“I moved to Cyprus more than 10 years ago, and I still can’t get over how much the island changed my life. Here are 10 things I love about living here – and 3 I never got used to.”
This story is based on a conversation with Francesca, a young woman who has lived on Cyprus’s western coast (Paphos District) for over a decade while running her own business. It has been edited for length and clarity. Her experience is personal and may not reflect everyone’s perspective on life on the island.
Cyprus has quietly become one of the most magnetic corners of the European Union, and one of the most sought-after spots in the Mediterranean. There’s no single reason for that – it’s a combination of things.
I moved here from Northwestern Europe more than 10 years ago, and I’ve spent every year since figuring out exactly what makes this island so different and special.
I want to be upfront about something: this is my experience, filtered through my own life and choices. Someone else living in Nicosia, or someone who moved here at a different age or for different reasons, might tell you a completely different story. But this is how the island has felt to me.
Here’s what I love about life in Cyprus – and the three things that, even after a decade, I still haven’t made peace with.
1. The Weather Is on Another Level
I have to start here, because it’s the first thing that hit me when I arrived. I’d lived in several countries in Northern and Western Europe, including London, so I know what a real winter feels like. My first winter in Cyprus was nothing like that.
Everything stays green. Trees and flowers bloom in the middle of winter. Some years, you can go to the beach on Christmas Day, and on a good winter afternoon the temperature can climb past 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit).
What I still can’t quite bring myself to call “winter” lasts until around March, and then the temperatures start climbing again.
2. It Feels Genuinely Safe
Beyond the sun and the warm sea, safety is one of the first things I’d tell anyone about. Crime here is remarkably low, and mostly limited to minor offenses.
It’s rare to hear about anything serious on the news. The island runs on tourism, life stays lively well into the night, and it’s completely normal to see streets full of locals and tourists walking home late without a second thought.
3. The Sense of Community Is Real
It doesn’t take long to feel like part of the local community here – and that goes for newcomers just as much as it does for people who grew up on the island.
People spend a lot of time outdoors, they gather often, and a lot of life’s bigger decisions get worked out around a table with friends or family. People genuinely talk to each other here, and that alone makes a noticeable difference in quality of life.
4. Communicating in English Is Remarkably Easy
Greek is the main language across most of the island, and it’s a tough one for most newcomers to pick up. The good news: almost everyone here will understand you in English.
Young people speaking good English isn’t unusual anywhere in the world these days, but what’s different here is that older generations speak it fluently too, a legacy of the island’s history and its long relationship with Britain.
5. The Beaches Are Exceptionally Clean
If you love the sea, Cyprus will feel like paradise. The island boasts stunning beaches, ranging from snow-white sand to golden shores to deep cinnamon hues.
The water is remarkably clean, and wastewater controls here are strict. It helps that there are no oversized cities on the island generating the kind of pollution that’s hard to manage along a coastline. Wherever you are in Cyprus, there’s almost always a gorgeous beach close by.
6. There’s a Huge Range of Good Property to Buy
The real estate market in Cyprus is well developed. You’ll find everything – houses in the cities, just outside them, in villages, right on the coast, up in the mountains, with a pool or without.
There’s something for almost every taste, and prices are still reasonable compared to much of continental Europe.
Apartments are easy to find at good prices too, though it’s worth factoring in maintenance costs for shared gardens, pools, and common areas, which can add up.
7. The Food Is Incredible
Discovering the island’s food scene opened up an entirely new world for me. Most of the cuisine has Greek roots, but there’s also a strong British and Turkish influence, which honestly makes deciding what to eat for lunch one of the hardest decisions of the day.
8. Life Here Isn’t Expensive
Cyprus is still one of the more affordable countries in Europe. Eating out and grocery shopping are noticeably easier on the wallet here, and there’s a wide selection of fresh produce at good prices.
There are also solid options for cutting electricity costs by installing solar panels at home – you can arrange a formal agreement with the state electricity provider, the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), and end up cutting your power bill by 70% to 90%.
9. Everyday Life Feels Refreshingly Simple
Compared to what I’ve seen in other European countries, life in Cyprus feels simpler – things happen more easily, almost like stepping back a few decades.
People here still tend to meet up for coffee in person instead of just texting, get-togethers with friends and family are a regular part of life, and in plenty of neighborhoods kids still play outside with their friends. The kind of bureaucracy that defines a lot of European life is much less present here.
10. The Nature Is Surprisingly Varied
If the coast gets too hot and you’re craving a walk in nature, the mountains are never more than an hour away, no matter where on the island you are.
The Troodos Mountains have incredible hiking trails, beautiful little churches and monasteries, and quiet villages where time genuinely feels like it stopped. Scenic trails wind through pine forests, with the occasional small stream cutting through.
And Here’s What I Still Haven’t Gotten Used to After 10 Years
Almost everything about life in Cyprus works for me. But there are a few things that, more than a decade in, I still haven’t fully adjusted to.
1. The Heat in July and August Is Brutal
The heat in July and August feels like it’s from another planet. It genuinely saps your motivation to do anything beyond staying indoors in the shade with the air conditioning on full blast.
Summer heat here is nothing like summer heat in continental Europe. The heat wave arrives before July even starts and doesn’t let up until the end of August.
Daytime temperatures in the shade regularly hit 35 to 40 degrees Celsius (95-104 Fahrenheit), and even nighttime doesn’t bring much relief – temperatures often stay around 24–25 degrees Celsius combined with heavy humidity, which makes it hard to get a good night’s sleep without air conditioning.
2. The Internet Still Feels Slow to Me
If you’ve used the internet in countries like the Netherlands, France, Norway, Romania, Denmark, or Bulgaria, internet speeds in Cyprus will probably feel slow – and relatively expensive for what you get.
I assumed I’d get used to it over time, but more than 10 years in, I still notice it, especially right after coming back from a trip to mainland Europe.
3. Life Without a Car Can Be Genuinely Difficult
For the first few years after I moved here, I didn’t plan on buying a car. Transport between the main cities is comfortable, fast, and reasonably priced.
But eventually I realized I couldn’t easily get to the mountains, which meant missing out on the beautiful nature and cooler air the island’s interior has to offer.
A lot of the beaches I love are also far from any city center. And if you live in one of the countless small villages scattered across the island, getting to Paphos (as it is in my case), Limassol, Larnaca, or Protaras can be genuinely difficult without your own car.
