cost of living in cyprus
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 Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:02 am |
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| Milo |
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| Joined: 26 May 2008 |
| Posts: 301 |
| Location: Cyprus - East |
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I love the wit on this Forum, sometimes the insults too 
The first year in Cyprus is by far the most expensive its a never ending money pit when you move house, but moving to another country even more so. You should expect this 
Do get used to a different way of life, accept it, its ok, do not buy UK branded products you don,t need them Forget the British way as much as you can and accept a new way. If you can,t do so you will be in the doo doo.
Eat Greek food when out its good and its cheaper, find a butcher for your meat, not the supermarkets, eat the local village bread, not sliced white crap,go to the local shops or markets for fruit and veg, what you pay for a small bag in the UK you get a kilo for here It tastes better or like us grow your own  We have water melons growing we could,nt grow flowers in the UK(no time)
Don,t switch on your a/c all the time in the steaming weather buy a HUGE ceiling fan, a/c keeps you cool BUT once you go out in the weather again you can,t cope as well.
Bills are cheaper apart from electric, so save elecric, switch off all standbys lights etc when not in use. It will help.
Furniture, white goods etc more expensive here BUT by the time you have shipped over probably near comparable. Clothes are more expensive and you will not find the cheap but good quality, here its either expensive or crap. So as some of us women do on a normal vist back to UK go with an empty suitcase and stock up.
All foriegners from colder climates get Pools, its the novelty of it and of course they are soooooo good now, we have one its our second that we have owned BUT its an expensive toy very expensive!! You don,t need it! you have a BIG POOL very close by wherever you live here, the locals know this, but they forget to remind you when buying or renting a place with a Pool   And there is a serious water shortage.
I find that we survive on less than half that we needed in the UK, and we go out to eat ten times more. Mind you we don,t pay rent or a mortgage as we are a little older and very rich. Its tough for those right now who rely on UK pensions so thats a worry for many, we are surrounded by early retirees from 45yrs too 65yrs but mostly 50+ we all sold property in the UK and bought outright here, which is the bonus, and all our friends and us have Title Deeds which means we are ok, but thats another story
Leave your UK ideals back in the UK, expect a lot less moneywise but bring quite a bit with you and rainy day money for IF its not for you. Give yourself a year at least to adapt. But Cyprus is fab but its NOT going to be easy, at least at the start.
I have been here only 3 years, I still am finding out things still adapting and I thought I would fit in easily Another thing to remember we holidayed here from 1990 onwards so saw a big change in that time, and living here is not a holiday and I mean that in a nice way.
Importantly learn some Greek!! My OH has, all self taught with books and CD,s and it has defo opened doors for him he is already bi-lingual, I just learned the good manners but am trying more now. Greek speakers will get work much more easily.
Even if you do find it more expensive, you have to ask yourself is THAT the only reason you left the UK. You will have a whinge on occasion but don,t worry it will go away. There is something to be said for throwing open the blinds in the morning and the sun always shining and your cars still on the drive where you left them
We may not be here for ever BUT one thing Cyprus has done for us is show us a quality of life we never had, a slow down of pace needed, a social life we yearned for but where too busy to have, an all round better life for us, and its NOT been without its problems, but we are glad we did it very much  |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:29 am |
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| Get Real! |
| vip |
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| Joined: 26 Feb 2007 |
| Posts: 24245 |
| Location: Nicosia |
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| Good on ya Milo, and give my regards to Otis... |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:36 am |
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| cyprusgeoff |
| instructor |
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| Joined: 27 Jul 2007 |
| Posts: 461 |
| Location: Paphos Area |
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When you first move over to Cyprus you have to switch off your English brain.
The quickest way to save money is quite simple, DON'T buy English food products or anything else imported from anywhere.
Forget about what Tesco's, Asda, Sainsbury's used to charge and what you used to eat in UK 'cos if you look to buy it here it will cost you a lot of money.
Adapt, change and eat what the locals eat. Shop where the locals shop.
DON"T get heavily involved with the ex-pat community, running in and out of each others houses, organising parties and trips to different tavernas and restaurants every other night as it's flippin' expensive when it gets to your round to pay!
There is no '' keeping up with the Joneses'' over here except with some of the ex-pats with more money than sense, so if you have researched it to your satisfaction, come over to live, enjoy your new life.
The sunshine is free and it hardly ever rains but if it does, what the heck,
even the rain is warm. |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:40 am |
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| Get Real! |
| vip |
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| Joined: 26 Feb 2007 |
| Posts: 24245 |
| Location: Nicosia |
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| cyprusgeoff wrote: |
| When you first move over to Cyprus you have to switch off your English brain. |
Objection! That’s based on the assumption you brought one… |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:02 am |
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| cyprusgeoff |
| instructor |
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| Joined: 27 Jul 2007 |
| Posts: 461 |
| Location: Paphos Area |
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| And some of the dim wits on this board clearly didn't. |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:07 am |
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| Milo |
| instructor |
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| Joined: 26 May 2008 |
| Posts: 301 |
| Location: Cyprus - East |
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| Get Real! wrote: |
| Good on ya Milo, and give my regards to Otis... |
Ehh?
Milo is my siamese cat, who the sam hill is Otis?
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:08 am |
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| Z4 |
| professor |
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| Joined: 10 May 2008 |
| Posts: 4632 |
| Location: Pissouri |
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| Its Me wrote: |
| ooh don't get me started on Heinz baked bloody beans: |
You go all the way to Cyprus for Heinz baked beans? |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:14 am |
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| Z4 |
| professor |
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| Joined: 10 May 2008 |
| Posts: 4632 |
| Location: Pissouri |
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| Milo wrote: |
I love the wit on this Forum, sometimes the insults too
The first year in Cyprus is by far the most expensive its a never ending money pit when you move house, but moving to another country even more so. You should expect this
Do get used to a different way of life, accept it, its ok, do not buy UK branded products you don,t need them Forget the British way as much as you can and accept a new way. If you can,t do so you will be in the doo doo.
Eat Greek food when out its good and its cheaper, find a butcher for your meat, not the supermarkets, eat the local village bread, not sliced white crap,go to the local shops or markets for fruit and veg, what you pay for a small bag in the UK you get a kilo for here It tastes better or like us grow your own We have water melons growing we could,nt grow flowers in the UK(no time)
Don,t switch on your a/c all the time in the steaming weather buy a HUGE ceiling fan, a/c keeps you cool BUT once you go out in the weather again you can,t cope as well.
Bills are cheaper apart from electric, so save elecric, switch off all standbys lights etc when not in use. It will help.
Furniture, white goods etc more expensive here BUT by the time you have shipped over probably near comparable. Clothes are more expensive and you will not find the cheap but good quality, here its either expensive or crap. So as some of us women do on a normal vist back to UK go with an empty suitcase and stock up.
All foriegners from colder climates get Pools, its the novelty of it and of course they are soooooo good now, we have one its our second that we have owned BUT its an expensive toy very expensive!! You don,t need it! you have a BIG POOL very close by wherever you live here, the locals know this, but they forget to remind you when buying or renting a place with a Pool And there is a serious water shortage.
I find that we survive on less than half that we needed in the UK, and we go out to eat ten times more. Mind you we don,t pay rent or a mortgage as we are a little older and very rich. Its tough for those right now who rely on UK pensions so thats a worry for many, we are surrounded by early retirees from 45yrs too 65yrs but mostly 50+ we all sold property in the UK and bought outright here, which is the bonus, and all our friends and us have Title Deeds which means we are ok, but thats another story
Leave your UK ideals back in the UK, expect a lot less moneywise but bring quite a bit with you and rainy day money for IF its not for you. Give yourself a year at least to adapt. But Cyprus is fab but its NOT going to be easy, at least at the start.
I have been here only 3 years, I still am finding out things still adapting and I thought I would fit in easily Another thing to remember we holidayed here from 1990 onwards so saw a big change in that time, and living here is not a holiday and I mean that in a nice way.
Importantly learn some Greek!! My OH has, all self taught with books and CD,s and it has defo opened doors for him he is already bi-lingual, I just learned the good manners but am trying more now. Greek speakers will get work much more easily.
Even if you do find it more expensive, you have to ask yourself is THAT the only reason you left the UK. You will have a whinge on occasion but don,t worry it will go away. There is something to be said for throwing open the blinds in the morning and the sun always shining and your cars still on the drive where you left them
We may not be here for ever BUT one thing Cyprus has done for us is show us a quality of life we never had, a slow down of pace needed, a social life we yearned for but where too busy to have, an all round better life for us, and its NOT been without its problems, but we are glad we did it very much |
Perfect! |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:49 pm |
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| kurupetos |
| professor |
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| Joined: 31 Jul 2007 |
| Posts: 3244 |
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| CBBB wrote: |
| kurupetos wrote: |
| Its Me wrote: |
| ooh don't get me started on Heinz baked bloody beans: |
Next time visit your neighbourhood's souvlitzitiko for a mix pita! What kind of a fool would eat canned beans and kelloggs in Cyprus? |
Sadly lots of them! |
Maybe they don't know what souvlaki-sheftalia is , here is a picture:
Yam, yam!  |
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| Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:50 pm |
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| kurupetos |
| professor |
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| Joined: 31 Jul 2007 |
| Posts: 3244 |
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...and grilled halloumi:
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