Moving to Spain from Cyprus

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Cyprus to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Cyprus to Spain, you would find that Spain is 4.6% cheaper than Cyprus overall. A €67,000 salary in Cyprus would need to be roughly €63,900 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°F vs 80°F in Nicosia, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Spain cheaper than Cyprus?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 5.5% more

Groceries

pay 3.7% less

Transportation

pay 8.9% less

Housing

pay 4.4% less

Childcare

pay 14.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 23.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Spain?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €63,900

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Spain cost about 4% less than cities in Cyprus.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Cyprus to Spain, based on official data.

Moved in 2019
99 ↑ 52% vs 2018

people moved from Cyprus to Spain · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Spain?

Top countries of origin for Spain's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Cyprus to Spain.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

CY
0.8
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CY
3.9
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly better than Cyprus across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CY
$4,538
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CY
35.6
ES
42.9

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cyprus leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CY
16.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CY
5.4t
ES
4.5t

Spain performs significantly better than Cyprus across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CY
37.6
ES
39.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CY
30.5%
ES
43.2%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Cyprus leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CY
4.9%
ES
10.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

CY
$41,783
ES
$38,627

Cyprus performs better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

CY
81.8 yrs
ES
83.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CY
4.1
ES
2.6

Spain generally does better on family life, though Cyprus leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Department of the Republic of Cyprus (2016), Agencia Tributaria, Spain (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Weather in Spain vs Cyprus

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nicosia Rain: 13.5 in/yr (342 mm)
80° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Nicosia Madrid
Jan–Mar 63°/44°F (17°/7°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/60°F (29°/15°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 97°/71°F (36°/22°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Nicosia Madrid
Jan 60°/42°F (15.7°/5.8°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.0°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 68°/46°F (20.1°/7.8°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 85°/59°F (29.6°/15.2°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 94°/68°F (34.3°/20.0°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 92°/67°F (33.6°/19.5°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 84°/61°F (28.8°/15.9°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.6°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 64°/45°F (17.8°/7.3°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: Department of Meteorology Department of Meteorology, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Can you move from Cyprus to Spain?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cyprus and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.

Cyprus passport

Cyprus passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Cyprus passport holders can enter Spain without a visa.
Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Cyprus

Visa Free
Spain passport holders can enter Cyprus without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Spain than Cyprus?

Yes — Spain is on average about 5% cheaper than Cyprus. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €15,975 in Spain on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Spain?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Spain has 39.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Cyprus across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Cyprus.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Cyprus?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cyprus leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 35.6 in Cyprus. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cyprus: 81).

What's the weather like in Spain compared to Cyprus?

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 80°F in Nicosia. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Nicosia gets 13.5 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Cyprus, the official languages are Greek and Turkish.

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At a Glance

CY ES
Population 1,370,754 49,355,143
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Greek, Turkish Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +357 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112