Cost of living in North Cyprus?

braveheart


Joined: 11/03/2011
Posts: 19

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 18:59

What is the current cost of living in Northern Cyprus? (for a family of 2)

Thank You

keithr


Joined: 20/08/2008
Posts: 720

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 19:04

A huge subject.....



Live as a typical expat with imported food,bars,eating out etc



Or live like a local...



No easy answer.

braveheart


Joined: 11/03/2011
Posts: 19

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 19:10

Live like a local.



Thanks

ivebinad


Joined: 03/06/2011
Posts: 224

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 19:21

It isn't as cheap as it was, it does depend on your lifestyle.

Smity



Joined: 14/09/2009
Posts: 826

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 19:50

Buy local produce and stay away from imported foods such as chocolate, and some condaments as much as possible and you can save



Or eat at friends 4 times a week LOL

Pippie


Joined: 02/12/2009
Posts: 1288

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 20:09

electric est. 100tl per mnth

gas by the bottle in winter if you have a gas heater allow 70tl per mnth

water 25tl per mnth, poss a little more in the summer if you're watering plants

if you buy a small car, allow avg 70tl petrol per wk and factor in annl insurance, tax, mot & emission test

you'll need a local driving licence, roughly 300tl for 5yrs

drinking water 4.50 per 19ltr bottle (1 lasts us about a week)

if you have a garden, grow your own veg and salad stuff, buy a few fruit trees. Only cost there will be on seeds and trees and extra costs in watering garden during summer months.

And if it's a big garden, get some chickens so you've got a regular supply of eggs. But don't have any other pets cos they'll cost you!

We spend an avg 100tl per wk on food and beverage at the supermarket. Don't try to buy in bulk here cos it isn't normally any cheaper. There's lots of supermarkets, buy as you need, so you don't waste anything either.

Mobile phone - stick to txt, 40tl/mth

braveheart


Joined: 11/03/2011
Posts: 19

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 20:26

Thank You!

flamefabs


Joined: 09/07/2011
Posts: 193

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 20:42

i'd say to have a decent life here and to save towards the problems with the property in the future, i reccon 2,000 GBP a month.



Barry

ivebinad


Joined: 03/06/2011
Posts: 224

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 20:55

flamefabs I would agree with you, it isn't as cheap as some people think.

flamefabs


Joined: 09/07/2011
Posts: 193

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 20:58

ivebeenhad, message 9 - the main problem is going tobe the ongoing repairs oft he cheaply build properties that so many have bought here.

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 21:08

mes 10 - judging by some of the shite knocked up here -in 10 years it'll need knocking down - then what for people with a 750 gbp a month budget ?

fosterscan


Joined: 27/02/2010
Posts: 541

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 21:24

2,000 gbp a month i think i have no choice but stay in the uk on £1200 a month.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 21:26

The Butler moved out to TRNC a few months ago maybe this poster could help you out and give a good up to date on cost of living in the TRNC.



Good post pippie !!

fosterscan


Joined: 27/02/2010
Posts: 541

Message Posted:
11/07/2011 21:28

How do the locals do it on there poor wages ?2k @ 261 = 5220ytl

the butler


Joined: 22/06/2007
Posts: 1958

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 09:03

Yes we moved out to Cyprus in January this year and we manage to have a very good lifestyle on £1000 per month.

We go out once a week for a meal and we go to the pub twice a week for a quiz but neither of us smoke, or drink

much. When shopping I keep away from imported foods and buy the local brands as they are a lot cheaper. We run a car and use about 70ytl of petrol in a week, our electric bills are never more than 120ytl a month, water is 40ytl a month and drinking water 40ytl a month. We have a wood burner and we use 1 ton of logs in the winter. We don't have our own pool but our service charges are high at 280ytl a month. We haven't changed our lifestyle since moving here and we don't think we are on one long holiday. The interest we get from the money we have in the bank here, will pay for the mot and insurance for the car and our flights home to the UK once a year. We did spend more money the first 2 months we were here getting residency and our goods from the UK.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 10:08

Good post message 15.



Also the size of your accomodation plays a big part in the budget. A large villa compared to an apartment will obviously differ on your out goings. Another point to consider is where you live it can be a lot colder in the mountain area so more heating is required.

Jefferson


Joined: 17/05/2010
Posts: 360

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 10:24

Message 15. We work on the same budget and have found it more than adequate. We put 500tl per month away and this covers insurances, residency, internet and winter fuel. Just saves any shocks. We have been here 10 months and the system works for us.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 10:29

Jefferson the butler,



is that working on out goings of a Villa or an apartment ? how many rooms etc stating this info would probably help braveheart !!

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 10:43

As flamefab says....Msg10....Most if not ALL of the properties here are VERY HIGH maintenance,partly due to the climate but mostly due to the "appalling" build quality.A very few have some kind of third rate insulation but most are "Single Skin", no damp course ,fancy "Garages"....Be aware that things WILL, not MIGHT go wrong because of the afore mentioned..... Budget for emergencies.........

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 10:50

Well said martinD1.



Health care is a priority so budget accordingly. We have friends who have had energency treatment operations and child birth all had to be privatley paid for.

The upside was that feedback was all positive on the health care and money well spent.

boerboel


Joined: 02/05/2009
Posts: 290

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 11:09

On drinking water we buy 4x 19 ltr every eight days at 5tl a bottle and there is only 2 of us plus the dog that drink it.

JohhnyLee


Joined: 25/04/2009
Posts: 2495

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 11:13

Very low compared to UK. I still run a business in the UK and go back on a regular basis I don't know how people can afford to live there.



As some people have said you do it properly (buy local) and are sensible with money, and remember that it is not a holiday,then you would have a very very good standard of living on £200 per week.



But what people don't seem to understand LIVING is different to the Luxury high life, one of my friends complained that he could no longer afford to eat out every night of the week.

Jefferson


Joined: 17/05/2010
Posts: 360

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 11:27

Mess 18. Villa with pool.

ivebinad


Joined: 03/06/2011
Posts: 224

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 14:18

Johhnylee, £200 a week, that in my opinion is just not true, unless you never go out and live in a very cold house in the winter, moving to the sun should be a pleasure not a curse.

Jonesy299


Joined: 07/02/2009
Posts: 367

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 14:25

I think the previously mentioned £2K per month is not far off the mark (with enough savings tucked away for emergencies, replace the car, non-Cyprus holiday breaks etc)

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 14:31

I visit the TRNC on average 4/5 times per year, and through talking to friends I would base a small 3 bed villa for two people taking my lifestyle in the UK on par with the TRNC would estimate a budget if 18,000 per year this would be sharing a car the usual expenses trips to the UK and all of the other incidentals.



Have I forgotton any thing ?

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 14:52

Msg24....Moving to the sun would be a pleasure if!!!



The Houses/Villas were built to proper standards..re; The climate..(Winter very cold...Summer very hot)



The infrastructure was brought into the 21st century...



Laws were changed in order that a buyer would actually legally own this investment...

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 14:56

lets keep on track !! It is an interesting post !! cheers.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 15:09

Sorry Pipie....I suggest £300 per week is close to my budget

stelee77


Joined: 06/06/2011
Posts: 557

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 15:24

More negative rubbish,the winters are very mild compared with the uk,but it can feel cold in your home at night simple you heat it,when its very hot in the summer simple you cool it.



you can legally own property if you do it right,dont listen to martind41 he just enjoys spoiling threads,hes a sad little man.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 15:37

I am extremely sad for the Hundreds of people who have for one reason or another fallen fowl of the TRNC's Legal system ....But hey you are obviously an expert..........Nice to read your positive comments,even if they are somewhat misinformed.......... ...

the butler


Joined: 22/06/2007
Posts: 1958

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 16:00

Our home is a 2 bed 2 bath detached bungalow, it was built by Mesan who are one of the better builders in the TRNC. We have had it for over 5 years and apart from repainting have not had any structural repairs to do.

We arrived in the middle of winter and there was only one day when we had to have the wood burner on all day,

we normally lit it around 4pm in the afternoon. I realise that people with larger villas will have to pay more for heating in the winter. (I personally think this is mistake that some people make when choosing a home, they look at the huge villas and they seem so cheap compared to the UK but they forget that they are all open plan and all the heat rises up the stairs and cost a fortune to heat) Our bungalow does not take a lot to heat and there seems very little difference in our electric bills winter or summer. We choose to live a fairly simple life and not like we are on holiday all the time, which at our age would be pretty exhausting.



The butlers wife

stelee77


Joined: 06/06/2011
Posts: 557

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 16:06

No you dont you feel sorry for yourself.



I bet you negative nick and trnc victim could not go a week without coming on here and slaging of north cyprus,its boring your very sad people seriously get a life.



Another person happy with there purchase,this seems to be the way with most people.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 16:14

As I said about £300 per week





stelee77..Why would I feel sorry for myself ,I RENT a nice bungalow,with pool, money in the bank at 9% per month.......And I can do as I like,Unlike many poor unfortunates who also dreamt your "Utopian Dream."...........

stelee77


Joined: 06/06/2011
Posts: 557

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 16:38

What are you talking about,if you can do what you like cheer up and go and do it rather than keep on going on about the same boring stuff,single skin,to hot to cold,no direct flights,you dont sound like a person enjoying life.



Do you actually live in the trnc?



Like i keep saying i can afford to live there,i would not buy anything unless i was 100% sure it was all okay,even if it burnt to the ground i could afford to build a new one,get it into your thick skull there are a lot of happy people there,and ill be one of them.

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 16:58

I wish you "Bonne Chance".I enjoy my life in the TRNC very much thank you....but I find it hard to sit back and watch people through "NO" fault of their own get "STUFFED" by the TRNC..I hope that when you eventually move here things have improved..............keep your positivity going,you may need it........

stelee77


Joined: 06/06/2011
Posts: 557

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 17:14

Well there you have it you enjoy your life there as much as the others seem to and i will as well.



Please explain how i could get stuffed,and dont say property because i know people who have bought without problems.



just in case i have missed something.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 17:26

martinD41



300 pounds per week, maybe that would be a fair example !! cheers.



I do know that the last 2 winters have been mild winters but I do have to agree with Nick going back 3 and 4 winters ago it was bitterly cold on some evenings to the point where you needed not only warm coats but hats scarves and gloves. so it has been known to be very cold we also remember cars coming down from Esentepe on cold snap as the car had snow on it.

We stay every iyear n the TRNC for a spell so I can vouche for this.

However as the Butler says last winter was mild so one can never tell, but one needs to budget just in case.

Tango1


Joined: 19/02/2011
Posts: 1151

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 17:34

The one item that I have to take issue with is the cost of electricity and general heating. If you live in what is considered a largish 3 double bedroom villa .plus large open plan lounge dining room and kitchen opening up into the stairs that go to the next floor, as ours is, you will have to spend a great deal more than 100tl a month the heat that lot. We have a large wood burner but don't use it because of a fault in the chimney causes it to smoke, so we rely on halogen heaters for bedrooms , which are effective AND the paraffin heaters down stairs which are amazing in the amount of heat they give out. I know we're not the only people who combine their types of heating and the total in the winter is considerably more than 100tl a month. Kettle, iron, oven and microwave are all heavy users of electricity, not to mention washing machine and dish washer.

bobat5


Joined: 23/03/2011
Posts: 40

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 18:16

to all you lovely people , try living in rip off britain on the state pension .

JohhnyLee


Joined: 25/04/2009
Posts: 2495

Message Posted:
12/07/2011 19:36

ivebinad, I base that on presuming that if you move abroad you will already have most things around you in life that you need, and your villa or flat etc. and car paid for.