Is Cyprus expensive ?

The short answer or the long one ?

Yes if you are looking for a cheap and cheerful trip to a beach with cheap lager and sunloungers.

No if you want a decent holiday with plenty of history, culture, warm friendly people and don't really care too much for the 18 to 30 loud loud drink and be proud brigade that seem to be ruining many detinations these days.

Last year It cost me £900 to book hotel and flights, transfers etc and I took about £1800 in spending money for 2 weeks "self catering"... didn't actually spend it all but could have done....
However if I had gone to the supermarket and bought in food to make in the room, sandwiches, toast, eggs, stews, soups etc... I could have easily fed us both for a few hundred quid for the 2 weeks..... but I do enough cooking at home and other than doing some breakfast and making stifado once (using local fresh ingredients to see how it compared to making it back home) I didn't want to be stuck in cooking... so I was happy spending money in café's and restaurants...

As everyone says, you can spend from one extreme to the other, it depends on what your holiday priorities are....

Steve

Not doubting your friends, but we came back last Wednesday and saw no evidence of either inflated prices, or £3+ coffees

aye but you've been before and know where to go !

I think eating out in some places is on par with the UK but the quality, atmosphere and size of portions are soooooooooo much better in Cyprus. I can't find a Mexican or Japanese restaraunt in Edinburgh that comes anywhere close to our favourites in Ayia Napa. If you eat where the locals eat you will also get great food which is a lot cheaper than in the UK. There is a wee local restaraunt close to where we stay in Ayia Napa that does basic good quality Cypriot food very reasonably. i.e Mousakka approx £3-£4. I have not however been to Cyprus since the switch to the Euro so have yet to see the effect.

Gail

In order that we dont have two seperate topics on the same thing - "Is Cyprus expensive" I am going to merge this with the other topic.

Kath x

Coffee cost's £3 that's just not the case, I never pay more than €3 anywhere!!!! a lot less usually..only yesterday in Debenhams in Paphos we had two filter coffee's for €5.10 this included two free small sponge cake!!! (Total £3cyp old money for two!!)

Prices have risen with the introduction of the euro but something like 5% and to be honest it was expected, but chose where you eat carefully and my advise is as always keep away from the tourist's areas if you possibly can do this, eat where you see the locals eating or ask them where to eat, or any of the many ex-pats you will bump into here, they will gladly advise you where the best value eating places are..

Cyprus is certainly not expensive compared to living in the UK so on that basis it should not be expensive for tourist's..Not of course counting the air fare cost's to get here..

Have a good stay..

crikey !

Cyprus like any other place is as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it ! I could go to a "well known chain brand burger place" for a 99p burger and have a cheap meal if I liked. I could also go to a very swanky top notch restaurant and pay a whole lot more. Its down to what you as an individual want to do, so if you want to go to the nearest place and eat you must work out where you want to be staying and what sort of things you want to do.

I look at it as my one big break of the year and don't mind spending a bit either on travel or quality to experience some great food, sample new and varied dishes, get a good atmosphere etc.. I also don't mind going into a cheaper place for some cheap and cheerful so everyone else in the group can ease their pockets etc.

Steve

Jimbox wrote:

Coffee cost's £3 that's just not the case

Not been in Starbucks up Posseidonos Ave yet then Jim?

Mark

Hope you are on the mend Mark, now you know I would never buy coffee that is the designer stuff, seco for me mate, 40cents!!

hi,id like to add a few comments re prices in cyprus, ive visited the island since 1979, and in total have taken 35 holidays there,in every resort except limmasol, obviously prices rise werever in the world. tourist areas or not.prices rises can be absorbed by wage increases etc usually, im quite mortified to see the prices quoted to take my family to cyprus this year, and believe me i scour the planet for the best deal.over the last few years in my opinion there has been a drop in standards, service, and quality of accomadation offered. some accomadatio built in the 1970s and never been upgraded, the addition of the euro will of course escalate prices,so unfortunately cyprus and its falling standards wont be getting my dosh this year, cheers

Kio.. I have not found this to be the case!!! in fact those that live here will tell you the same, where this propoganda is coming from is a mystery, I have no axe to grind on this as I am not in any way connected to the holiday business and in fact like Cyprus without too many tourists, but truthfully prices have not risen as much as been posted, it fact we find the reverse..of course the euro has in some cases been used to increase some prices, but if found out there are fines set in place to get those that do this, but not seen too much of this so far.. I cant convince you of this and I am sure you may find another country that is a bargain, this will not be easy..

As a very frequent visitor and now lucky to own a holiday home, I think the prices are on par with most EU countries these days.
We were there in January and granted we did not frequent tourist area as most of it was closed but the prices in the local areas there was some slight increases due to the rounding up of the Euro but there was also some who rounded down.

The biggest impact is the Exchange rate to the Euro at the moment its really bad and if that does not improve who knows what the impact will be in the tourist areas this summer.

Only last summer driving along Nissi Avenue we seen signs Keo £1 a pint.

Its like everywhere you go we have been all over and been fleeced with prices due to not knowing where the best places are to eat and drink, thats why I like to return to the same place now all the time as i know exactly where the vlaue for money is be it local or tourist area.

8 years ago we ate in Anatolia's Protaras set menu and go back each year and the prices are still good,

A few years ago on the Canaries we felt it was very expensive but i am sure if we were returners to the area on a regular basis we would find more value places to eat and drink.

It a case of if you feel that you did not receive value for money dont go back, there are still reasonable places to eat and drink in the tourist places its finding them and thats what these boards are meant to be about.

My daughter goes every year for 2 weeks at Easter and for 3 weeks in the summer and frequents all the tourist area of Protaras and Ayia Napa with her young children, 2 years ago they went to France in a caravan and she said never again it was extorinate.

This year due to her having expecting a baby she cant fly to Cyprus for Easter so is going to centre parcs and she said it would have been cheaper to go to Cyprus and the kids are upset as they want to go to Cyprus

So when you come back and find bargain places that you can recommend please let others know .

I think KioJazz is predominantly talking about the cost of a holiday to Cyprus from the TO's

If so then he's quite right that even before spending money Cyprus is as ever a pricey destination from the UK based on the TO prices and even the flight prices if your doing it DIY.

Add that to the poor exchange rate for us with the Euro at the moment and you can see why it would be an expensive trip for a family regardless of the prices in the resorts......which IMO are equal to elsewhere in the Med. It's the getting there and the accomm that's having an impact.

Cyprus has suffered it's lowest ever winter holiday visitors this year according to the Cyprus Mail and the Tourism board in Cyprus, I would say this tells it's own story

Hi All
The cost of living in Cyprus (from one who has lived there and revisited quite often) depends on what you want to pay. Someone earlier commented on "yes, that's because you've been before". That is true but if you want to see the real Cyprus, you have to travel. I stay in Limassol when I go as it's a good base for the whole island plus the fact thats where I used to live and still know some good eateries. Travel from Limassol and visit the remains at Kourion (Curium) then pop down to the beach and have a Halloumi and Lountza toastie. Next, move along the coast through Episkopi garrison and stop off at Happy Valley (there are two beaches). On these beaches come Saturday afternoon in June, you can be the only ones there. Bear in mind though that it is in the garrison although we have never been questioned for being there. Spend a couple of hours there then move further down the coast to Avdhimoo (Evdhimoo - or big cow beach to peeps who know it). The beach is part shingle and the restaurant very reasonable. There are lots of trips like this if you look on a decent map and petrol is cheaper there too. Travel for a day to Ayia Napa and round the cape to Fig tree bay - lovely place and possibly best beach in Cyprus. Then come inland to Sotira village for tea and go to the Taverna where they don't speak English. They will send out for someone who does and in the meantime tell you to help yourself to drinks from the cooler and just to leave your empties on the table. This is Cyprus if you look around a bit. Back in Limassol, try Mahmouts for a proper Kebab or start with a half Kebab (A full is 5 courses of meat plus salad - and the Kokkinelli will stay in your memories for years. If you like fish, go along the seafront Tavernas and pay £60-70 for two for a fish Meze. Thats the expensive side of Cyprus. Go over the mountain top and spend a few hours at Kakopetria. It's pleasant and cooler in summer. I often wish I could be a tour guide for some of you but only found these places by travelling around. Living there helped but we still had to travel. All for now.

I dont know how true this is but I have heard that agents dont get as much commision for a holiday they sell to Cyprus.

I do think the prices are extorinate to get to Cyprus but what I dont understand is the poor hotelier gets a pittance from the TO and if they tie themselves into a Particulat TO they are not even allowed to rent out any empty rooms to the independant travellor.
This way they are at the mercy of the tour operator on wether they decide to promote that resort and that accomodation in the past we have tried to book Captain Pier in Pernera with Portland been told its not available got there called down to see the family and guess what empty rooms.

So as well as the tourist being held to ransom by these greedy TO so are the hoteliers , when I questioned why prices were so high to Cyprus I was told this is the hottest place on the Med the summers last much longer than any other destination on the Med therefore people are prepared to pay to get there.

I for one got sick of being held to ransom over the quality of accomodation offered and the prices they expected you to pay for a package, topped with supplements for self catering as we like the freedom,and now there are only two off us, we found it to expensive to get self catering at a reasonable cost , so we were forced to go down the half board route which we did not want in the first place. we were lucky to be in a postion to buy, but dont forget the fact that we had to pay an arm and a leg for decent accomadation in Cyprus to the Tour Operator.

When my kids were young it was the price that counted and Cyprus was only booked if we got a really good offer, if not we went else where but nreally our hearts were always in Cyprus and spent half the holiday wishing we had just booked and paid the extra money

Alain
We too have done a great deal of exploring and found Sotira which is where our new retirement home will be built.

My daughter could not get the kids to sit in a car all day, the furthest they venture now is the Camel park at Mazatos and the ten pin bowling in Larnaca.

Once they tried the Troodos but the kids were bored and all they wanted was the beach . It is hard to get out and about exploring with kiddies, but if they are grown up or you can hand them off to grandparents for a day it is nice to get out and about the villages and do a bit of exploring especially as they drive on the same side as UK

hi . mischief is correct in her assumption regarding my grouse being cost of actually getting and staying in cyprus, as a frequent visitor over the years , i have got to know were to go so to speak regarding prices,i know that if i see a price what i think is over the top i wont pay it simple as that,everybody is different in that respect, but im afraid some of the accomadation on offer, i wouldnt pay a fiver a night, but then again some people only want somewere to put there head, so down to a matter of choice, i will continue my search for what i think is value for money,simple as that if it happens all well n good cheers

I spent half hour typing a reply to this and it didn't go. .. I'm not doing it again

the basic problem is the flight handling charges [ see Cyprus mail 29/02/08 Ryan air article] and those who when there don't venture further than the resort beach... once in Cyprus if you put yourself out and eat/drink with the locals then it is as cheap as anywhere else in the med and a dam site cheaper than the UK
wizard

Dear elizabethmcphee
I sympathise with you over the problem with children on holiday but my eldest was 15 months old when she set foot on the Island and my youngest was born there so it can be done. Also, is your Sotira the one out towards Ayia Napa as there is more than one ? I love the place and would go to live tomorrow if I could. My friends still live and work there and they wouldn't come back here. Who could blame them ? Some of the high cost of travelling to Cyprus could be "Black Maks" tax which goes back years and I'm sure still exists. When you are next out there, get someone to tell you what it is if you don't already know. It would have to be a Brit telling you as we are probably the only peeps to know of it.

The point of the posting is that it was said Cyprus is expensive once you get here, not the flight cost's, this I can confirm it is not much more expensive than a few years ago, certainly no more expensive than most other Med destinations, Bulgaria maybe being the exception, as a person who pays the cost of living on the island I am well aware of the cost of living and dining out, this I do regularly, something I could never afford in the UK.
For sure if you are bring your family out here you have to take into the equation flight cost's, and of course if you pay to eat out three times a day then you would as anywhere else in the world need very deep pockets, but with just a smattering of knowledge about Cyprus you will be able to find very cheap eating places, of course this will take some finding if you have never been here, but those above who have should have a good idea where to do this, assuming of course they move away from there hotels or the tourist gathering area's

Only two nights ago three of us (all members of HT) ate out in a taverna in Armu village near Paphos, the cost for a good meal including brandy was for all three of us €36 (£21 old Cyp) how is that expensive????

I say again Cyprus is not expensive once you get here, it is very untrue that the euro initiation has put prices up to a large degree, this just is not the case..but if you don't come and see for yourselves then so be it..