I’m particularly biased about Cyprus, because I love everything the island has to offer – (on both sides of the Green Line) – and of the main towns and resorts on the island, Nicosia has to be my number one choice as a place to live and work in Cyprus.
Living in Nicosia you can enjoy the perfect blend between sophistication and relaxation and between job opportunities and family life. The city is big enough to offer residents choice in terms of districts to live in, schools to educate your children at, and between shopping malls and restaurants for example – but it is plenty small enough that you can get to know it and feel at home in it within a few weeks.
Nicosia is an exceptionally friendly place to live and work as well, and it’s a very short drive down a very good motorway to beaches galore! And finally, it has the best of the Mediterranean climate as well! If you’ve been offered a posting in this fine city or you’re simply looking around and trying to find the best place to live abroad and find work as well as a good life, read on to truly discover Nicosia.
The ironic thing is, most people who holiday on the island of Cyprus only experience the beach resorts of the south - Larnaca, Paphos, Polis, Agia Napa for example – they never make it as far as Nicosia because it is inland and therefore considered unlikely to be of interest. Now trust me, this is a very good thing! It prevents the city from being overrun with tourists and being ruined by the introduction of rip off restaurants and tacky bars.
However, the irony stretches further…because the majority of people who consider Cyprus as a lifestyle destination for relocation in retirement or for a mid-life re-launch also only consider the coastal towns, villages and resorts. There are entries on a number of expatriate forums from expats living in Cyprus who openly admit they have never ‘ventured as far as Nicosia.’
It’s not like Cyprus is a vast island with terrible roads – it’s not like Nicosia isn’t the most accessible destination on the island! However, it remains ‘tucked away’ in terms of its popularity and, as stated, this is a very good thing. Those expats who do live in Nicosia tend to love the city, they tend to be the ones who have done their research and based their decision to move to the city on the fact that it offers a true balance between real opportunity for employment, and a real opportunity to have an exceptionally sophisticated lifestyle.
Nicosia is the business and financial centre as well as the administrative heart of the Republic of Cyprus. There are many international companies with a presence in the city, a number of the main airlines using Cyprus airports have offices in the city and there are also employment opportunities at the embassies, international schools, in the many retail outlets and there are also opportunities to start your own business in Nicosia.
Even in this tough economic climate it’s possible to search on jobs forums for placements in the city…and as is often the way, once you’re actually living in the city you’ll hear about many more job openings.
The fortunate thing is that for many postings and placements in Nicosia it is not a disadvantage if you don’t speak Greek. It is an international city with its international business companies, international banks, international schools and embassies and consulates from all over the world.
Wages are not on a par with those in the UK however – but then the cost of living is lower in Nicosia. You cannot compare Nicosia with a city in Britain on any level. For a start there is less crime, more sunshine, happier citizens, a lower cost of real estate and living and sometimes even better infrastructure in Nicosia!
Accommodation options range from modern apartments in self-contained developments with facilities such as a pool and gym for example, to sprawling and stunning villa style homes in residential neighbourhoods which all inevitably come with marble floors, swimming pools and air conditioning.
Even if you have your heart set on living in Nicosia forever more, don’t buy when you relocate, just rent. You will then get a feel for where you want to put down more permanent roots after you have lived in the city for a while. Your decision may be influenced by your wanting to be on the south side so the beach is even more accessible at the weekend. Or you may prefer to be on the west so you can get to the Troodos Mountains and out into walking country more easily. Alternatively you may want to be in embassy-ville where the properties are to die for! Renting will let you spend time getting to know everything Nicosia has to offer, and it will also allow you to see the difference between what the Cypriots pay for a home and what foreign buyers have to pay! You’ll certainly learn enough Greek then to ensure you’re paying the local price!
In terms of lifestyle, Nicosia has a lot going on…it has museums and galleries, a cinema and it hosts theatrical events. You can attend outdoor concerts, explore small and intimate or even vast parks. You can dine out at a different and exceptional restaurant every single night for your first three months in the city too if you want! And as for shopping, well, here’s the thing…Nicosia has everything from a Marks and Spencer to an Ikea! It also has bespoke boutiques, high-end or high fashion shops, it has family run mega furniture shops selling beautiful wares from all over the world…and if you enjoy shopping there are indoor malls so you don’t melt in the Cyprus sunshine whilst you browse!
Talking about the weather, because Nicosia is inland it is not cooled by sea breezes and in the middle of July and August the thermometer can practically go off the scale! The only people you see out in the midday sun are a handful of melting tourists and the waiters serving those who are sitting at the sidewalk cafes enjoying watching the world go by! No one rushes in Nicosia because it’s usually just too hot to bother!
In the winter time the city is better equipped to deal with the downpours and the cooler weather because it is a sophisticated place where the homes are built to live in. Unlike on the coast where many homes are built just for tourists to enjoy in the summer, and where consequently there are no options for heating the house!
There are a number of very well respected international schools in Nicosia as well as local schools where pupils will be taught through the medium of Greek of course…and there are tertiary colleges and a university in Nicosia if your student child wishes to remain on the island to complete their studies.
Nicosia has a very new, exceptionally well-equipped hospital, and there are private health clinics across the city – and Cyprus as a whole is blessed with very good medical facilities. From cosmetic dentistry to fertility services for example, you can find it all on the island. Greek Cypriots are an intelligent and well-educated race generally, which is why their island is a very good place to lead a very high standard of living.
So, if you’re looking for perhaps one of the best places to live in the world for the truly ideal balance between opportunity and lifestyle, you should definitely consider living in Nicosia in Cyprus.