Cost of Living Northern Cyprus

ThePresident · Post by **ThePresident** » Wed 09 Apr 2014 12:30 am

Hi
New to the forum so hope this question is in the right section.

We have been visiting Northern Cyprus for the last 8 years or so.
Really love the area, people etc.
We have seriously been thinking about moving here.
We aim to stay for about 5 years and happily I think we wont have to work.
We are going to rent a villa.
What I'm looking for is the average monthly costs to live a decent life out here so I can plan our finances
I have been advised about £700 per month (not including Rent) such cover everything and leave some for a social life as well.
Does that sound about right?

elkiton · Post by **elkiton** » Wed 09 Apr 2014 7:47 am

To be on the safe side for planning purposes I would suggest you up that to £850, prices have been rising quite a lot in the last year. - you may find some surprising additional unexpected expenses like winter wood and electricity bills for Nov - March, residency costs etc, and you need to set aside something for unplanned hospital care as operations will set you back a couple of thousand£ a time, the care is good as a private patient here.

The warm weather encourages quite a social life, which of course costs money unless you are going to sit at home !

On the plus side, the quality of life (we find) is excellent, as is the living standard we enjoy now, having seen vast improvements in the availability of goods and foodstuffs over recent months.

You might also think about holidays and travel, the unremitting heat here for 4 months of the year tends to make one want to go somewhere cool occasionally; likewise what might be called in European terms "culture" ie theatre, arts, concerts and indeed department store shopping all make the odd European visit a nice break which needs to be costed into your spreadsheet !....Hope this helps without starting a war on how cheaply one can live here !

annanirvanna · Post by **annanirvanna** » Wed 09 Apr 2014 2:40 pm

I asked similar question over a year ago, so would be interested in the replies you get (as a year on costs will have changed). I was advised of the good deals at the banks with regard to interest on deposits with some good advice regarding spreading savings aroundand not keeping all in one account due to the ceiling on protection of deposits. Maybe someone can post that info for you.

Will keep a watch on your replies. Good luck in your enterprise.

kaiserphil · Post by **kaiserphil** » Wed 09 Apr 2014 2:45 pm

Amazed that was a year ago Annanirvana. Any progress on your move from Egypt yet?

Owl Lady · Post by **Owl Lady** » Wed 09 Apr 2014 3:05 pm

Also if you want to run a car, there is the petrol, tax, insurance etc. I also suggest that you try to rent somewhere with central heating. Expensive, but if controlled carefully, a God send. It is cold here in the Winter,You will notice, after you have had a couple of Winters!!

ThePresident · Post by **ThePresident** » Wed 09 Apr 2014 9:26 pm

Thanks for the replies
It is still a work in progress but hopefully next year it will be a reality

the butlers wife · Post by **the butlers wife** » Thu 10 Apr 2014 7:12 am

Hi,

Monthly outgoings can vary depending if the car tax and insurance is due, or driving licenses and and internet provider fees are to pay.
We only go out a couple of times a week and neither of us smoke. We spend £800 on average every month but this seems to be creeping up
as the months go by. Everything has gone up here in the last year, so when budgeting don't forget that prices are on the increase.

The butlers wife

PoshinDevon · Post by **PoshinDevon** » Thu 10 Apr 2014 9:06 am

Thanks for the replies so far on this thread.

We intend to come out for an extended stay next year from around April - Sept so this is useful information for us as well.

annanirvanna · Post by **annanirvanna** » Thu 10 Apr 2014 3:28 pm

Hi Kaiserphil, yes 1 year - time flies. Moved out of Dahab (too many burglaries and poisoning plus other unsavoury activities) to Nuweiba (much quieter, cleaner and friendlier). Hubby got work as Master Scuba Instructor with German Dive ctr in Nuweiba. However since the last presidential ouster and all the instability here we have no tourism anywhere in Sinai (or most of Egypt). So the dive centre owner is giving up (I think) as no tourists = no business = no work for hubby.

TRNC is still #1 on my list of alternative relocation region. Hoping I can get over for a recce this year sometime. Totally bored and lonely here & need to be amongst like minded people and have some fun

annanirvanna · Post by **annanirvanna** » Thu 10 Apr 2014 3:31 pm

Also closely watching reunification developments and how this will impact on TRNC and expats for the foreseeable future

icklepix · Post by **icklepix** » Thu 10 Apr 2014 5:55 pm

It depends on what you spend your money and where you rent, £800 a month is about right. We rent an apartment which is warmer than a house (one bar on the gas fire does us nicely). We don't have a pool so if you don't think you will use it don't rent somewhere with one it could be an unnecessary expense. Bring an electric blanket with you from England, we bought one that heats up in 5 minutes and its fabulous.

Social wise we go out usually at the weekend as I am asleep by 10 in the week due to work! If you shop carefully, eat what ever is in season and don't fill your trolley with English products then you should be fine, get yourself a Cypriot cookbook and start cooking like a local as its much cheaper I have never eaten so many lentils and vegetables in my life!. If we need something particularly English we try and find an alternative or just go with out.

Hope this helps, good luck

the butlers wife · Post by **the butlers wife** » Fri 11 Apr 2014 6:10 am

Hello icklepix,

Going off subject, could you tell me which Turkish cookbook you use and if it is in English? I am very interested in trying some of the local dishes
as we are slowly going off the meat here.

The butlers wife

ThePresident · Post by **ThePresident** » Fri 11 Apr 2014 3:00 pm

Thanks again for the replies

icklepix · Post by **icklepix** » Fri 11 Apr 2014 6:03 pm

The book is called Kibris Mutfagindan Tatla, Tastes from Cyprus. They sell them in Best Seller and I think thats where we got ours from.

The book has the recipes in both English and Turkish so you can even learn a little along the way!!

We use it all the time, a very good investment. We also pick up recipes from some of the free magazines we sometimes come across.

Good luck with the recipes. Afiyet Oslun

Becker · Post by **Becker** » Fri 11 Apr 2014 6:19 pm

Totally agree icklepix,great book.

kiplet · Post by **kiplet** » Sat 12 Apr 2014 6:44 am

In my view a couple who socialises and eats out a couple of times a week in nice places I would average it out at £1000 per month. Utilities are not cheap here so you may pay more the bigger your accommodation.
On top of that budget for health expenses and away off the island flight trips and holidays.
Good luck.

the butlers wife · Post by **the butlers wife** » Sat 12 Apr 2014 6:55 am

Thank you icklepix, will go and buy the book today if they have it in stock.

The butlers wife

DenBoy · Post by **DenBoy** » Fri 02 Oct 2015 9:05 pm

Hi, I am a newbie to this board, slowly but surely I am working my way through the topics that obviously are of interest to me.

My wife and I are looking to move to TRNC in the not too distant future and would like to visit this subject again if I can - the last post is approximately 18 months old.

We have an idea about what we would like to spend renting a 3 x bedroom villa with pool (£500-650) plus rental tax (now 13% I believe) but would like to know an approximate monthly living cost including running a small car.

We would shop & live as if we were locals with perhaps dining out once a week.

Thanks very much in advance for any information, just that I thought costs will have gone up in the last 18 months and I would welcome a more up to date figure.

ozankoys · Post by **ozankoys** » Sat 03 Oct 2015 5:49 am

The landlord is responsible for the rental tax so you do not have to add it to your expenses.

the butlers wife · Post by **the butlers wife** » Sat 03 Oct 2015 6:26 am

Hi,

If you rent away from Girne on the east side of Catalkoy you will find the rents a lot cheaper. You can rent a villa with a pool for £350-£400 per month. There are plenty of restaurants and a really good supermarket in the Esentepe area.

The butlers wife

Mint1955 · Post by **Mint1955** » Sat 03 Oct 2015 6:39 am

Don't forget hair cuts, beauty treatments, gifts, clothing, DIY, replacement of larger items need to be budgeted for alongside the weekly and monthly bills.
Car expenses, gas bottles, logs, house insurance, communal fees if applicable, travel outside TRNC, pool chemicals or poolman, pets, Internet, telephone etc etc

Lovelife · Post by **Lovelife** » Sat 03 Oct 2015 7:54 am

To add to the growing list of stuff you need to budget for, don't forget medical expenses as you will be required to pay for any medical care.

LL

DenBoy · Post by **DenBoy** » Sat 03 Oct 2015 12:31 pm

Hiya

Thank you all - really appreciate all the input - ticks my boxes - looking forward to the move, new challenges and meeting new people.

PapaBravo · Post by **PapaBravo** » Sat 03 Oct 2015 12:55 pm

Well, you have now heard many of the potential downsides, but if you can draw Sterling from your bank account, the current exchange rate here gives you a lot for your money.

muffin1 · Post by **muffin1** » Sun 04 Oct 2015 8:46 am

Just heard that the annual car tax went up by 6% from the beginning of September. Depending on what you choose to drive, motoring costs can be high out here. The initial cost of any vehicle is 3 times UK price. Tax is based on the weight of your vehicle. Insurance if you have comprehensive ( and you really should to be safe) is higher than UK.

PapaBravo · Post by **PapaBravo** » Sun 04 Oct 2015 3:23 pm

On the plus side, Council tax, water rates and eating (and drinking) out are much higher in the UK.

Groucho · Post by **Groucho** » Sun 04 Oct 2015 4:09 pm

muffin1 wrote:Just heard that the annual car tax went up by 6% from the beginning of September. Depending on what you choose to drive, motoring costs can be high out here. The initial cost of any vehicle is 3 times UK price. Tax is based on the weight of your vehicle. Insurance if you have comprehensive ( and you really should to be safe) is higher than UK.

Motoring costs are actually very much lower than the UK.... Annual car tax for a small hatchback of 1500cc is about 371tl (inc 6% added to the cost of last years) approximately £80. 95 octane petrol is 3.29tl per litre 71p a litre - car servicing is also very much less than the UK. A full service cost between 200 - 300 tl £45 - £65 - and insurance fully comp is about £350pa + TRNC 3rd party which is about 250tl or £55 so total about £405...

You do need the car serviced more regularly due to dust taking its toll on filters but even so the costs are very much less than the UK it seems to me....

Owl Lady · Post by **Owl Lady** » Sun 04 Oct 2015 6:16 pm

Good luck DenBoy. When you eventually land,let us know on here. I first came here in 1972 and have lived here since 2005. Luv it warts and all. Wouldn't live any where else. Went back to the UK for the last time in 2008.This is HOME!!!

DenBoy · Post by **DenBoy** » Sun 04 Oct 2015 6:30 pm

What a fantastic community this is - thank you so much for all your replies, keep them coming as all of your posts are very helpful.

Just two other things I would like to bring to the fore - read an awful lot about banking, we are Barclays customers and they appear to have pulled the plug in Turkey & TRNC if I have read it correctly. In preparation I have opened a Nationwide Flex Account - we will have 5 pensions that we will want to be able to get access to including an Army one - appears to be a bit of a mine field !!

My second one is the cost of storage should the property we rent be furnished and we want to put it into storage to allow us to use our own furniture - once again any advice on this would be gratefully received.

Once again everyone a big thank you

Dennis

Muzer · Post by **Muzer** » Mon 05 Oct 2015 5:54 am

Hi regarding bank we use credit west has most of the facilities ie online banking. You can you your nationwide account card here at no charge for withdrawal. Sorry I've never heard of storage, but to be honest you'll find loads to choose from without furniture.
Regarding the car everything is much cheaper to run we service our car every 5k to 6k kilometres as the heat degrades the oil very quickly. To purchase a car out here is very expensive that's the down fall. I wouldn't import one as the tax is crippling. Good luck

woodspeckie · Post by **woodspeckie** » Mon 05 Oct 2015 7:44 am

Check with Nationwide you have the right flex account where you can withdraw GBP from the ATM there is only one account you can do this, but if you withdraw TL you are charged. If you have their credit card always ask to pay in GBP you don't get charged exchange.

genghis · Post by **genghis** » Mon 05 Oct 2015 8:39 am

I leave my pensions in UK and draw down as and when.
Halifax Clarity Credit Card makes no charges for use abroad in local currency. Not sure how keen their exchange rate is but I always draw out in Sterling and exchange at the Money Changer.
There is a limit on how much you can withdraw. This seems to vary between £300 and £500 a day. This has never caused me a problem but I might ask next time I'm in UK.

Loobyloo · Post by **Loobyloo** » Mon 05 Oct 2015 1:12 pm

Over the next year a lot could change as far as cost of living is concerned here- if there were to be an agreement we could find the economy altering a lot as we would be part of the European community, likewise depending on what happens in Turkey over the coming election could affect the exchange rate/ bank ratings etc. I wouldn't like to second guess any of it.

Groucho · Post by **Groucho** » Mon 05 Oct 2015 1:59 pm

DenBoy wrote:My second one is the cost of storage should the property we rent be furnished and we want to put it into storage to allow us to use our own furniture - once again any advice on this would be gratefully received.

Dennis

Dennis,

If I were you I'd rent a place with one or two more bedrooms than you need and use the extras to store the furniture you don't want to use in the spare rooms - that way you've got access to it all and no extra charges and you can keep an eye on it.... you'd be surprised how much stuff you can fit in a room if you stack it carefully and logically. Think of a container and how they stack your worldly goods!

PapaBravo · Post by **PapaBravo** » Mon 05 Oct 2015 2:38 pm

If you have their credit card always ask to pay in GBP you don't get charged exchange.

Be a little careful with this. It is true that your UK credit card company may not charge a fee, but the store still has to convert the TL total on your bill into ££ before it can be deducted from your Sterling account, and the exchange rate they use can be high.

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Mon 05 Oct 2015 4:01 pm

Groucho wrote:...If I were you I'd rent a place with one or two more bedrooms than you need and use the extras to store the furniture you don't want to use...

I think that this is really good advice - a pal in the UK was moving to a smaller place for a year or 18 months, and when he looked at storage costs of £250 a month for his furniture, he realised that he might as well just rent a bigger place!

I don't know if the costs of secure storage here are as high, but I doubt that you would find the same level of organisation and security that you would experience in the UK - you'd probably be better off with your stuff where you can keep an eye on it!

DenBoy · Post by **DenBoy** » Tue 06 Oct 2015 10:15 am

Everyone, thanks again for all of the advice - ticking more boxes that I thought I ever would.

We have just purchased a real leather suite, with regards to the heat & cold is leather a good or bad choice to have in TRNC - would a fabric one be more practicable?

Thanks in advance.

Dennis

Groucho · Post by **Groucho** » Tue 06 Oct 2015 10:54 am

DenBoy wrote:Everyone, thanks again for all of the advice - ticking more boxes that I thought I ever would.

We have just purchased a real leather suite, with regards to the heat & cold is leather a good or bad choice to have in TRNC - would a fabric one be more practicable?

Thanks in advance.

Dennis

Dennis, the life of leather is dependant upon placing in your living room.... avoid direct sunlight (which will cause dryness and discolouration) and you'll be fine... you might want some throws to put on it in the heat of summer to prevent damage/discolouration from sweat and sun cream and leather on your skin can be odd when it''s really very hot, but otherwise no problem I think...

DenBoy · Post by **DenBoy** » Tue 06 Oct 2015 11:08 am

Groucho

When we get there remind me that I owe you a couple of cold one's lol !!

Dennis

kaiserphil · Post by **kaiserphil** » Tue 06 Oct 2015 11:39 am

Keithcaley wrote:
Groucho wrote:...If I were you I'd rent a place with one or two more bedrooms than you need and use the extras to store the furniture you don't want to use...
I think that this is really good advice - a pal in the UK was moving to a smaller place for a year or 18 months, and when he looked at storage costs of £250 a month for his furniture, he realised that he might as well just rent a bigger place!

I don't know if the costs of secure storage here are as high, but I doubt that you would find the same level of organisation and security that you would experience in the UK - you'd probably be better off with your stuff where you can keep an eye on it!

Quite right Keith. Look at the way my goods all went "missing" whilst being looked after.

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