Everything an expat needs to know about the healthcare system in Cyprus

Overall, the Cypriot population is among the healthiest in Europe with the lowest preventable mortality rate in the EU. Cyprus spent EUR 1,674 per person (or 6.7 % of GDP) on health in 2017 compared to the EU average of EUR 2,884 (9.8 % of GDP).

The Cyprus healthcare system is divided into public and private sectors. Public healthcare is either inexpensive or free, at least for citizens of the EU, and even private healthcare costs can be quite affordable.

Both state-funded and private hospitals can be found in all of Cyprus’s major cities. However, healthcare facilities in the south are generally considered to be better than those in the Turkish-occupied north of the island. The majority of hospitals will have English-speaking staff, but when signing up with a doctor it is always helpful to choose one that you can communicate with effectively.

See more: Cyprus’s Permanent Residency program

Public healthcare in Cyprus

Public healthcare in Cyprus is administered by the Ministry of Health and financed by taxes. Expats who are permanent residents in Cyprus or EU citizens are eligible for free state healthcare. Expats can receive a state medical card when they register for social insurance.

The ministry places patients into one of three categories:  people who receive treatment free of charge, those who pay reduced fees and those who pay fully. This is based on income, chronic illness and number of children.

Private healthcare in Cyprus

Non-EU residents who are unable to take advantage of state health benefits, or expats who prefer to take out private health insurance, should pay careful attention to the healthcare plan they sign up for.

Many expats opt to take out a private healthcare policy to access a wider variety of hospitals and facilities. This option also enables them to skip the public sector’s occasionally long waiting lists. A number of private schemes are available to expats in Cyprus, each tailored individually based on certain criteria.

There are two main private health insurance options available to expats in Cyprus: international private medical cover and the cheaper premiums provided by a local private medical insurance company.

Emergency numbers in Cyprus

112 – General emergency number for EU countries

199 – Local emergency number in Cyprus

Find more information about Cyprus at Frequently Asked Questions About Cyprus Immigration