Cyprus or Greece
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Cyprus | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | $ 81 936 | $ 45 520 |
| Citizenship | 5 years | 7 years |
| Partner can work | yes | yes |
| Parents | doable | difficult |
| Pets | no trouble | no trouble |
| Pet limit | 5 | 5 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 1 991 | $ 954 |
| Basket | $ 39,3 | $ 41,0 |
| Life expectancy | 81.82 | 81.84 |
| Homicides/100k | 0.96 | 0.85 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 3.1 | 4.8 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Cyprus — 45, Greece — 107. Types present in both: work, remote work, study, family, investment and job seeking. Cyprus adds: startup. Greece adds: talent, repatriation, retirement and working holiday.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Cyprus: fees range from 30 to 500 EUR. Routes with no fee: 5. Routes stating an income threshold: 4; the lowest is 460 EUR a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 36; the shortest is 7 days. Greece: fees range from 16 to 2,016 EUR. Routes with no fee: 3. Routes stating an income threshold: 18; the lowest is 500 EUR a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 37; the shortest is 30 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: both after 5 years. Citizenship: Cyprus after 5 years, Greece after 7 years. Both allow a second citizenship.
Cyprus in brief
Citizenship in 5 years and a low tax burden (IP Box, Non-Dom). Reunification with a spouse's parents is possible in about 4 months, and pets enter under the EU limit without quarantine. The constraints are expensive rent in Limassol and hot summers.
Greece in brief
An EU country with a Mediterranean climate and a comparatively short route to citizenship (7 years), but with IT salaries noticeably lower than in Western Europe. The main limits are high seismic activity, summer wildfires and intensifying heat. The EU Blue Card, a digital nomad visa and the Golden Visa investment route are available.
Other comparisons
More on each: Cyprus · Greece. Build your own comparison — up to four countries
This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.