84 €0.73

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.75

$0.88 €0.76

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 €5.12

$5.67 €4.91

4.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 €5.76

$9.00 €7.80

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.86 €1.61

3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.40 €2.07

-2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.02

$2.24 €1.94

4.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 €49.61

$52.9 €45.82

8.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 €7.31

$8.83 €7.65

-4.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.99 €1.73

-2.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.06 €18.24

$21.62 €18.72

-2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.64 €1.42

0.61%

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

$25.7K €22.3K

$25.3K €21.9K

1.83%

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

$35.8K €31.0K

$35.6K €30.9K

0.42%

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

$186 €161

$187 €162

-0.58%

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

$23.88 €20.68

$23.21 €20.10

2.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.88 €34.53

$39.48 €34.19

1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 €61.3

$70.4 €61.0

0.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.32 €19.33

$29.61 €25.64

-24.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 €9.98

$11.70 €10.13

-1.54%

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

$465 €403

$464 €402

0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,798 €6,753

$7,698 €6,666

1.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 €75.4

$89.5 €77.5

-2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 €48.34

$55.5 €48.03

0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €94.7

$109 €94.1

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €92.7

$105 €90.8

2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 €922

$787 €681

35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 €719

$649 €562

27.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 €1,715

$1,524 €1,320

29.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 €1,378

$1,336 €1,157

19.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,501 €3,898

$3,628 €3,142

24.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,499 €2,164

$2,444 €2,116

2.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,886 €1,633

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.34

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

Last update for Paphos: July 26, 2026

Last update for Protaras: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,065 in Paphos and $787 in Protaras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Paphos vs $71.0 in Protaras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $311 per month, with Paphos 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

Paphos vs Protaras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Protaras is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,938 in Paphos and $2,690 in Protaras to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,065 in Paphos versus $787 in Protaras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,959 per month in Paphos versus $1,794 in Protaras – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Protaras runs roughly 8% less than in Paphos. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,794 in Protaras versus $1,959 in Paphos, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Protaras but tight or insufficient in Paphos. The gap between the two cities makes Protaras 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 Protaras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Paphos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.