Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

We haven't been out since May and are about to come our for November.

We are wondering about our budget, so what can I expect to pay for 4 effes beers ( for me) from the supermarket and how about a 5 litre box of wine ( for me and the wife)?

How have food costs risen?

thanks for any help given.

Spent 534 lira at Erdiner this morning (Switched off Air Con because electric went up 18% this morning, them not me !) usual bill prior to Lira exposition 320 tl.

You will certainly need more Lira, but should be ok bringing the usual amount of Sterling

There is a current thread devoted to the cost of beer

Just bought a couple of the 5 litre boxes of wine, Simonsvlei, one red , one rose this morning
from Supreme. 99tl per box.
Works out at about £12 per box, still good value when you are getting about 8tl to the £.

Bearing in mind it was only 35 TL about 4 weeks ago!!

that sounds like a big hike

It is a big hike! Last time you were here you probably got 4.5TL to the £. Now you get 8TL to the pound - that is a BIG hike. Expect all prices to reflect this and just start again. Best thing is to forget when a gas cyl cost you 11TL but you only got 2.2TL to the £!!!! Live in the day and you will be ok. Remember there is no such thing as a free lunch and you will do even better.

In the grand scheme of things with the exchange rate at around 8TL to the £ its all relative. Electric however has increased substantially over the last year. Petrol is around 5.8 - 6TL a litre and has increased in price a bit this year. Compared to the U.K. costs for these items is good.

However the thread about the cost of beer in a bar gives you an indicator.......let’s say around 10-12 TL a pint.....so it’s still good value. Of course go to a supermarket or small shop and the cost is around 4-5TL a bottle.

I believe there has been a recent tax levy on alcohol so that has pushed up prices a little but still good value IMO.

We were here earlier this year and the exchange rate was around 4.5TL to the £ and having returned in Sept and seen the rate rise to above 8TL to the £ we still think that prices here are reasonable. Buy local veg and fruit and local foodstuffs and it’s good value.

Meals out.....how about Lords Palace eat as much as you like buffet, plus local drinks and wine for 95TL. Or a good curry around 40-50TL. Chicken Doner plus salad and chips in some of the back streets of Girne where the locals eat......30TL.

I am sure others will share their views but we and our visitors still find North Cyprus good value.

thanks for all the replies

As a non beer drinker, it always amazes me that when querying about price increases, beer is in the forefront of peoples minds. There is one hell of a lot more to living here than the price of beer. Petrol, gas. electricity, internet connection, fruit, vegetables, meat, chemists. (the list goes on). Beer would never be first on my list that's for sure.

sophie wrote:As a non beer drinker, it always amazes me that when querying about price increases, beer is in the forefront of peoples minds. There is one hell of a lot more to living here than the price of beer. Petrol, gas. electricity, internet connection, fruit, vegetables, meat, chemists. (the list goes on). Beer would never be first on my list that's for sure.

If you drink enough beer the other price rises pale into insignificance.

In the same vein, the communist Soviet Union kept in one piece for at least 20 years longer than it should have done by keeping Vodka very cheap.