Moving to Cyprus from Israel

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Israel to Cyprus? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Israel to Cyprus, you would find that Cyprus is 20.8% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪219,070 salary in Israel would need to be roughly €50,147 in Cyprus to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek and Turkish. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Israel and Cyprus.

What does your salary buy?

₪219,070 €50,147

To maintain the same standard of living in Cyprus

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 32.7% less

Groceries

pay 9.9% less

Transportation

pay 3.9% less

Housing

pay 12.8% less

Childcare

pay 42.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 25.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 0.2959 EUR (June 2026)

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

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Israel to Cyprus.

Living there in 2020
379 ↑ 3% vs 2015

people born in Israel live in Cyprus · UN DESA

Who's moving to Cyprus?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Cyprus compared to Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
CY
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IL
4.2
CY
3.9

Cyprus performs significantly better than Israel across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

IL
$4,033
CY
$4,538
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IL
37.1
CY
35.5

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cyprus leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IL
15.0
CY
16.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
CY
5.4t

Israel generally does better on environment, though Cyprus leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IL
29.4
CY
38.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
CY
32.1%

Cyprus generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.4%
CY
6.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$48,300
CY
$50,600

Cyprus generally does better on employment & economy, though Israel leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
83.3 yrs
CY
79.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
3.6
CY
8.4

Israel generally does better on family life, though Cyprus leads in literacy rate.

Data: Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Nicosia
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 63°/44°F (17°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 85°/60°F (29°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 97°/71°F (36°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 74°/52°F (23°/11°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Nicosia
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 60°/42°F (15.7°/5.8°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.0°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 68°/46°F (20.1°/7.8°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 85°/59°F (29.6°/15.2°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 94°/68°F (34.3°/20.0°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 92°/67°F (33.6°/19.5°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/15.9°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.6°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 64°/45°F (17.8°/7.3°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, Department of Meteorology Department of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Cyprus

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

Cyprus passport holder visiting Israel

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Cyprus passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Israel.

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 Cyprus than Israel?

On average Cyprus is about 23% less expensive than Israel, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Cyprus?

Budget about €12,537 for 3 months in Cyprus (based on a ₪219,070 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Cyprus?

Connectivity is usually fine (Cyprus: 38.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Cyprus offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Cyprus safe for expats?

Cyprus performs significantly better than Israel across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cyprus is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel.

How is healthcare in Cyprus compared to Israel?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cyprus leads in suicide rate. There are 35.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Cyprus, compared to 37.1 in Israel. Cyprus scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Nicosia is 80°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Nicosia receives around 13.5 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in Cyprus?

The official languages in Cyprus are Greek and Turkish. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL CY
Population 8,914,885 1,295,102
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Euro (€)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew Greek, Turkish
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +972 +357
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 112