Northern and Southern Cyprus. What is the difference?

Not everyone knows that on the small Mediterranean island of Cyprus there is not one state of the same name, but two: the Republic of Cyprus (often called Southern Cyprus) and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Northern Cyprus).

Meanwhile, these are two different countries with one capital (Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, like Berlin once was).

Cyprus was colonized for most of its history and only gained independence in 1960. Two large national communities — Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots — tried to establish mutual governance of the young independent state, but were unable to get out of the sphere of influence of Greece and Turkey. Conflict between national groups escalated in 1974, leading to Turkey’s military invasion and the division of the territory into two states.

As a result, two thirds of the island remained under the control of Southern Cyprus, 2% of the land was given to British military bases, and Northern Cyprus was located on the remaining part. Between the conflicting parties there is a buffer zone (“green line”) with detachments of UN peacekeepers who keep order.

What differences exist between the two countries?

 

STATE STATUS

Northern Cyprus is a country not recognized by anyone except Turkey, while Southern Cyprus is part of the European Union with all the attendant privileges. However, life in an unrecognized state differs little from other countries; we wrote more about this in this article.

 

POPULATION, LANGUAGE, RELIGION

The southern part of the island of Cyprus is home to just over 900 thousand people, most of whom are Greek Cypriots, the common language is Greek, and the religion is Orthodox Christianity.

The population of Northern Cyprus is smaller and amounts to almost 600 thousand people. They speak Turkish and practice Islam.

 

CITIES OF CYPRUS

Apart from the capital Nicosia, the most famous cities of the Republic of Cyprus are Limassol, Larnaca, Ayia Napa and Paphos.

In Northern Cyprus, the majority of people live in Kyrenia, Famagusta and Iskele.

 

CURRENCY

Since Southern Cyprus is part of the European Union, all payments are made in euros. The national currency of Northern Cyprus is the Turkish lira, but all major purchases, be it real estate or cars, are made in British pounds, euros or dollars.

 

CLIMATE

It would seem that on such a small island as Cyprus there should be no significant differences in climate. So it is, the climate in both parts of the island is mild Mediterranean. However, many note that the northern part of the island is greener. In particular, the westernmost region of Northern Cyprus — Guzelyurt — with its countless citrus plantations.

 

VISAS

To visit Southern Cyprus you need to apply for a Cyprus National Visa. Holders of Croatian, Bulgarian, Romanian or Schengen visas do not need to obtain additional visas. The length of stay should not exceed 90 days within six months.

The situation is much simpler with traveling to Northern Cyprus. Citizens of most countries do not require a visa. The duration of the visit is usually limited to 30 days.

 

RESIDENCE PERMIT

In both countries, both Southern and Northern Cyprus, there is a large selection of options for obtaining a residence permit. When purchasing real estate in the Republic of Cyprus, the minimum threshold is set at €300,000 to obtain permanent residence. In Northern Cyprus there are no such restrictions on cost; any suitable property for living will do. We wrote more about the two most popular types of residence permits in Northern Cyprus in this article.

 

MEDICINE

The importance of the quality of medical services cannot be overestimated when you are in a new country. Both South and North Cyprus have both public and private medicine.

In Southern Cyprus, third-country citizens with a residence permit (pink slip) cannot use the state GESY system, which provides free admission to clinics, so you need to be prepared to pay a significant amount for medical services.

Holders of a residence permit in Northern Cyprus have access to free services in public clinics. However, most expats prefer private healthcare. Prices are an order of magnitude lower than in Europe, while the clinics are equipped with modern equipment, and doctors, as a rule, studied at European universities.

 

EDUCATION

Residence permit holders of both Southern and Northern Cyprus are entitled to free education for children in public schools. In both countries there are also private schools, where education is paid. After graduating from such schools, children have the right to enter European and American universities, or continue their education at local higher educational institutions. In general, private British schools are one of the main reasons for moving to Northern Cyprus. The annual cost of training starts from 2000 British pounds, which is much cheaper than studying in similar schools abroad. You can read more about schools in Northern Cyprus in our article.

As for preschool education, there are municipal kindergartens in the southern part of the island, unlike the northern part.

Every year tens of thousands of students come to study on the island of Cyprus. Climate, affordable prices and quality of education are the key parameters for choosing Cyprus for students. We have prepared for you the TOP universities in Northern Cyprus.

 

REAL ESTATE PRICES

Perhaps one of the key differences between the two countries is real estate prices. Northern Cyprus is much more affordable than its southern neighbor: prices for apartments here start from 80,000 €, and in the new developing area of ​​Gaziveren, studios on the first coastline start from 60,000 €. In addition, developers in Northern Cyprus offer buyers long-term interest-free installments with a down payment of 30%.

The difference in prices with Southern Cyprus reaches 30-50%, which also indicates the investment attractiveness of Northern Cyprus: prices for 2022 increased by 30% and will continue to grow, since the number of land plots by the sea is limited and they will only become more expensive.

The possibility of obtaining a residence permit without restrictions on the minimum cost of housing undoubtedly adds attractiveness to the purchase of real estate in Northern Cyprus.

CONCLUSION

Both countries have their pros and cons, and it is up to you to decide which country suits you best. Northern Cyprus is developing by leaps and bounds, becoming an increasingly popular destination for immigration. Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about this Mediterranean country!