Living in Nicosia

Nicosia is the national capital of Cyprus. Nicosia had a population of 56,848 in October 2021. The city covered 50.3 km². Population density was 1,123.7 people per km² in 2021.

Which Cyprus-wide rules apply when you move to Nicosia?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in CyprusNational rates and thresholds that apply in Nicosia.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Practical estimates in July 2026 placed basic utilities for an 85 m² home at €194.62 per month, fixed internet at €29.67 per month, and an inexpensive restaurant meal at €15. A monthly estimate placed a fitness-club membership at €66.11 in July 2026. A monthly estimate placed a 10 GB mobile plan at €18.08 in July 2026.

No city-level rent figure is published for Nicosia. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	66.11 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Nikosia¹²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month	68.58 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo¹³Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	29.67 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Nikosia¹²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	458.4 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Nikosia¹²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	15 EUR	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Nikosia¹²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	18.08 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Nikosia¹²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass	50 EUR/month	26 Jul 2026	Ticket Fares¹¹Official
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	194.6 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Nikosia¹²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings	30,100 dwellings	1 Oct 2021	CY official material for g05_dwellings_total²Official

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

32.1% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 18,252 people of 56,848 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Nicosia. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Public Employment Service Cyprus — Public employment service

Department of Labour, Republic of Cyprus

Job SearchCareer Counselling

Search jobs

Open the Cyprus service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Nicosia. Sources checked through 12 Aug 2026.

Family and education

37.5% of adults held a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 77.8% had completed high school or above in October 2021.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
G07 High School Or Higher Share Pct	77.8 %	1 Oct 2021	CY official material for g07_high_school_or_higher_share_pct³Official

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	8 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights⁷Official
Nearest airport	ECN	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁸Official
Distance to nearest airport	14 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁸Official
Public transport monthly pass	40 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo¹³Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Nicosia. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Greek for foreigners and asylum seekers — Adult Education Centres — State Language Course

Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth — Adult Education Centres

For foreigners, asylum seekers, repatriates, people with literacy difficulties.

GreekIn Personvaries

Open official information

Greek to Foreigners — State Institutes of Further Education — State Language Course

Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth — Department of Secondary General Education

For speakers of other languages who live and work in Cyprus.

The official page describes Greek to Foreigners and adult classes in some State Institutes; it does not publish an exact city schedule.

GreekIn Personvaries

Open official information

Open the full Cyprus section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Nicosia.

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 12.4°C in January and 27.8°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 83.2 mm in January and 0.7 mm in July. Annual PM2.5 was 13 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
NO₂ — annual mean	18 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	European Environment Agency⁶Official
PM2.5 — annual mean	13 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data⁵Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 17.1 · Feb 17.5 · Mar 19.9 · Apr 23 · May 27 · Jun 30.6 · Jul 33 · Aug 33.3 · Sep 31.4 · Oct 28.3 · Nov 23.3 · Dec 18.9 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV¹⁵Independent
Average night-time low by month	Jan 7.8 · Feb 7.6 · Mar 9.1 · Apr 12.1 · May 16.4 · Jun 20.1 · Jul 22.6 · Aug 23 · Sep 20.6 · Oct 17.5 · Nov 13.2 · Dec 9.7 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV¹⁵Independent
Average temperature by month	Jan 12.4 · Feb 12.6 · Mar 14.5 · Apr 17.6 · May 21.7 · Jun 25.3 · Jul 27.8 · Aug 28.2 · Sep 26 · Oct 22.9 · Nov 18.2 · Dec 14.3 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV¹⁵Independent
Average precipitation by month	Jan 83.2 · Feb 47.4 · Mar 30.3 · Apr 15.8 · May 11.5 · Jun 2.1 · Jul 0.7 · Aug 0.4 · Sep 5.2 · Oct 16 · Nov 42 · Dec 95.4 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV¹⁵Independent
Average sunshine by month	Jan 181.4 · Feb 189.4 · Mar 243 · Apr 273.6 · May 338.4 · Jun 378.6 · Jul 394.4 · Aug 370.3 · Sep 314.7 · Oct 272.5 · Nov 214.5 · Dec 177.1 hours	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV¹⁵Independent

Which nearby places are linked to Nicosia?

Official and functional links appear before nearby-only places.

Ágios Dométios Satellite · 4.4 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Stróvolos Satellite · 4.6 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Aglantziá Satellite · 5.6 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Káto Lakatámeia Satellite · 8.2 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Géri Satellite · 9.2 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Tséri Satellite · 12.1 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Dáli Satellite · 14.7 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Athíenou Satellite · 20.4 km¹⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Cities of a similar size in Cyprus

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Cyprus cities

Larnaka52,046 residents Stróvolos70,823 residents Káto Lakatámeia43,111 residents Pafos37,991 residents Paphos37,991 residents Kyrenia33,207 residents

Population and city profile

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	50.26 km²	pre-07/2024	CY official material for city_area_km2¹Official
Foreign-resident share	32.32 %	1 Oct 2021	CY official material for foreign_population_share_percent⁴Official
Foreign residents	18,252 people	1 Oct 2021	CYSTAT official municipality table⁴Official
Population density	1,124 people/km²	1 Oct 2021	CY official material for city_area_km2¹Official
Population	56,848 people	1 Oct 2021	Population and housing units by municipality/community; Lefkosia Municipality⁹Official

International community in Nicosia

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Citizenship

Population enumerated in the Cyprus 2021 Census; total sex; CYSTAT municipality/community geography · 2021 Census (1 October 2021)

Published group	People	Share
Total	56,479	100.0%
Cypriots *	37,862	67.0%
Other European Union citizens	9,464	16.8%
Non European Union citizens	8,788	15.6%
Not stated	365	0.6%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source¹⁰

Is Nicosia a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker52%strong on legal route, weak on safety · range 38–66%

Skilled employee64%strong on legal route, weak on safety · range 52–76%

Student64%strong on education, weak on safety · range 52–76%

Family64%strong on family, weak on safety · range 53–75%

Retirement50%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 37–63%

Foreign residents18,252 people1 Oct 2021Official source · CYSTAT official municipality table

Population56,848 people1 Oct 2021Official source · Population and housing units by municipality/community; Lefkosia Municipality

Dwellings30,100 dwellings1 Oct 2021Official source · CY official material for g05_dwellings_total

NO₂ — annual mean18 µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · European Environment Agency

PM2.5 — annual mean13 µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data

City area50.26 km²pre-07/2024Official source · CY official material for city_area_km2

Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-03

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
G07 Bachelors Or Higher Share Pct	37.5 %	1 Oct 2021	CY official material for g07_high_school_or_higher_share_pct³Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Nicosia when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Is Nicosia part of Larnaka?

Nicosia belongs to the same official metropolitan area as Larnaka; that does not by itself make it an administrative part of the hub. It is about 38.1 km away by straight-line distance.

Relationship type: Metro Member Of. Source¹⁴

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

Is the air quality good in Nicosia?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 13 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is above the WHO guideline but within the EU limit. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data.

How many people live in Nicosia?

The published population is 56,848 people. Source: Population and housing units by municipality/community; Lefkosia Municipality.

How many foreign residents live in Nicosia?

18,252 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: CYSTAT official municipality table.

How much is public transport in Nicosia?

A monthly transport pass is 50 EUR/month. Source: Ticket Fares.

Is Nicosia a good place to live?

Nicosia may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Is Nicosia part of Larnaka?

Nicosia belongs to the same official metropolitan area as Larnaka; that does not by itself make it an administrative part of the hub. It is about 38.1 km away by straight-line distance.

Which nearby places are linked to Nicosia?

Ágios Dométios, Stróvolos, Aglantziá, Káto Lakatámeia, Géri are linked in the current source-backed set. The relationship label distinguishes administrative, metropolitan, commuting and distance-only links.

How many people are in the Total citizenship group in Nicosia?

The official citizenship distribution records 56,479 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census (1 October 2021). This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Nicosia, Cyprus: cost of living, air quality [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/cy/nicosia/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_nicosia-cyprus-cost-of-living-air-quality_9718936e6800,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Nicosia, Cyprus: cost of living, air quality},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/cy/nicosia/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Nicosia, Cyprus: cost of living, air quality](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/cy/nicosia/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

CY official material for city_area_km2 ucm.org.cy · checked 2026-07-18
CY official material for g05_dwellings_total cystatdb23px.cystat.gov.cy · checked 2026-07-18
CY official material for g07_high_school_or_higher_share_pct cystatdb23px.cystat.gov.cy · checked 2026-07-18
CYSTAT official municipality table cystatdb23px.cystat.gov.cy · checked 2026-07-18
EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-26
European Environment Agency air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Population and housing units by municipality/community; Lefkosia Municipality library.cystat.gov.cy · checked 2026-07-16
Statistical Service of Cyprus (CYSTAT) cystatdb.cystat.gov.cy · checked 2026-08-30

Show 5 more sources

Ticket Fares publictransport.com.cy · checked 2026-07-26
Lebenshaltungskosten in Nikosia de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-26
Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
wikidata.org place coordinates wikidata.org · checked 2026-08-28
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.