Cyprus-Forum.com

[LadyDangermouse]

Hi peeps. I am a 50+ single British lady considering moving to Cyprus within the next 18 months (likely to be after Brexit but before the end of the implementation period, i.e. prior to 31.12.2019).

I hope to be able to buy a small 1B or 2B apartment in Paphos around €80K. According to online property adverts the annual yearly communal charges on such a property are likely to be €500 a year.

What other local bills / rates / taxes / utility bills should I expect?

Any approximate figures for local rates / approx monthly electricity on a 1 person flat would be very helpful.

I keep thinking living costs will cheaper and won't it be great not to have to keep the heating on 9 months of the year ...... but then realise that the cost of running air conditioning all year round may ramp up my electric bills !!!!

Any info / guidance very much appreciated.

Thanks

[Sotos]

The biggest utility bill would probably be electricity, and that would depend greatly on how much air conditioning you will be using. For 1 person I would say about €75 per month on average for cooling / heating. Then water bill probably another €15-€20 per month. For telephone / mobile / internet, it depends on where you will live and what you need, but you can have those with about €30-€50 per month. Add another €250 per year for trash collection, property taxes etc. You didn't say anything about transportation. Public transportation in Cyprus is crappy, and unless you choose an apartment in well connected location (which is unlikely if you will only spend €80K) then you will probably need to buy a car (€7000 for a decent small used one) and then pay for gas, insurance, road tax, service, MOT etc.

[LadyDangermouse]

Hi Sotos. Many thanks for your reply. When you say about £250 per year for property tax and rubbish collection is that the equivalent of local rates / council tax?

That sounds very reasonable to me unlike my current £900+ per year Council Tax bill (that £900 figure is on a very small UK Band A property with Single Person Discount).

Secondly..... yes I do intend to purchase a car in Cyprus. I didn't ask any questions about that as there are so many variables (type of car / engine size/ my age and driving history etc) which can affect insurance and running costs.

Thirdly..... my preferred locations are the suburbs of Paphos, e.g. Chlorakas and Tala, not the city centre.

Fourthly ..... I do intend to work until I am 65 and can collect my UK state pension and two small private pensions...... but I intend to work for a UK outsourcing firm doing document editing and proof reading online. **

** That is my current plan based on knowing that it would be difficult to find local work as a non Greek speaker.

That work option would obviously depend on very good reliable internet access so perhaps Paphos city centre would be better for broadband speeds...... but I am very attracted to Chlorakas.

Thanks for your time.

[Sotos]

When you say about £250 per year for property tax and rubbish collection is that the equivalent of local rates / council tax?

Yes, it should be approximately that amount for a small flat.

I am sure you can get decent internet speeds in Chloraka also, and it will be reliable. Just don't go somewhere extremely remote. And if you will already have a UK Job then you should be more than fine. Most probably your UK salary will be higher, while the cost of living in Paphos will be lower, so you will get the best of both worlds in that way

[LadyDangermouse]

When you say about £250 per year for property tax and rubbish collection is that the equivalent of local rates / council tax?

And if you will already have a UK Job then you should be more than fine. Most probably your UK salary will be higher, while the cost of living in Paphos will be lower, so you will get the best of both worlds in that way

It won't be a salaried job, but will be self employed. I would only get paid per document or per number of hours I work for the company. I'm trying to look into a few other possible alternative self employed options. My income is unlikely to go above €19,500 per year which I know is the Cyprus tax threshold.

The document editing and proof reading is fine (I have done the work before for UK firm) but it does mean spending 6 hours a day inside the apartment sat at a computer....... ie not really getting the best out of the wonderful Cyprus architecture and weather.

But this is an idea / work in progress at this stage. I may explore a few income options.

[Aletheia]

Good luck with your plan to jump off the sinking ship that is the UK and move to Cyprus. You don’t have to be rich to enjoy a good quality of life, as opposed to the UK. I’m sure many other Brits are considering jumping ship and joining you.

Good luck living the dream

[miltiades]

Good luck with your plan to jump off the sinking ship that is the UK and move to Cyprus. You don’t have to be rich to enjoy a good quality of life, as opposed to the UK. I’m sure many other Brits are considering jumping ship and joining you.

Good luck living the dream

How very true !!
After 56 years in the UK I made the ...jump and I can honestly say, being here 19 months, has been the most fulfilling and satisfying time of my life. Having said this I ought to add that Cyprus is by no means " cheap" with a few exceptions , food and daily essentials are more expensive than the UK. Life quality is far higher than that of the UK, the weather is fabulous, people are friendly, personal safety is high . The only drawback is the driving !! Treat ALL drivers as if they were children driving BMWs and other expensive cars. The Cypriots have yet to discover the purpose of indicators !!
All in all Cyprus is Paradise on earth.

[Aletheia]

Good luck with your plan to jump off the sinking ship that is the UK and move to Cyprus. You don’t have to be rich to enjoy a good quality of life, as opposed to the UK. I’m sure many other Brits are considering jumping ship and joining you.

Good luck living the dream

How very true !!
After 56 years in the UK I made the ...jump and I can honestly say, being here 19 months, has been the most fulfilling and satisfying time of my life. Having said this I ought to add that Cyprus is by no means " cheap" with a few exceptions , food and daily essentials are more expensive than the UK. Life quality is far higher than that of the UK, the weather is fabulous, people are friendly, personal safety is high . The only drawback is the driving !! Treat ALL drivers as if they were children driving BMWs and other expensive cars. The Cypriots have yet to discover the purpose of indicators !!
All in all Cyprus is Paradise on earth.

Good luck living the dream [/quote]
How very true !!
After 56 years in the UK I made the ...jump and I can honestly say, being here 19 months, has been the most fulfilling and satisfying time of my life. Having said this I ought to add that Cyprus is by no means " cheap" with a few exceptions , food and daily essentials are more expensive than the UK. Life quality is far higher than that of the UK, the weather is fabulous, people are friendly, personal safety is high . The only drawback is the driving !! Treat ALL drivers as if they were children driving BMWs and other expensive cars. The Cypriots have yet to discover the purpose of indicators !!
All in all Cyprus is Paradise on earth.[/quote]

Good that you have survived 56 years living in the UK, for some, that length of time can feel like a prison sentence living in the UK
I agree, there isn’t anywhere “cheap” to live but in order to enjoy a good quality of life outside of the UK, sacrifices can be made in order to achieve it, even if that means eating or drinking less
There are far more positives than negatives to ....jump.....for sure

Yes, the weather is fabulous in the summer, what are the winter months like though?

As for driving, well, most BMW drivers are arrogant and therefore have no respect for anyone else on the road, so why should they use their indicators They do say the type of car you drive, matches your personality it’s better to just ignore these kind of people and not let them wind you up though!

Good for you that you will be spending your “twilight” years in paradise you are very lucky to be able to do so

[miltiades]

Just one observation.
All Cypriots, exempt those who have driven for a period of time in Europe, are bloody nuisance on the roads. Road sense? ZERO.
since coming to Cyprus I feel rejuvenated, although 72 I look no older than
...21 !!
Im in love with the island, have been for years. May I also say that the women here are just amazing, no bloody cockroaches or as Boris politely said " letterboxes" but its full pf bloody beards. The young Cypriots, unfortunately have as yet to discover class. They tend to copy their Greek cousins !!

[Aletheia]

Just one observation.
All Cypriots, exempt those who have driven for a period of time in Europe, are bloody nuisance on the roads. Road sense? ZERO.
since coming to Cyprus I feel rejuvenated, although 72 I look no older than
...21 !!
Im in love with the island, have been for years. May I also say that the women here are just amazing, no bloody cockroaches or as Boris politely said " letterboxes" but its full pf bloody beards. The young Cypriots, unfortunately have as yet to discover class. They tend to copy their Greek cousins !!

Just one observation.
All Cypriots, exempt those who have driven for a period of time in Europe, are bloody nuisance on the roads. Road sense? ZERO.
since coming to Cyprus I feel rejuvenated, although 72 I look no older than
...21 !!
Im in love with the island, have been for years. May I also say that the women here are just amazing, no bloody cockroaches or as Boris politely said " letterboxes" but its full pf bloody beards. The young Cypriots, unfortunately have as yet to discover class. They tend to copy their Greek cousins !!

You are so funny !


Women drivers don’t seem to have this problem so much

So what is your secret to staying so “youthful” if you look no older than 21? I guess all that sun, sea and errrrrm “other activities” would all help you to feel rejuvenated
Age really is just a number

Boris. Well, yes, isn’t he just a joke! He didn’t just say that, he also said that they look like “bank robbers” too unfortunately he doesn’t always make his opinions known in the best of ways, particularly in politics but he does tend to say out loud what most people are thinking

But not all women in the UK are “letter boxes” or “bank robbers” maybe you were living in an area that was too heavily populated with such women

From your description of yourself, the women must be queuing up to spend their time with you

The younger generation is always going to be different to the older generation in any country and yes, same as UK,the younger generation are vain, have very little class but a huge sense of entitlement and even bigger ego’s