What it really costs to move to Cyprus: You'll get tax benefits, a much cheaper cost of living and more affordable property

For many years, Sue and Allan Griffiths thought they might retire to Spain. Summer after summer they returned to the south-eastern region of Murcia on holiday and dreamed of living there permanently. But in 2022, they pivoted to Cyprus and ended up moving to the village of Xylofagou last year.

‘After Brexit we didn’t feel as welcome in Spain any more,’ says Allan, 74, from Sandbach in Cheshire, who worked as a plant hire manager until he was 70. ‘In Cyprus we discovered a non-judgmental atmosphere, a very accepting people – and many more pluses.’

Sue, 69, a self-billed ‘workaholic’ who retired last year from the Project Management Institute, says that, climate aside, she loves many aspects of Cyprus: the fact that English is widely spoken, that they drive on the same side of the road and use the same electric plugs. ‘But there are also the tax benefits and the fact that back home we would never be able to live in a house like we have now.’

Originally from Wiltshire, the couple had…