An Underrated Coastal Town In Cyprus Is One Of The Cheapest Beach Destinations In Europe

European beach holidays are squeezing budgets tighter than ever. The Post Office's 2025 Holiday Spending Report found that 66% of UK adults planned to travel abroad in 2025, even though 90% are worried about the cost. Resort prices, in particular, are climbing across the continent — effectively pricing many travelers out of once favorite European destinations and making the idea of visiting "second cities" more appealing. That's where Limassol comes in — a cosmopolitan port city sitting on Cyprus' Mediterranean coast. 

According to the Statistical Service of Cyprus' Consumer Price Index data, restaurants and hotels in Cyprus experienced only a 3.5% price increase, as of February 2025, when compared to February 2024. Meanwhile food and non-alcoholic beverages rose just 2.3% — both well below the European Union's average restaurant inflation of 5.2%, according to the European Union's Eurostat. This pricing advantage helps travelers save money, and has earned Limassol its spot as one of Europe's cheapest, if most overlooked, coastal escapes.

Labor costs form the foundation of many of the savings visitors can find in Cyprus. According to Eurostat, Cyprus's average hourly labor cost was €21 (about $28) in 2024, 37.3% lower than the €33.5 (about $45) EU average. The Cyprus minimum wage stands at €1,000 (about $1,340) monthly, per Bloomberg Tax. According to the Cyprus Statistical Service, hourly labor costs increased 5.6% annually in Q4 2024, but wages still remain well below Western European levels.

Numbeo's July 2025 data for Limassol showed a cappuccino cost about €3.66 (around $4.90), a domestic beer went for €4.00 ($5.36), and a Coke was €1.79 ($2.40). That's significantly cheaper than destinations like Nice, where a similar beer topped €7 during the same time. Meanwhile, an inexpensive restaurant meal in Limassol cost €20.00 (about $26.80), while mid-range wine bottles cost just €7.50 (about $10.05). Prices like these let travelers eat well and relax at beach cafés without stressing over every euro. Though, remember to avoid certain kinds of tourist serving restaurants while traveling. 

According to the Statistical Service of Cyprus, Cyprus had just over 4 million visitors in 2024, bringing in €3.2 billion (about $4.3 billion) -– that's up 7.3% from 2023. Limassol stayed a top destination, grabbing 12% of all tourist stays in 2023, ranking fourth overall. According to the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in 2022, Limassol and Larnaca tied for third in Cyprus' online tourism searches, each pulling 4.3% of all web traffic.

Looking ahead, the National Tourism Strategy 2030 wants to stretch the season for budget travelers, by getting off-season visits (from November to April) up to 40% of all stays — from 22% in 2018. This is great news for visitors, who can score better deals and avoid crowds by traveling during shoulder months. This can allow you to experience authentic Cyprus easier — and cheaper — all year long, not just during the summer.