Foreign Buyers Accounted for 40% of Cyprus Property Sales in 2025 — What This Means for Investors

Cyprus property sales jump: a clear sign of rising international demand

The Cyprus property market closed 2025 with numbers that forced me to re-examine where this island sits in the regional real estate hierarchy. In 2025 a total of 18,114 property sale contracts were recorded, the strongest result since the 2007 peak and the third-best year since records began in 2000. Crucially, foreign buyers accounted for 40.1% of all sales — the highest share since 2008 and well above the long-run post-2008 average of 36.2%.

Those two facts together — a near-peak volume of transactions and a renewed weight of overseas demand — change the investment case for Cyprus. We analyse the data, explain the on-the-ground implications for buyers and investors, and give practical guidance for anyone considering buying property in Cyprus today.

What the official figures show

The Department of Lands and Surveys published a detailed breakdown for December 2025 and for the full year. Key headline figures are:

• Total sale contracts in 2025: 18,114
• Sales to domestic (Cypriot) buyers in 2025: 10,859 (59.9% of total)
• Sales to EU buyers in 2025: 2,446 (13.5%)
• Sales to non-EU buyers in 2025: 4,809 (26.5%)
• Combined foreign share (EU + non-EU) for 2025: 7,255 sales (40.1%)

For December specifically, the Department reports 1,659 sale contracts. The month’s breakdown was: 1,007 domestic sales (60.7%), 222 EU buyer sales (13.4%), and 430 non-EU buyer sales (25.9%). December sales were 24% higher than in December 2024, contributing to the year’s strong finish.

A historical perspective: the 7,255 foreign-purchaser transactions in 2025 are the third highest on record, after 8,355 in 2006 and 11,281 in 2007. Since 2008 the average foreign share is 36.2%, and 2025 pushed the needle above that level.

Regional winners: where overseas buyers are focusing

The rise in foreign demand is not uniform across the island. Paphos is the most notable hotspot. The Department’s district-level data show:

• Paphos: non-EU buyers outnumbered local buyers in 2025 and Paphos recorded the highest number of overseas sales for the year.
• Limassol: highest number of domestic sales during the year; Limassol remains the centre for higher-end apartments and city-based investment.
• Larnaca, Nicosia, Famagusta: all recorded growth across both domestic and overseas buyer segments.

District growth rates in December 2025 illustrate the momentum:

• Domestic market month-on-month (December 2025 vs December 2024): Paphos +58%, Larnaca +34%, Nicosia +13%, Limassol +10%, Famagusta +10%. Limassol had the highest absolute number of domestic sales for the year.
• Overseas market month-on-month: Famagusta +81%, Larnaca +57%, Nicosia +31%, Paphos +17%, Limassol +16%. Paphos recorded the most overseas sales in December.

Annual changes for 2025 versus 2024 were also strong for foreign categories:

• Sales to EU nationals rose 28% year-on-year.
• Sales to non-EU nationals rose 11% year-on-year.

All districts posted gains for both domestic and overseas buyers across the year.

Why overseas demand matters — and what’s driving it

I think there are several interacting forces behind the numbers. The Department’s data provide the what; the why requires reading the market signals.

Likely drivers include:

• A renewed appetite from non-EU buyers for coastal and holiday properties in Paphos and Famagusta.
• Strong rebound in travel and tourism flows after the pandemic years, which feeds holiday-home demand and short-term rentals.
• Comparative value for buyers from higher-priced EU markets, where housing prices and mortgage costs remain elevated.
• Local supply constraints in segments popular with overseas buyers, which can trigger faster price growth where demand is concentrated.

From an investor’s perspective, foreign buyer inflows matter because they can lift prices in specific micro-markets. When overseas buyers concentrate in holiday zones and coastal districts, the result is higher transaction volumes, faster sales, and upward pressure on asking prices and rents in those pockets.

What this means for property buyers and investors

We need to be blunt: rising foreign demand is both opportunity and risk. Here’s how I read the implications for different buyer types.

For buy-to-let investors

• Higher tourist flows and overseas interest improve short-term rental prospects in Paphos, Larnaca and parts of Famagusta. Expect stronger seasonal occupancy in established tourist hubs.
• Rising transaction volumes make it easier to exit positions, but rising competition can compress gross yields if purchase prices accelerate faster than rents.

For owner-occupiers and second-home buyers

• Expect more competition for desirable seafront units and renovated village houses in Paphos and Limassol.
• If you plan to live part-time on the island, buy early in the search process and be prepared to move quickly when you find the right property.

For long-term capital-growth investors

• The broad upswing in 2025 suggests structural appeal, but remember 2006–2007 were exceptional pre-crisis years; past peaks have reversed.