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Limassol's seafront towers and marina, Paphos golf and sea-view villas: buying prime property in the Republic of Cyprus, the costs, and permanent residence from €300,000.
At a glance
| Can foreigners buy? | Yes, freehold. Buyers from outside the EU, including Americans, need a permit issued through the District Administration. A bill to tighten foreign-buyer rules was still not enacted on 31 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| New builds | 19% VAT (5% only for a qualifying primary residence). No transfer fee when VAT is paid. |
| Resales | Land Registry transfer fees of 3%, 5% and 8% by band, halved by a standing 50% reduction. |
| Stamp duty | Abolished from 1 January 2026. |
| Annual property tax | None since 1 January 2017. |
| Residency through property | Yes. Permanent residence (Regulation 6(2)) for a new home of at least €300,000 plus VAT from a developer. Citizenship by investment closed in 2020. |
| Currency | Euro. |
| US tax treaty | Yes. |
Why buy here
Cyprus has two prime markets. Limassol has become the island's international city, with seafront towers, branded residences and a marina; Paphos offers sea-view villas, gated golf resorts at Aphrodite Hills and Minthis, and the low-density coast near the Akamas peninsula.
It combines EU membership, the euro and English-based law with low holding costs: no annual property tax, no wealth tax and, since January 2026, no stamp duty. For buyers from outside the EU, a new home of €300,000 plus VAT can still lead to permanent residence for the family.
Planning a first visit? See our guide to Limassol, Paphos and the wine villages.
Who can buy
Freehold. EU citizens buy without restriction. Buyers from outside the EU, including Americans, need an acquisition permit under the Immovable Property (Acquisition by Aliens) Law, issued through the District Administration. Current practice allows one home for personal use (or a plot of up to about 4,000 m² to build one), and in some cases a second unit such as a shop or office. The application is filed after the contract is signed; spouses share the limit.
A stricter law is being prepared. Bills debated during 2026 would restrict non-EU purchases of rural land and of property near ports, airports, military sites and beaches, and would close company purchases without cabinet approval. Nothing had been enacted by 31 October 2026. Buyers should expect stricter rules and should not plan around the company route.
Do not buy in the north. The area occupied by Turkey since 1974 is outside the Republic's control. Titles issued there are not recognised by the Republic, and its courts have prosecuted foreigners who developed or marketed Greek Cypriot-owned land there.
Best areas to buy
Medians are for resales; prime new seafront homes sell at several times the district medians.
Indicative prime pricePrime new seafront about €8,000–12,000+ per m² (asking); district apartment median about €2,686 per m²
Towers, branded residences and the marina on the island's busiest seafront.
Asking prices: index.cy listings, 2026. Median: resales, first half of 2026, Landbank Analytics via Cyprus Mail, 23 September 2026.
The Limassol Territory →Indicative prime priceApartment median about €3,382 per m²
The beachfront hotel belt east of the city, with the island's grandest resort hotels.
Resales, first half of 2026, Landbank Analytics via Cyprus Mail, 23 September 2026.
The Limassol Territory →Indicative prime priceHouse median about €4,212 per m² (few sales)
Villas in the hills and along the coast east of Limassol.
First half of 2026, Landbank Analytics via Cyprus Mail, 23 September 2026.
The Limassol Territory →Indicative prime pricePaphos district median about €1,819 per m²; Tala houses about €2,478 per m²
Sea-view villas on the coast north of Paphos towards Coral Bay, and in the hills above.
First half of 2026, Landbank Analytics via Cyprus Mail, 23 September 2026.
The Paphos Territory →
Indicative prime pricePaphos district benchmarks apply; resort premiums are typical
Gated golf resorts with new and resale villas.
Landbank Analytics via Cyprus Mail, 23 September 2026.
The Paphos Territory →Indicative prime priceNo reliable per-m² figure published
The low-density coast beside the Akamas national park.
Searched 31 October 2026.
The Paphos Territory →Homes and settings
Photographs to show the setting and style of homes; they are not listings for sale.
Developers
Projects selling or taking enquiries on 31 October 2026.
Trilogy Limassol Seafront, The Oval and the villas of Limassol Marina. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
The ONE Limassol tower and the Minthis golf resort near Paphos. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
The first St. Regis Residences in Cyprus, with Marriott International.
How to buy
Your lawyer arranges a Cyprus tax identification code and a local bank account.
Never the developer's. Cyprus has no notary system: your lawyer runs title, encumbrance, planning and building-permit searches. On new builds, check whether separate title deeds have been issued.
A reservation fee, then a sale contract with a deposit. New builds are paid in stages.
This protects the buyer against later charges or a second sale. Since 1 January 2026 contracts no longer need stamping.
Filed with the District Administration after the contract; it usually takes one to two months, longer in Paphos.
Once title deeds exist, the transfer is made at the Department of Lands and Surveys and any transfer fee is paid.
About two to three months for a resale with title; new builds follow the construction schedule.
Lawyers and lenders who serve foreign buyers can be listed on this page. To advertise, write to [email protected].
Taxes and fees
| Item | Rate or cost | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| VAT (new build, first sale) | 19%; 5% only for a qualifying primary and permanent residence, within area and value caps | Buyer |
| Transfer fees (resale) | 3% to €85,000, 5% to €170,000, 8% above, on the market value; halved by the 50% reduction; none where VAT was paid | Buyer |
| Stamp duty | Abolished from 1 January 2026 | — |
| Mortgage registration | 1% | Buyer |
| Annual property tax | None | — |
| Rental income (non-residents) | Personal income tax scale, up to 35% above €72,000, with a 20% deemed deduction | Owner |
| Capital gains on sale | 20% on Cyprus property gains, including for non-residents | Seller |
There is no wealth tax. The 3% Special Defence Contribution on rent was abolished from 1 January 2026.
Residency
Permanent residence for investors (Regulation 6(2)): open. Criteria in force since 2 May 2023:
The permit is indefinite, subject to its conditions. It lapses after two years' absence. There is no route to citizenship through investment: the Cyprus Investment Programme closed in November 2020.
Tax: non-domiciled residents are exempt from the Special Defence Contribution on worldwide dividends and interest for 17 of 20 years, and since 2026 can extend this by up to two five-year periods for €250,000 each. A 60-day tax-residence rule is also available.
For Americans: the US–Cyprus income tax treaty applies.
Founding Partners
Founding Partners
Three places for Founding Partner Agencies and three for Developers in each Territory. Places are open.
Questions
Yes, freehold. As non-EU buyers they need a permit through the District Administration, usually for one home for personal use. The application is filed after the contract.
Yes. A new home of at least €300,000 plus VAT from a developer, with €50,000 a year of income from abroad, qualifies for permanent residence for the family.
No. Immovable property tax was abolished on 1 January 2017, and there is no wealth tax.
No. Stamp duty was abolished for documents signed from 1 January 2026.
No. The north is outside the Republic's control, titles there are not recognised by the Republic, and buyers of Greek Cypriot-owned land face legal consequences.
Where to stay while you look
Selected by TheMediterranean.com · Neo Chorio, near Paphos
View the ResortChecked and sourced
Checked 31 October 2026. Rules and rates change; confirm with a qualified lawyer and tax adviser before you buy. TheMediterranean.com is not a real estate broker, agent or finder, and nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice.
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