Your neighbour in Limassol tells you the pharmacy "will be open in the afternoon", then adds: "except Wednesday and Saturday". That is living in Cyprus in one sentence: a warm, English-friendly island where nearly everything works, as long as you learn the local calendar. This guide gathers the practical facts, as published by tourism and employment authorities.
Which languages do you need?
Greek and Turkish are the official languages, and English is widely spoken, which makes everyday life much easier. French, German and Russian are used in tourism. In practice you can shop, see a doctor and rent a flat in English. Forms and legislation are often only in Greek, and official documents that are neither in Greek nor in English must be officially translated. Our guide to Cyprus residence registration explains where it matters.
What are the usual opening hours?
- Government offices: Monday to Friday, opening between 7:30 and 8:30 and closing between 15:00 and 16:00. Arrive in the morning.
- Private offices: typically 8:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 18:00 from 15 September to 31 May, and 8:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 19:00 from 1 June to 14 September. Many offices work 8:00 to 17:30 with a break from 13:00 to 14:30, and a free weekday afternoon, often Wednesday, is common.
- Shops: generally 7:00 to 21:00 Monday to Saturday. On Sundays they open around 11:00 and close between 14:00 and 22:00. Some close on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, and an optional "siesta" break from 14:00 to 17:00 can apply from 15 June to 31 August. Tourist areas stay open late and on Sundays. Shops close at 18:00 on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and Good Friday.
- Pharmacies: from May to September 8:00 to 13:30 and 16:00 to 19:30, with Wednesday and Saturday mornings only; from October to April 8:00 to 13:30 and 15:00 to 18:30. Night pharmacies are on 11892.
- Meals: breakfast 7:00 to 10:00, lunch 12:00 to 15:00, dinner from 19:00 and late into the evening.
Which public holidays should you know?
Fixed: 1 January, 6 January (Epiphany), 25 March (Greek national day), 1 April (Cypriot national day), 1 May, 15 August, 1 October (independence), 28 October, and 24, 25 and 26 December.
Moveable, following the Orthodox calendar, in 2026: Green Monday on 23 February, Good Friday on 10 April, Easter Sunday on 12 April, Easter Monday on 13 April and Pentecost Monday (the Kataklysmos, or Flood festival) on 1 June. In 2027: 15 March, 30 April, 2 May, 3 May and 21 June. Banks also close on Easter Tuesday, but not on Christmas Eve. Public services, businesses, banks and shops close on public holidays, except many shops in resorts.
Do not use your home country's Easter as a guide: in 2026 it is 12 April in Cyprus and 5 April for Western churches.
Who do you call in an emergency?
- 112: ambulance, fire and police, across the island and also in English.
- 1460: complaints to the police. 1498: drug information.
- 11892: night pharmacies.
- 17000: out-of-hours doctors at weekends and holidays, which is also the GeSY information line. See healthcare in Cyprus.
- 1441: sea and air rescue coordination centre.
How do you pay and get around?
The currency is the euro. Visa and Mastercard and contactless are accepted nearly everywhere. If you enter or leave with more than €10,000 in cash you must declare it at customs. There is no train or metro; urban, intercity and rural buses and taxis exist, and a car is the norm for most residents. Tipping is at your discretion and appreciated in hotels and restaurants, and taxi drivers, porters and hairdressers like a small tip. Time is GMT+2, with summer time from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October.
What is the working culture like?
Most employees work 38 to 40 hours a week (38 to 42 in shops), with a legal maximum of 48 hours including overtime. Employees have at least 11 hours of rest per day, 35 consecutive hours per week and a 15-minute break after six hours. Work between 23:00 and 06:00 is night work, limited to 8 hours per 24. How formal people are, how punctual meetings are and how to address colleagues are not described in the official sources we used, so we say nothing rather than guess.
What mistakes catch newcomers?
- Visiting an office in the afternoon. They close between 15:00 and 16:00.
- Assuming Easter dates. Holidays follow the Orthodox calendar.
- Planning pharmacy errands on Wednesday or Saturday afternoon.
- Forgetting your ID on flights. Cyprus is in the EU but not in Schengen.
What about the north?
The northern part of the island is not controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. The services, opening hours and numbers above relate to the south. In particular, do not expect the 112 service, GeSY or Republic administrations to work the same way there.
What are the first-month habits for living in Cyprus?
Some routines make a big difference in the first weeks.
- Do errands before lunch. Offices open between 7:30 and 8:30 and close between 15:00 and 16:00, and private offices often break from 13:00 to 14:30.
- Check the pharmacy calendar. From May to September pharmacies open Wednesday and Saturday mornings only; for the night, call 11892.
- Plan Sundays. Shops usually open from about 11:00, and tourist areas stay open later.
- Mind the clock. Cyprus is on GMT+2, with summer time from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October.
- Mark the holidays. The Orthodox calendar moves Easter and the Green Monday and Pentecost Monday holidays. Add the 2027 dates to your phone now: 15 March, 30 April, 2 May, 3 May and 21 June.
- Keep your ID with you. Cyprus is not in Schengen, and you need it for every flight.
Living in Cyprus becomes comfortable fast when you adopt the island's rhythm: early mornings, a long lunch, evenings outside. The paperwork in your first months is in the Cyprus residence registration guide.
How does daily life in Cyprus differ from the rest of the EU?
Cyprus is in the EU and the eurozone, yet a handful of things are different enough to surprise people who arrive from the continent.
- Left-hand traffic and right-hand-drive cars, like the UK, and no train or metro.
- Not in Schengen. An ID card or passport is needed on every flight to another EU country.
- The Orthodox calendar. Easter and the movable holidays follow it, so your home-country dates are often wrong.
- Two official languages, Greek and Turkish, with English widely used in practice. The French, German and Russian languages are common in tourism.
- Early starts. Public offices open between 7:30 and 8:30 and close by mid-afternoon.
- A public health system since 2019. GeSY has a small co-payment model with a yearly ceiling; see healthcare in Cyprus.
- Electronic rent. Cash and cheques have been forbidden for rent since 1 July 2026.
- A generous tax-free band. The first €22,000 of taxable income is taxed at 0% from 2026.
These points explain why daily life in Cyprus can feel both familiar and slightly off-centre during the first weeks. The feeling passes once your calendar, your bank account and your car are sorted.
What is the best habit to adopt?
Get up early, do errands before 14:00, keep a card in your pocket, and learn the calendar for the year. Then living in Cyprus feels easier, not harder, than the move itself suggested. To plan your first weeks, use the moving to Cyprus checklist.