Cyprus vs Portugal
Cyprus is ahead on taxes, cost of living. Portugal is ahead on money & crypto, safety, housing, healthcare, language, infrastructure. Full criterion-by-criterion data below.
VerifiedUpdated
Scoreboard
The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.
Headline result
Portugal leads on 4 of 6
Cyprus
2
Portugal
4
01Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Cyprusstronger
$970/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- CYSTAT HBS 2023 gives mean annual consumption €43,263 per household (avg 2.6 persons, government-controlled area). A single-person, rent-excluded basket matching the criterion (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure, personal care, out-of-pocket health) was built from the COICOP categories: food 6,254 + transport 5,004 + utilities (30% of the 11,884 housing category ≈ 3,565) + info&comm 1,468 + recreation 1,870 + half of restaurants (2,389) + personal care 2,075 + half of health (1,093) = ≈23,717/household/yr; ÷2.6 persons ×1.12 single-person economies-of-scale uplift = €851/mo; × ECB EUR/USD 1.1399 (2026-07-02) = ≈$970. Rent and imputed rent excluded. This is a curated estimate — CYSTAT does not publish a one-person-household table in the summary release, and housing utilities were split from rent using the ~30% ratio implied by Eurostat HICP weights for Cyprus.
Portugal
$1,166/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
02Freelancer tax burden
Cyprusstronger
26.5%
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best (and only) eligible self-employed scheme cy-self-employed-pit at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (profit €54,000): social insurance 16.6% × 54,000 = 8,964; GHS 4% × 54,000 = 2,160; both deducted from the PIT base → chargeable 42,876; PIT on the 2026 bands (tax-free to 22,000; 20% 22–32k = 2,000; 25% 32–42k = 2,500; 30% on 876 = 262.80) = 4,762.80. Total levies 15,886.80 ÷ 60,000 = 26.5%. Non-dom status and the 50% first-employment exemption do not reduce self-employment trading income. Note: if the Income Tax Law Art.14 1/5 (20%) cap on the deductibility of contributions is applied strictly, the burden rises to ~27.7%; the full-deduction figure (common practitioner treatment) is used here.
Portugal
30%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
03Homicide rate
Cyprus
0.93/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 = 0.93 per 100,000 (latest year). Small-population volatility: the series swings year to year (2022: 0.77; 2023: 1.05; 2024: 0.93). Covers the government-controlled area.
Portugalstronger
0.68/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
04Internet speed
Cyprus
17 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Cyprus
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of 343 daily country-level download medians (download_MED) for 2023 — the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API (2024 has only ~86 days; 2025/2026 not yet published).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Cyprus fixed broadband is largely VDSL/FTTH; real retail speeds are much higher than this test-based median.
Portugalstronger
40 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
05English proficiency
Cyprus
High
EF EPI 2025 (Cyprus rank 40, score 537 — 'Moderate' band) + official language/service-sector reality
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Our band 'high'. English is very widely usable in daily life across Cyprus — a former British colony where English is common in business, tourism, banking, private healthcare and among the large expat community, and is widely taught. We place it one band above EF EPI's 2025 'Moderate' (score 537, dropped 21 points from 2024) because EF measures adult test-takers rather than the service-sector prevalence a resident actually encounters; government paperwork is primarily in Greek. Attribution: EF Education First.
Portugalstronger
Very high
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
06Private healthcare cost
Cyprus
$1,370/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive plans covering BOTH inpatient and outpatient care for a healthy 35-year-old (e.g. top-tier plans from Eurolife/Medica, TruCare, Bupa Global local) run ≈ €80–150/month ≈ €960–1,800/yr; healthy-35 midpoint ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370 at 1.1399 EUR/USD. Chosen on the with-inpatient comprehensive basis to be comparable across countries. Premiums are quoted on request (insurers do not publish full tables), so this is a curated market midpoint, not an engine quote. Cheaper inpatient-only or outpatient-only plans exist (≈ €500–720/yr). Residents are also covered by the public GHS/GeSY.
Portugalstronger
$650/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.
Verdict
Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.
Remote IT / freelancer
Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.
A close call for this plan
01Freelancer tax burden
Cyprusstronger
26.5%
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best (and only) eligible self-employed scheme cy-self-employed-pit at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (profit €54,000): social insurance 16.6% × 54,000 = 8,964; GHS 4% × 54,000 = 2,160; both deducted from the PIT base → chargeable 42,876; PIT on the 2026 bands (tax-free to 22,000; 20% 22–32k = 2,000; 25% 32–42k = 2,500; 30% on 876 = 262.80) = 4,762.80. Total levies 15,886.80 ÷ 60,000 = 26.5%. Non-dom status and the 50% first-employment exemption do not reduce self-employment trading income. Note: if the Income Tax Law Art.14 1/5 (20%) cap on the deductibility of contributions is applied strictly, the burden rises to ~27.7%; the full-deduction figure (common practitioner treatment) is used here.
Portugal
30%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
02Internet speed
Cyprus
17 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Cyprus
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of 343 daily country-level download medians (download_MED) for 2023 — the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API (2024 has only ~86 days; 2025/2026 not yet published).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Cyprus fixed broadband is largely VDSL/FTTH; real retail speeds are much higher than this test-based median.
Portugalstronger
40 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
03English proficiency
Cyprus
High
EF EPI 2025 (Cyprus rank 40, score 537 — 'Moderate' band) + official language/service-sector reality
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Our band 'high'. English is very widely usable in daily life across Cyprus — a former British colony where English is common in business, tourism, banking, private healthcare and among the large expat community, and is widely taught. We place it one band above EF EPI's 2025 'Moderate' (score 537, dropped 21 points from 2024) because EF measures adult test-takers rather than the service-sector prevalence a resident actually encounters; government paperwork is primarily in Greek. Attribution: EF Education First.
Portugalstronger
Very high
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
04Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Cyprusstronger
$970/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- CYSTAT HBS 2023 gives mean annual consumption €43,263 per household (avg 2.6 persons, government-controlled area). A single-person, rent-excluded basket matching the criterion (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure, personal care, out-of-pocket health) was built from the COICOP categories: food 6,254 + transport 5,004 + utilities (30% of the 11,884 housing category ≈ 3,565) + info&comm 1,468 + recreation 1,870 + half of restaurants (2,389) + personal care 2,075 + half of health (1,093) = ≈23,717/household/yr; ÷2.6 persons ×1.12 single-person economies-of-scale uplift = €851/mo; × ECB EUR/USD 1.1399 (2026-07-02) = ≈$970. Rent and imputed rent excluded. This is a curated estimate — CYSTAT does not publish a one-person-household table in the summary release, and housing utilities were split from rent using the ~30% ratio implied by Eurostat HICP weights for Cyprus.
Portugal
$1,166/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
05Domestic delivery quality
Cyprus
Good
Cyprus Post (national operator) + ACS Courier / DHL (largest domestic carrier) official pages
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Classified from the national postal operator's and the largest private courier's official service/coverage data: Cyprus Post (~51 service points, EMS, tracking) plus ACS Courier (largest domestic courier, DHL's exclusive Cyprus parcel partner, cash-on-delivery, Saturday delivery) and DHL/UPS/FedEx cover the whole government-controlled area. Typically 1–3 day to-door delivery with tracking and common cash-on-delivery, but parcel-locker density is low compared with locker-first markets → 'good' rather than 'excellent'.
- Notes
- Small-island logistics; government-controlled area.
Portugal
Good
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost).
Family
Relocating with a partner and school-age children.
Portugal fits better — 3 of 3
01Homicide rate
Cyprus
0.93/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 = 0.93 per 100,000 (latest year). Small-population volatility: the series swings year to year (2022: 0.77; 2023: 1.05; 2024: 0.93). Covers the government-controlled area.
Portugalstronger
0.68/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
02Private healthcare cost
Cyprus
$1,370/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive plans covering BOTH inpatient and outpatient care for a healthy 35-year-old (e.g. top-tier plans from Eurolife/Medica, TruCare, Bupa Global local) run ≈ €80–150/month ≈ €960–1,800/yr; healthy-35 midpoint ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370 at 1.1399 EUR/USD. Chosen on the with-inpatient comprehensive basis to be comparable across countries. Premiums are quoted on request (insurers do not publish full tables), so this is a curated market midpoint, not an engine quote. Cheaper inpatient-only or outpatient-only plans exist (≈ €500–720/yr). Residents are also covered by the public GHS/GeSY.
Portugalstronger
$650/yr
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.
03English proficiency
Cyprus
High
EF EPI 2025 (Cyprus rank 40, score 537 — 'Moderate' band) + official language/service-sector reality
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Our band 'high'. English is very widely usable in daily life across Cyprus — a former British colony where English is common in business, tourism, banking, private healthcare and among the large expat community, and is widely taught. We place it one band above EF EPI's 2025 'Moderate' (score 537, dropped 21 points from 2024) because EF measures adult test-takers rather than the service-sector prevalence a resident actually encounters; government paperwork is primarily in Greek. Attribution: EF Education First.
Portugalstronger
Very high
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
Money & crypto
Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.
A close call for this plan
01Crypto regulation
Cyprus
Legal regulated
Central Bank of Cyprus — MiCAR (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, EU 2023/1114)
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Holding, trading and cashing out crypto are legal for individuals under standard EU rules. Cyprus applies MiCAR (supervised by CySEC and, for e-money/asset-referenced tokens, the Central Bank of Cyprus); the former national CASP register (CySEC) is being wound down — CASPs must be MiCA-authorised by 27 Feb 2026 and legacy registrations expire by 1 Jul 2026. Individual crypto gains are generally taxed under normal rules (badges-of-trade test); no crypto-specific individual tax break was found on official pages at verification.
Portugalstronger
Legal friendly
Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo)
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed.
02Financial control level
Cyprus
Low
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: Cyprus is a euro-area EU member — the euro is fully convertible with free movement of capital across the EU/EEA; the 2013 capital controls were fully lifted in April 2015 and none apply today. Non-residents can open bank accounts (subject to standard AML/KYC). No FBAR-style foreign-account self-declaration for residents; standard EU CRS automatic exchange applies via banks. Non-dom residents are exempt from Special Defence Contribution on dividends/interest, reducing the reporting burden on passive income. No cash-transaction limit as restrictive as some EU states. Classified 'low' state control over personal money flows.
Portugal
Low
ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows.
03Freelancer tax burden
Cyprusstronger
26.5%
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best (and only) eligible self-employed scheme cy-self-employed-pit at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (profit €54,000): social insurance 16.6% × 54,000 = 8,964; GHS 4% × 54,000 = 2,160; both deducted from the PIT base → chargeable 42,876; PIT on the 2026 bands (tax-free to 22,000; 20% 22–32k = 2,000; 25% 32–42k = 2,500; 30% on 876 = 262.80) = 4,762.80. Total levies 15,886.80 ÷ 60,000 = 26.5%. Non-dom status and the 50% first-employment exemption do not reduce self-employment trading income. Note: if the Income Tax Law Art.14 1/5 (20%) cap on the deductibility of contributions is applied strictly, the burden rises to ~27.7%; the full-deduction figure (common practitioner treatment) is used here.
Portugal
30%
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
Calm lifestyle
Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.
A close call for this plan
01Homicide rate
Cyprus
0.93/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 = 0.93 per 100,000 (latest year). Small-population volatility: the series swings year to year (2022: 0.77; 2023: 1.05; 2024: 0.93). Covers the government-controlled area.
Portugalstronger
0.68/100k
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
02Cost of living (single, excl. rent)
Cyprusstronger
$970/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- CYSTAT HBS 2023 gives mean annual consumption €43,263 per household (avg 2.6 persons, government-controlled area). A single-person, rent-excluded basket matching the criterion (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure, personal care, out-of-pocket health) was built from the COICOP categories: food 6,254 + transport 5,004 + utilities (30% of the 11,884 housing category ≈ 3,565) + info&comm 1,468 + recreation 1,870 + half of restaurants (2,389) + personal care 2,075 + half of health (1,093) = ≈23,717/household/yr; ÷2.6 persons ×1.12 single-person economies-of-scale uplift = €851/mo; × ECB EUR/USD 1.1399 (2026-07-02) = ≈$970. Rent and imputed rent excluded. This is a curated estimate — CYSTAT does not publish a one-person-household table in the summary release, and housing utilities were split from rent using the ~30% ratio implied by Eurostat HICP weights for Cyprus.
Portugal
$1,166/mo
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
Details
Taxes
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profileCyprusstronger26.5Portugal30
What this measures
Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.
Lower is better· % effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile· re-verified every 365 days
Cyprus
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best (and only) eligible self-employed scheme cy-self-employed-pit at €60,000 revenue with 10% deductible expenses (profit €54,000): social insurance 16.6% × 54,000 = 8,964; GHS 4% × 54,000 = 2,160; both deducted from the PIT base → chargeable 42,876; PIT on the 2026 bands (tax-free to 22,000; 20% 22–32k = 2,000; 25% 32–42k = 2,500; 30% on 876 = 262.80) = 4,762.80. Total levies 15,886.80 ÷ 60,000 = 26.5%. Non-dom status and the 50% first-employment exemption do not reduce self-employment trading income. Note: if the Income Tax Law Art.14 1/5 (20%) cap on the deductibility of contributions is applied strictly, the burden rises to ~27.7%; the full-deduction figure (common practitioner treatment) is used here.
Portugal
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (Autoridade Tributária + Segurança Social)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme pt-ifici-20 (IFICI 20% flat, NHR successor) at €60,000 revenue: social security 21.4%×70%×60,000 = €8,988; category-B simplified taxable income 0.75×60,000 = €45,000; IFICI IRS 20%×45,000 = €9,000; total €17,988 → 29.98% ≈ 30.0%. IFICI requires being a new resident (not resident in Portugal in the prior 5 years) in an eligible activity (IT/ICT qualifies) — realistic for an incoming remote worker. Without IFICI the same profile under the simplified 0.75 regime (progressive IRS) is ~34.4%.
Legalization
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−Remote-work legalization easeCyprusDedicated nomad visaPortugalDedicated nomad visa
What this measures
Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.
Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days
Cyprus
Cyprus Migration Department (Civil Registry & Migration) — Digital nomads and family members
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Cyprus operates a dedicated Digital Nomad Visa (Council of Ministers scheme): third-country nationals working remotely for foreign employers or clients, minimum net monthly income €3,500, 1-year residence renewable up to 3 years, family included, quota 500 permits. The official gov.cy Migration Department page is the source; it sits behind an Azure WAF that blocked automated fetch, so the €3,500 / 3-year / 500-quota figures were cross-checked against multiple secondary sources reproducing that page — re-verify the live figures from a browser next cycle.
Portugal
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Portugal has a dedicated digital-nomad route (D8): a residence visa for remote professional activity carried out for entities outside Portugal (in force since 2022, Law 18/2022), leading to a 2-year residence permit renewable for 3 years and to permanent residence/citizenship after 5 years. A temporary-stay variant (under 1 year) also exists. Income requirement 4× the national minimum wage (4 × €920 = €3,680/month in 2026).
Cost of living
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rentCyprusstronger970Portugal1,166
What this measures
Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.
Lower is better· USD/month, single person, excluding rent· re-verified every 365 days
Cyprus
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- CYSTAT HBS 2023 gives mean annual consumption €43,263 per household (avg 2.6 persons, government-controlled area). A single-person, rent-excluded basket matching the criterion (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure, personal care, out-of-pocket health) was built from the COICOP categories: food 6,254 + transport 5,004 + utilities (30% of the 11,884 housing category ≈ 3,565) + info&comm 1,468 + recreation 1,870 + half of restaurants (2,389) + personal care 2,075 + half of health (1,093) = ≈23,717/household/yr; ÷2.6 persons ×1.12 single-person economies-of-scale uplift = €851/mo; × ECB EUR/USD 1.1399 (2026-07-02) = ≈$970. Rent and imputed rent excluded. This is a curated estimate — CYSTAT does not publish a one-person-household table in the summary release, and housing utilities were split from rent using the ~30% ratio implied by Eurostat HICP weights for Cyprus.
Portugal
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 single-person (<65) household average spending €18,121/year = €1,510/month (incl. housing); CPI-uplifted to mid-2026 (×≈1.072 over 2024–2026 HICP) → €1,618/month; the rent/imputed-rent portion of the COICOP-2018 housing division (41.7% of the basket) removed while keeping utilities, then summed by category and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR (ECB 2026-07-02) → ≈ $1,166/month excluding rent. Cross-checked against Eurostat comparative price level for household consumption (Portugal 2024 = 85.0, EU27=100 — ~15% below the EU average).
- Notes
- National average; Lisbon runs higher. Derived by summing the itemized cost-breakdown categories; see cost-breakdown for the split.
Monthly spending by category (excl. rent)
Cyprus
Portugal
CYSTAT Household Budget Survey 2023, single-person basket curated
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- CYSTAT HBS 2023 mean household spending by COICOP category, per-capita (÷2.6) with a 1.12 single-person uplift, converted at 1.1399 EUR/USD (ECB 2026-07-02). Housing shown as the utilities slice only (~30% of the housing category); rent and imputed rent excluded. Categories sum to ≈$972, matching the ~$970 cost-of-living aggregate. National average (government-controlled area); Limassol runs higher.
INE — Household Budget Survey 2022/2023 (COICOP-2018 structure), CPI-uplifted
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- INE 2022/2023 COICOP-2018 expenditure shares (food 13.0%, transport 11.3%, restaurants & accommodation 8.3%, furnishings 4.4%, health 4.2%, information & communication 3.8%, personal care/misc 3.4%, recreation 2.9%, alcohol/tobacco 1.7%, clothing 1.2%; housing 41.7% split into ~9% utilities/upkeep kept and rent excluded) applied to the CPI-uplifted single-person monthly total (€1,618) and converted at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Categories sum to the ~$1,166/mo excl-rent aggregate. National average.
- Notes
- Structure is the all-household COICOP-2018 split (INE does not publish a full single-person COICOP table); applied to the single-person total as a transparent approximation. Housing utilities are kept; rent/imputed rent is excluded per the cost-of-living definition.
01Transport
Cypruscheaper
$205
Portugal
$208
02Food & non-alcoholic drinks
Cyprus
$256
Portugal
—
03Restaurants & eating out
Cypruscheaper
$98
Portugal
$153
04Food & non-alcoholic beverages
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$240
05Utilities (electricity, gas, water) & upkeep
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$166
06Utilities (electricity, gas, water)
Cyprus
$146
Portugal
—
07Health (out-of-pocket)
Cypruscheaper
$45
Portugal
$77
08Personal care & misc
Cyprus
$85
Portugal
—
09Household goods & equipment
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$81
10Recreation & culture
Cyprus
$77
Portugal
—
11Information & communication
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$70
12Personal care & misc goods
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$63
13Communications (mobile + internet)
Cyprus
$60
Portugal
—
14Recreation, sport & culture
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$53
15Alcohol & tobacco
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$31
16Clothing & footwear
Cyprus
—
Portugal
$22
Total (excl. rent)
Cyprus$972/mo
Portugal$1,164/mo
Housing
Rent by apartment type
Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).
Cyprus
Portugal
SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Limassol, Nicosia)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 3, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Limassol, Nicosia; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Funchal, Lisbon, Porto)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Funchal, Lisbon, Porto; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
01Studio
Cypruscheaper
$782$693 outside
Portugal
$917$677 outside
021-bedroom
Cypruscheaper
$1,169$987 outside
Portugal
$1,441$1,064 outside
032-bedroom
Cypruscheaper
$1,701$1,369 outside
Portugal
$2,095$1,548 outside
043-bedroom
Cypruscheaper
$2,292$1,828 outside
Portugal
$2,881$2,128 outside
Safety
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/yearCyprus0.9Portugalstronger0.7
What this measures
Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).
Lower is better· intentional homicides per 100,000/year· re-verified every 730 days
Cyprus
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS0101, per 100k)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 2024 = 0.93 per 100,000 (latest year). Small-population volatility: the series swings year to year (2022: 0.77; 2023: 1.05; 2024: 0.93). Covers the government-controlled area.
Portugal
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (ICCS 0101)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, 2024 (Eurostat crim_off_cat). Portugal has trended down since 2013 (1.37) to 0.68 in 2024 — among the lowest in the EU.
Healthcare
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-oldCyprus1,370Portugalstronger650
What this measures
Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.
Lower is better· USD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old· re-verified every 365 days
Cyprus
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive plans covering BOTH inpatient and outpatient care for a healthy 35-year-old (e.g. top-tier plans from Eurolife/Medica, TruCare, Bupa Global local) run ≈ €80–150/month ≈ €960–1,800/yr; healthy-35 midpoint ≈ €1,200/yr ≈ $1,370 at 1.1399 EUR/USD. Chosen on the with-inpatient comprehensive basis to be comparable across countries. Premiums are quoted on request (insurers do not publish full tables), so this is a curated market midpoint, not an engine quote. Cheaper inpatient-only or outpatient-only plans exist (≈ €500–720/yr). Residents are also covered by the public GHS/GeSY.
Portugal
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive private plans that include inpatient/hospital cover (outpatient + hospitalization) for a healthy 35-year-old run ≈ €35–60/month across the main Portuguese insurers (Médis, Multicare, AdvanceCare/AdvanceCare-network, Allianz, Generali Tranquilidade). Midpoint ≈ €47.5/month ≈ €570/year ≈ $650 at 1.1399 USD/EUR (range ≈ $547–$752). Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a public engine quote.
- Notes
- Residents are covered by the public SNS; private insurance is optional/supplementary. Cheaper outpatient-only plans start ≈ €10–20/month but exclude hospitalization — this figure is the with-inpatient comprehensive tier, chosen for cross-country comparability. Insurers repriced ~+10% for 2026.
Money & crypto
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−Crypto regulationCyprusLegal regulatedPortugalstrongerLegal friendly
What this measures
Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.
Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days
Cyprus
Central Bank of Cyprus — MiCAR (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, EU 2023/1114)
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Holding, trading and cashing out crypto are legal for individuals under standard EU rules. Cyprus applies MiCAR (supervised by CySEC and, for e-money/asset-referenced tokens, the Central Bank of Cyprus); the former national CASP register (CySEC) is being wound down — CASPs must be MiCA-authorised by 27 Feb 2026 and legacy registrations expire by 1 Jul 2026. Individual crypto gains are generally taxed under normal rules (badges-of-trade test); no crypto-specific individual tax break was found on official pages at verification.
Portugal
Autoridade Tributária — Criptoativos: conceito fiscal e tributação (folheto informativo)
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Legal for individuals; regulated under EU MiCA/CARF. Since Law 24-D/2022: capital gains on crypto held ≥365 days are tax-EXEMPT (declared in Anexo G1); gains on assets held <365 days are taxed at a 28% autonomous rate (Category G, option to aggregate); crypto-to-crypto swaps are deferred (not taxed at the swap). Frequent/professional trading may be reclassified as Category B (general rates). Classified legal-friendly for the explicit long-term-holding exemption; short-term gains are still fully taxed.
02+−Financial control levelCyprusLowPortugalLow
What this measures
Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.
Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days
Cyprus
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: Cyprus is a euro-area EU member — the euro is fully convertible with free movement of capital across the EU/EEA; the 2013 capital controls were fully lifted in April 2015 and none apply today. Non-residents can open bank accounts (subject to standard AML/KYC). No FBAR-style foreign-account self-declaration for residents; standard EU CRS automatic exchange applies via banks. Non-dom residents are exempt from Special Defence Contribution on dividends/interest, reducing the reporting burden on passive income. No cash-transaction limit as restrictive as some EU states. Classified 'low' state control over personal money flows.
Portugal
ASAE — cash-payment limits (Art. 63.º-E Lei Geral Tributária); euro-area free movement of capital
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: euro-area member, no currency or capital controls, EUR fully convertible; free movement of capital guaranteed by the EU Treaty (Art. 63 TFEU). Non-resident bank accounts routinely available. Standard EU CRS/DAC reporting via banks; no FBAR-style personal foreign-account self-declaration for individuals. Cash-payment limit €2,999.99 for residents (natural persons) and €9,999.99 for non-residents not acting as merchants (Art. 63.º-E LGT) — a limit on cash, not on bank money movement. Rated 'low' state control over personal money flows.
Infrastructure
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−Domestic delivery qualityCyprusGoodPortugalGood
What this measures
Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.
Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days
Cyprus
Cyprus Post (national operator) + ACS Courier / DHL (largest domestic carrier) official pages
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Classified from the national postal operator's and the largest private courier's official service/coverage data: Cyprus Post (~51 service points, EMS, tracking) plus ACS Courier (largest domestic courier, DHL's exclusive Cyprus parcel partner, cash-on-delivery, Saturday delivery) and DHL/UPS/FedEx cover the whole government-controlled area. Typically 1–3 day to-door delivery with tracking and common cash-on-delivery, but parcel-locker density is low compared with locker-first markets → 'good' rather than 'excellent'.
- Notes
- Small-island logistics; government-controlled area.
Portugal
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- National operator CTT offers next-day ('Expresso Para Amanhã') and 2-day express nationwide, with the Collectt pickup network (CTT shops + Payshop agents + Locky 24/7 parcel lockers) and real-time tracking. Private carriers DPD, GLS, DHL, UPS, Chronopost and Seur operate nationwide. Rated 'good' — 1–3 day delivery is the norm and lockers exist in cities, but locker density and universal next-day are below the best-in-class (e.g. Poland's InPost).
02+−International delivery easeCyprusMinor frictionPortugalMinor friction
What this measures
Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.
Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days
Cyprus
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market; DHL/ACS/UPS/FedEx all operate). Non-EU imports: the €150 duty-free threshold was removed on 2026-07-01, with a temporary €3/item flat duty on ≤€150 consignments until 2028; VAT (19%) applies from checkout via IOSS or on import. As an island, Cyprus has slightly longer transit and occasional customs handling, but clearance is predictable — 'minor-friction'.
Portugal
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market, all major carriers). Non-EU imports: the €150 duty-free threshold was removed on 2026-07-01 — a temporary flat €3/item duty applies to ≤€150 consignments (until the 2028 EU Customs reform); import VAT has applied from €0 since 2021 (IOSS collects it at checkout). Predictable but no longer duty-free — hence minor-friction.
03+−Internet speedMbps, median fixed downloadCyprus16.8Portugalstronger40
What this measures
Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.
Higher is better· Mbps, median fixed download· re-verified every 365 days
Cyprus
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Cyprus
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Median of 343 daily country-level download medians (download_MED) for 2023 — the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API (2024 has only ~86 days; 2025/2026 not yet published).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures — comparable only within this criterion. Cyprus fixed broadband is largely VDSL/FTTH; real retail speeds are much higher than this test-based median.
Portugal
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Portugal
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- M-Lab NDT daily country medians for Portugal cluster at ≈ 39–42 Mbps (2024). Recorded as 40 Mbps. WebFetch truncates the JSON to ~mid-January, so the full-year median should be re-aggregated from the M-Lab BigQuery dataset next cycle.
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Portuguese fibre retail speeds are far higher) — comparable only within this criterion. Value should be re-verified against the full 2024/2025 M-Lab aggregate.
Language
CriterionCyprusPortugal
01+−English proficiencyCyprusHighPortugalstrongerVery high
What this measures
Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.
Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days
Cyprus
EF EPI 2025 (Cyprus rank 40, score 537 — 'Moderate' band) + official language/service-sector reality
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Our band 'high'. English is very widely usable in daily life across Cyprus — a former British colony where English is common in business, tourism, banking, private healthcare and among the large expat community, and is widely taught. We place it one band above EF EPI's 2025 'Moderate' (score 537, dropped 21 points from 2024) because EF measures adult test-takers rather than the service-sector prevalence a resident actually encounters; government paperwork is primarily in Greek. Attribution: EF Education First.
Portugal
EF EPI 2025 — Portugal rank 6/123, score 612 (Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First). Portugal ranks 6th of 123 countries (score 612, 'Very High'). English is broadly workable in cities, tourism, tech and services; less consistent in local government/administration.
Deep dives: taxes in Cyprus ·taxes in Portugal ·net-income calculator