At the far eastern edge of the Mediterranean, you’ll find an island that has dazzled mankind for millennia…
The Greeks were among the first expats here 3,500 years ago.
Their poets were so inspired that they claimed it the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty.
Later, Alexander The Great fought to conquer this island, as did the mighty Persian, Ottoman, and Roman empires…
Leonardo da Vinci was then drawn to its shores, while Shakespeare brought Othello here a couple centuries later.
The allure of Cyprus has been celebrated since near the beginning of human civilization…
But such a small island can be forgotten for decades at a time.
Cyprus is blessed with year-round warm weather, clear blue waters, and over 400 miles of coastline…
Travelers from across Europe flock to this island, the warmest in the Mediterranean, where English is commonly spoken.
Yet, despite the boom in interest, Cyprus remains affordable and largely undiscovered by much of the world, including North Americans—but not for long…
The food here is light, fresh, and tasty.
Hibiscus, oleander, and daisies blossom across the island, from the coast to the foot of its mountains, while fig, lemon, and orange trees everywhere offer shade and the occasional free treat.
Blessed with rocky coves and white-sand, Cyprus’ coast has won the “Blue Flag” award for 76 of its beaches and marinas…
Remarkably, for a few months of the year, you can also snow ski down Mount Olympus rising from the center of the island.
If you enjoy the outdoors, this is even more of an island paradise than the beaches would have you believe…
About twice the size of Delaware, Cyprus boasts three national parks, 10 golf courses, and 240 official hiking trails through its mountains and sprawling forests. Expeditions on horses, ATVs, and Jeeps venture out every day in search of hidden lagoons, waterfalls, and caves…
And, to top it off, life (and property) is as affordable as it gets in Europe— you could live very comfortably here on as little as US$1,243 a month.
Better Than Your Neighbor’s Retirement… Florida vs. Cyprus
In 2022, Orlando had an average rent of US$2,249 per month for a two-bedroom apartment (a 19% increase from the previous year). In Northern Cyprus, rents start at about 200 euros per month for basic accommodation, with nicer apartments in city centers or close to the beach going for about twice that.
That’s about 90% in savings—just for choosing a Mediterranean island over Florida.
And before you think your home here would be a step back in comfort, check out the view from your porch:
This two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment has a total living space of over 85 square meters (900 square feet). It rents fully furnished for US$450 a month in a complex with the pool above. The property is a short stroll from the market and just a few miles to the beach.
So, how in the world is everything so affordable here?
The currency exchange rate, certainly, is a major factor—it’s one of the most powerful cost-of-living “loopholes” from which you can benefit.
But there’s more to it than currency…
The Delightful Island Has Long Been Seriously Misunderstood
We traveled to Panama for the first time just before the U.S. pulled out and turned management of the Canal over to Panama…
And we visited Medellín, Colombia, years after Pablo Escobar died but long before the average American was open to the idea of considering this city as a place to spend their time or money.
In each case, we’d arrived on the scene at what proved to be a critical turning point in the country’s history…
At times when these places, previously ignored, overlooked, or shunned, were bound to reinvent themselves and their position on the world stage.
Here in Cyprus, it’s déjà vu.
We’ll start with a quick lesson on ancient history…
The ancient Greeks, the Phoenicians, the Assyrians, the Egyptians, the Persians, the Ptolemies, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Franks, the Venetians, the Ottoman Turks, and the British have all settled, invaded, conquered, and ruled Cyprus.
Warriors who took part in the battle of Troy chose to settle here. They established a system of city-kingdoms on the Greek model that prospered and created great wealth…
Alexander the Great freed the island’s inhabitants from the Persians in 332 B.C. In return, the independent Cypriot kingdoms helped Alex defeat the Phoenicians.
The apostles Paul and Barnabas brought Christianity to the island in 45 A.D., making this the first country in the world to be ruled by a Christian.
In 1191 A.D., during the third crusade, Richard the Lionheart shipwrecked on the island. He liked it so much that he claimed Cyprus for his own…
Not many years later, he decided to sell to the Knights Templar, who bought it for 100,000 golden Byzantine dinars but then asked for a refund when the island’s inhabitants, tired of being ruled by one foreign body after another, I guess, rose up against them.
Much more happened between then and more modern times, but the history that is critical to understanding the current situation dates to 1878.
That’s when the British empire took over the island under a lease from the Ottoman empire…
A lease that set into motion Cyprus’ modern-day status as a divided island that is part of the European Union.
Cyprus became an independent nation in 1960 with a constitution meant to be guaranteed by Britain, Greece, and Turkey.
While the Brits were in control, the Greek and Turkish Cypriots played nicely, but after independence, that changed.
By 1974 the constitution was under attack, and the Turks intervened… The island has been divided ever since.
The how and why of the sequence of events are portrayed differently by both sides—the Greek Cypriots start the story in 1974 blaming the Turkish Cypriots and the invasion of Turkey, and the Turkish Cypriots start earlier blaming the Greek Cypriots.
Jump ahead to the accession into the EU for the island in 2004 and the south, the Republic of Cyprus, was required to recognize all Cypriots on the island as citizens.
That allowed the Turkish Cypriots to finally have a recognized passport which made international travel easier. At the same time, the division line on the island was also opened for easier crossing between the two sides.
Today, the two sides continue to discuss reunification. However, the more time that passes, the more complicated the situation seems to get. Oil has been discovered offshore, and as it does so often, money complicates things…
Meanwhile, the northern side of the island has a freshwater pipeline from mainland Turkey that has eliminated the stress of water shortages.
The south still has water shortages at times, and the north has provided it to its neighbor in the past…
Indeed, this sharing of water symbolizes much of the current situation… the border is easy to cross, everyone sees themselves as Cypriots first and foremost, and people on both sides are welcoming, open-minded, and hospitable.
Today’s Cypriots want nothing but stability and a chance to enjoy life here on Aphrodite’s sun-drenched, sand-fringed isle.
As of today, the political divide means incredible value in the north, while the continued development in the south has the island on a strong path of progress…
It all adds up to a window of opportunity that spells prosperity for your investment portfolio and your retirement plan.
Bonne route,
Editor, In Focus: Europe
