How Much Does It Cost to Go to Cyprus?

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Have you ever wondered how much does it cost to go to Cyprus? It’s reasonably priced, but when it comes to travel in the Mediterranean, Cyprus is often overlooked by nearby Greece, Italy, or even Israel as a travel destination. However, if you’re looking for a sunny, beach-filled getaway, then you might want to take a look at Cyprus instead. This country has quite a bit to offer, especially considering that it’s a fairly small island.

For the purpose of this article, I’m going to propose a 1-week trip, 7 days and 6 nights, to Cyprus. This will give you enough time to explore the island, enjoy the beaches, take in some of the history, and wander through the small towns. Mind you, some people may consider this to be too long, but this article is meant to just give you ideas.

Also, note that this estimated budget has been created for one person. If you are travelling as a couple you’ll need to double these costs (except for hotels).

The cost to go to Cyprus

Estimated cost
Airfare$1,000
Accommodations$600
Local transportation$150
Attractions$200
Food and drink$300
Random spending$100
Total$2,350 USD

The above estimate is in American dollars, so please use xe.com to find out the average costs in your home country.

Airfare

Since Cyprus is such a small island, and not one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe, it can be a bit tricky to get to. If you’re coming from North America, you won’t be able to find anything direct and can expect at least one stop-over in places like Austria, Germany, or even Cairo, Egypt. You’ll probably end up paying about $1,000 return for these flights.

Alternatively, you can easily find cheap flights to Cyprus from Europe with budget airlines like Ryanair. If you were to go this route, I’d suggest finding a flight to London, then booking London to Cyprus separately. Depending on where you are departing from in North America, you can cut your costs down as much as 50% by doing this.

If you’re Canadian, you may want to consider applying for one of the best travel credit cards in Canada to help offset your costs by collecting points. For example, the American Express Platinum Card gives you a generous welcome bonus that’s often worth more than $900 (potentially more if you transfer your points to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy). There’s also the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card that has no foreign transaction fees, and it comes with airport lounge access.   

Accommodations

When it comes to choosing a place to stay, it depends on what you are interested in seeing and doing, and how much you want to travel around the island. I’ve based the estimate on the price of mid-range hotels, however, there are plenty of more luxurious as well as more budget-friendly options as well in all of the major destinations.

Paphos has some really nice beaches and resorts, along with some very interesting archaeological sites. It’s the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite and is popular with couples and honeymooners. For recommendations on where to stay in Paphos, consider:

Limassol is about 45 minutes from Paphos. It’s a much larger city that is more local than touristic. There are beaches here as well. For recommendations in Limassol consider:

Larnaca is also a coastal city, it’s a port city. Again, great beaches and a lively nightlife scene. For recommendations in Larnaca, consider:

Ayia Napa is considered to be the party place in Cyprus and it’s where you will find mostly young people. The beaches here are beautiful but it’s the nightlife that many people come for. For recommendations on accommodation in Ayia Napa, consider:

Nicosia is the capital. It’s not on the seafront but is incredibly interesting because it is the only divided capital in the world. The border of Turkish-occupied Cyprus passes through the city and as long as you have your passport, you can cross back and forth between both sides. For recommendations on where to stay in Nicosia, consider:

While Cyprus is small, you may want to divide your stay into a couple of different areas. Perhaps Paphos and Larnaca or Ayia Napa? That being said, if you do divide your stay, you’ll want to keep in mind that you (probably) need to get back to the same airport that you flew into.

Please note that my estimate of $100 per night is based on dates for June. If you’re travelling during low season, you’ll find that the prices drop quite a bit, however, if you come during July or August you can expect them to be higher.

If you have the right credit card, you can save a fair amount of money on hotels. Americans should strongly consider the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card since you can earn up to 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and $300 back at U.S. restaurants as a welcome bonus.

Canadians should consider the Marriott Bonvoy American Express, which gives you up to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. That’s enough points for a few free nights at some hotels, which could easily have a value of over $500.

Local Transportation

If you plan on exploring as much as Cyprus as you can, then you’ll definitely want to get a car. While you can use the local bus service it isn’t always easy and often takes much longer. If you do rent a car, make sure to rent for at least 3 days to get the best prices. This will be about 50 dollars (for all 3 days) so about 100 for 6 days in high season or half of that in low season. Keep in mind pricing also depends on vehicle type and model.

On top of the rental cost, you will need to add in fuel costs. Again, this can vary greatly depending on how much you use the car but you expect to pay maybe another $50 in fuel if you are doing quite a bit of exploring. You may also need to pay for insurance unless you have a credit card with free rental car insurance.

Again, it is possible to take the bus if you want, or even rely on some day tours, but having a car really does make a difference.

Attractions

What is there to see and do in Cyprus? Well, compared to other, larger countries maybe not a ton from a tourist perspective. But, if you are looking for beautiful beaches for swimming or scuba diving, scenic areas for photographing, picturesque old towns for wandering, and ancient ruins for exploring then you’ll be pretty happy with Cyprus as a vacation destination.

The best part? Most of these things don’t cost you anything to enjoy. Sure, you’ll need to pay to for scuba diving and yes, there are a few historical sites that you need to pay to access, but when it comes to attractions, Cyprus is quite cheap.

If you aren’t planning on renting a car you may be interested in doing a couple of day tours which may mean you need to increase your budget. If not, $200 is probably a very safe amount to put towards attractions in Cyprus.

Food and Drink

As always, food and drink are tricky to set a budget for. A lot depends on what you eat, where you eat, and how much you eat. Average costs for daily meals are as follows:

  • Breakfast: $7
  • Lunch: $10
  • Dinner: $25
  • Daily total: $43

You’ll also want to add more if you plan on having a few drinks. Additionally, while you can drink the tap water in Cyprus, it tastes awful thanks to all the chemicals used in the filtering process, so you will need to buy drinking water as well.

*If you are staying in a resort, your meals or part of your meals may be included in the price. If that’s the case, make sure to reduce this part of your budget accordingly.  

Random Spending

Cyprus isn’t a major shopping destination and, as mentioned above, most of the big sites and things to do are free of charge as well. That being said, it’s always a good idea to add a bit of extra money into your budget in case something comes up. Maybe it’s a few extra cocktails by the pool, or maybe a bottle of wine (or two) to take home. I’d be sure to add an extra $100 for random spending.

Cyprus trip cost

So, how much does it cost to go to Cyprus? Well, based on my estimates one week in Cyprus will cost you about $2,350 USD. Not too bad for a week-long vacation in the Mediterranean! Sure, Cyprus may not be as well-known as Italy or Greece, but if you are looking for an affordable beach destination in Europe, definitely consider Cyprus.

Is Cyprus expensive to visit?

I would say Cyprus is an affordable travel destination, on par with several other European destinations. If you are looking to compare the cost of Cyprus, it’s commonly associated with similar costs to what you would find in Spain or Greece. Since Cyprus is a beach destination you will find the highest prices in summer. However, if you visit during off season or shoulder season you will find some pretty cheap rates for accommodation, especially at beach resort type hotels.  

Is Cyprus expensive for food and drink?

Again, costs are on par for other European destinations. There are, of course, higher end and cheaper places to eat and drink but overall it’s quite affordable for Europe. The downside, as I mentioned earlier, is that the tap water here tastes awful so you will want to buy bottled water rather than drink it from the taps. 

What should I not miss in Cyprus?

Cyprus is probably best known for its beaches, so definitely make sure that you visit some of those. It also has many ties to mythology, especially the goddess Aphrodite. According to legend, she was born in Cyprus and you can visit her so-called birthplace, Aphrodite’s Rock. I also recommend visiting the capital city, Nicosia. It’s a divided city, part under Turkish control which is very interesting to explore. Note that you will need your passport if you want to see both sides of the city.  

What is the most beautiful part of Cyprus?

As mentioned above, Cyprus beaches are known to be incredibly beautiful. One of the most popular beach areas in the country is Ayia Napa (which is also known for its parties and nightlife during the summer months). In terms of cities, Paphos is often considered to be one of the most beautiful places in Cyprus thanks to its ruins and history. It also has an idyllic port area with beautiful sunsets.

About Hannah Logan

Hannah Logan is a freelance writer based in Ottawa, Canada. She specializes in finance and travel writing and has bylines at Fodor's Travel, O Magazine, and more. She also runs two travel blogs, Eat Sleep Breathe Travel and Ireland Stole My Heart. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter @hannahlogan21.

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