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: $1,986 in Paphos versus $1,789 in Protaras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,076 in Paphos versus $2,891 in Protaras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,166 in Paphos versus $3,993 in Protaras.

Living in Paphos is roughly 11% more expensive than Protaras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paphos 48% above, Protaras 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 €14.81

$17.66 €15.22

-2.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 €60.2

$69.4 €59.8

0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 €7.63

$8.53 €7.35

3.75%

Cappuccino

$3.63 €3.13

$3.76 €3.24

-3.46%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$2.14 €1.84

4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.35 €1.16

-1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 €3.26

$3.81 €3.29

-0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 €3.82

$4.32 €3.72

2.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.70 €1.46

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.70 €1.46

1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.45 €2.11

-0.82%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.07

$4.71 €4.06

0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.61 €14.32

$17.05 €14.69

-2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.30 €8.02

$9.44 €8.13

-1.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 €12.36

$14.83 €12.78

-3.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.74 €2.36

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.88 €1.62

-0.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 €2.04

$2.27 €1.96

3.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 €3.48

$3.85 €3.32

4.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.39 €1.20

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.12 €0.97

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.91 €0.78

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.83 €0.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 €5.11

$5.63 €4.85

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 €5.86

$9.10 €7.84

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.86 €1.60

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.31 €1.99

-0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.27 €1.96

0.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 €50.1

$53.0 €45.69

9.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 €7.44

$8.59 €7.40

0.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.91 €1.65

4.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.23 €18.30

$21.72 €18.71

-2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.62 €1.40

2.47%

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

$25.9K €22.3K

-0.12%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

-0.16%

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

$189 €163

$191 €165

-1.02%

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

$23.26 €20.04

$23.78 €20.49

-2.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.95 €34.42

$40.10 €34.55

-0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.0 €60.3

$69.7 €60.1

0.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 €19.11

$29.87 €25.74

-25.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.36 €9.79

$11.38 €9.81

-0.18%

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

$464 €400

$459 €395

1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,992 €6,886

$7,748 €6,676

3.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 €74.8

$88.7 €76.4

-2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 €46.92

$56.4 €48.62

-3.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.8

$112 €96.3

-0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.9

$105 €90.6

2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 €908

$765 €659

37.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 €712

$645 €556

27.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 €1,725

$1,514 €1,305

32.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 €1,370

$1,337 €1,152

18.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,462 €3,844

$4,243 €3,656

5.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,534 €2,183

$2,153 €1,855

17.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,949 €1,679

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Protaras: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,054 in Paphos and $765 in Protaras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Paphos vs $69.0 in Protaras. Groceries flip the comparison at $304 vs $311, with Paphos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,978 in Paphos and $2,683 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: $1,054 in Paphos versus $765 in Protaras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,986 per month in Paphos versus $1,789 in Protaras – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Protaras runs roughly 10% less than in Paphos. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,789 in Protaras versus $1,986 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 11% less than in Paphos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.