Greece vs Cyprus.

Two countries' verified rules for an early retiree, side by side. There is no winner here: a lower cost, a wealth tax and an exit tax pull in different directions, and which ones matter is yours to weigh.

What pays for your life?

Compare the same source of money in both countries. Open the detail to see when residence starts and which values apply after a move. It also shows what the other country may tax and how the treaty handles double tax.

Income source	Greece	Cyprus
Selling investments	A listed-share gain is exempt when the holding stays below 0.5% and carries 15% tax at or above that level. Qualifying EU or EEA fund gains are exempt.	Cyprus does not tax an individual's gain on ordinary shares, bonds, funds or ETFs. Its 20% capital gains tax is mainly for Cyprus property and shares whose value comes substantially from Cyprus property.
Dividends	A listed-share dividend carries a final 5% tax. The same Greek rate applies to a foreign dividend, with a credit for qualifying tax already taken abroad.	Dividends are outside personal income tax. A domiciled resident pays the SDC levy and the 2.65% GESY health contribution. A non-dom pays no SDC but still pays GESY. SDC is 5% on profits earned from 2026 and 17% on the older profit pools during the transition.
Crypto	No safe rate is shown for private crypto disposals or rewards. Reporting rules exist, but they do not settle the tax result.	From 2026, a private sale, swap, gift or spend is taxed at 8%. A crypto loss can reduce only crypto gains from the same year. Mining follows the normal income rules, and non-dom status does not remove the 8% charge.
Pension	A foreign private or occupational pension normally enters the 9–44% income-tax bands. A qualifying newcomer can instead elect 7% on foreign income.	Each year, a resident can choose 5% tax on the part of a foreign pension above €5,000. If the normal income-tax bands produce a lower bill, the resident can use those instead. This choice is not limited to the first few years after moving.
Own company	A Greek company pays 22% company tax. A dividend to the resident owner then carries a final 5% personal tax.	A Cyprus company pays 15% from 2026. A dividend to the owner then follows the SDC, domicile and GESY rules. Managing a foreign company from Cyprus can also make that company taxable there.

Full income detail: Greece

The full income picture

These are the usual rules for a resident unless a case says otherwise. A new-resident rule, tax wrapper or treaty may change one case without changing the others.

Securities and funds

0% below a 0.5% holding (else 15%)

A listed-share gain is exempt when the holding stays below 0.5% and carries 15% tax at or above that level. Qualifying EU or EEA fund gains are exempt.

Listed shares 0% below a 0.5% holding (else 15%): A resident's gain on listed shares is exempt where the transferor holds less than 0.5% of the listed company's share capital. Taxed at 15% where the holding is 0.5% or more.
Fund and ETF units Different rules apply: Gains on qualifying Greek and EU/EEA EU-regulated retail fund units are exempt for a resident individual. A vehicle outside that category must be classified under its actual legal form before assigning the 15% result.
Holding period and allowances No time-based holding discount: Greece has no short-versus-long holding-period discount for securities. Its exemptions depend on the asset and holding type, not time held.
Losses Tax deferred until the stated event: A taxable securities loss offsets taxable securities gains and any unused amount carries forward for five years against later gains. The loss on an exempt sub-0.5% listed-share disposal does not enter the offset or carry-forward pool.
Foreign and US listings Different rules apply: For shares listed on the Athens exchange or a foreign exchange and acquired from 1 January 2009. The gain is exempt where the seller holds under 0.5% and taxable at 15% at or above 0.5%. Check the treaty for source tax and Greece's relief.
Accumulating funds and annual tax No annual deemed charge: Greece has no annual deemed-distribution or advance tax on an accumulating fund's fund income for individuals. An accumulating Greek/EU-EEA EU-regulated retail fund is taxed only on disposal, and that sale gain is exempt.

Worth checking

The below-0.5% exemption is confirmed for shares listed in Athens or on a foreign exchange. The qualifying Greek or EU/EEA-regulated retail-fund exemption covers gains and distributions.

Dividends

5% (self-assessed)

A listed-share dividend carries a final 5% tax. The same Greek rate applies to a foreign dividend, with a credit for qualifying tax already taken abroad.

Greek company dividend 5% (final withholding): The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
Foreign listed-share dividend 5% (self-assessed): A resident's foreign dividend carries tax at the same 5% rate, declared in the annual return. Tax taken abroad can be credited up to the Greek tax on that dividend. Check the treaty for source tax and Greece's relief.
Passive or substantial holding 5% regardless of holding size: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
Fund or ETF distribution Qualifying Greek or EU or EEA EU-regulated retail fund distribution exempt: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
New-resident treatment Lump sum or 7% covers foreign dividends: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.

There is no separate rule here. Use the general foreign-income case, then check what the treaty says about the country paying the money.

Worth checking

The 5% dividend rate is very low, so the binding constraint on a foreign dividend is usually the source-state withholding, not Greek tax. Excess tax taken abroad is a reclaim question, not a Greek credit.

Crypto

No safe answer yet

No safe rate is shown for private crypto disposals or rewards. Reporting rules exist, but they do not settle the tax result.

Sale for money No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Crypto-to-crypto exchange No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Spending crypto No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Holding relief and losses No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Staking and lending No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Mining, validation and airdrops No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Private investor or business No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Wealth tax and departure tax No separate rule: Greece has no net-wealth tax on movable assets (the property tax is real-estate only), so crypto is not wealth-taxed. Enacted law contains no crypto-specific exit charge or deemed disposal.
New-resident treatment Cover foreign crypto gains: A foreign-source crypto gain of an (lump sum) or (7%) newcomer would fall inside that regime's foreign-income coverage while in force, no matter how the domestic framework eventually treats crypto. For this case, greek-source or once-domestic crypto activity is outside the foreign-income coverage.

Worth checking

Fast-moving: official 2026 law establishes EU and international crypto-asset reporting.

Pensions

Progressive 9–44%

A foreign private or occupational pension normally enters the 9–44% income-tax bands. A qualifying newcomer can instead elect 7% on foreign income.

Greece pension Progressive 9–44%: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
Foreign state or social-security pension Income-tax bands: A foreign state or social-security pension is included in worldwide income on the progressive scale for an ordinary resident, with foreign tax credited. Some treaties reserve social-security pensions to the source state. Check the treaty for source tax and Greece's relief.
Foreign occupational or private pension Progressive 9–44%: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received. The treaty can change source-country tax and relief.
Foreign government or civil-service pension Usually source-state only: A government/civil-service pension has its own treaty article: usually taxable only in the paying (source) state. This applies unless the recipient is a Greek national and resident.
Foreign pension lump sum No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Special foreign-pension rule 7% flat on all foreign income, 15 years: Lets a foreign-pension recipient transferring tax residence to Greece pay a flat 7% on all foreign-source income (pension, dividends, interest, foreign rent, capital gains) for up to 15 tax years. This 7% is paid in one instalment by end of July and cannot be offset.

Worth checking

This remaining live question is the actual pension-country treaty, especially for government service and lump sums.

If you own a company

5% (self-assessed)

A Greek company pays 22% company tax. A dividend to the resident owner then carries a final 5% personal tax.

Company profit 22% company tax: A Greek company pays 22% corporate income tax on profits before any distribution. A foreign company whose effective management sits in Greece is itself Greek-resident and taxed at 22% on worldwide profits.
Distribution from a Greek company 5% (final withholding): A distribution from a Greek company to its individual owner is a 5% final withholding. The same rate as a listed dividend.
Distribution from a foreign company 5% (self-assessed): The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received. The treaty can change source-country tax and relief.
Foreign entity type No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Ownership threshold Reduced rule: The dividend is 5% no matter the size of the stake. The 10%/24-month threshold is the company-level participation exemption.
Sale of your company stake Different rules apply: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the asset is sold or otherwise disposed of.
Salary or director fee Progressive 9–44% plus social security (social insurance): A salary or director's remuneration taken from the company is progressive-scale employment income (9–44%) plus mandatory social insurance social-security contributions. The treaty's directors-fees article may let the company's state tax the fee.
Social contributions and remuneration risk Social insurance contributions on remuneration: Remuneration and director activity attract social insurance social-security contributions. An owner-manager taking only dividends to avoid contributions can face scrutiny.
Running the company from Greece Greek residence if managed from Greece (any period): The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the relevant tax event occurs.
Controlled foreign company rules Attribution at more than 50% control plus low foreign tax: Controlled foreign companies rules can attribute a controlled foreign company's undistributed passive profits to the Greek controller.
New-resident treatment Cover foreign distributions or gains only: (lump sum) and (7%) cover foreign-source income. A foreign company's distribution or a foreign stake sale is inside the regime.

Worth checking

The combined 5%+22% load and the effective-management residence risk are the two facts most likely to surprise an owner-mover.

Review the company and your personal position together before the move.

Interest and cash

15% final (5% listed corporate bonds)

15% final withholding on bank/bond interest. From 11 April 2025 interest on listed corporate bonds earned by resident individuals is reduced to 5%.

Greece bank or bond interest 15% final (5% listed corporate bonds): Interest on Greek deposits and bonds falls under a 15% final withholding for individuals. For this case, interest earned as of 11 April 2025 by resident individuals on listed corporate bonds is reduced to 5%.
Foreign bank or bond interest 15% (self-assessed): A resident's foreign interest carries tax at 15%, declared in the annual return. Tax taken abroad can be credited up to the Greek 15% on that interest. Check the treaty for source tax and Greece's relief.
Allowances and extra charges No general savings allowance: Greece has no general exempt savings/interest allowance for individuals. Domestic interest is collected by final withholding.
New-resident treatment Lump sum or 7% covers foreign interest: Foreign interest is inside the €100,000 lump sum and the 7% regime for eligible newcomers. The ordinary resident in this comparison keeps the 15% baseline (5% on listed corporate bonds from Apr 2025).

Worth checking

The 11 April 2025 reduction to 5% for listed corporate bond interest is recent. Confirm scope (listed vs unlisted, corporate vs government bonds) against the enacting law before relying on it.

Rent

15%, 25%, 35% or 45% by band

From 2026, rent uses a separate 15%/25%/35%/45% scale at €12,000, €24,000 and €36,000. Individuals deduct 5% of gross rent for maintenance and repairs.

Property in Greece 15%, 25%, 35% or 45% by band: From tax year 2026, rent from a Greek property carries tax at 15% to €12,000, 25% to €24,000, 35% to €36,000 and 45% above. A flat 5% of gross rent is deducted for maintenance/repairs.
Property abroad 15%, 25%, 35% or 45% by band, with foreign-tax credit: Foreign rent uses the same 2026 scale. The property country normally taxes first, and Greece can give capped credit for tax charged on the same income.
Rental deductions 5% flat deemed-expense deduction on gross rent: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.

There is no separate rule here. Use the general foreign-income case, then check what the treaty says about the country paying the money.

Property gains

No capital-gains tax while suspended (would be 15%)

Capital gains tax on the transfer of immovable property is suspended until 31/12/2026. A resident currently pays no Greek capital-gains tax on a property sale.

Greece main home No capital-gains tax while suspended (would be 15%): A resident selling a Greek main home currently pays no capital-gains tax because the immovable-property capital-gains tax regime is suspended until 31/12/2026. The rate is 15% on the gain and a main-home/holding relief would need re-checking.
Greece investment or second property No capital-gains tax while suspended (would be 15%): A Greek investment/second property sale is equally inside the suspension until 31/12/2026. This would-be rate on reinstatement is 15% on the gain.
Foreign property Special rule: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the asset is sold or otherwise disposed of. The treaty can change source-country tax and relief.
Main-home conditions No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Starting value after a move Special rule: Greece grants no market-value step-up on becoming resident, so a pre-move gain on a foreign property remains in scope historically. Though the current capital-gains tax suspension mutes any Greek charge until 31/12/2026.
New-resident treatment Cover foreign property gains: A foreign property gain of an (lump sum) or (7%) newcomer is inside that regime's foreign-income coverage. A Greek property sale is Greek-source and outside the foreign-income regime.

There is no separate rule here. Use the general foreign-income case, then check what the treaty says about the country paying the money.

Worth checking

The immovable-property capital-gains tax regime has been suspended repeatedly and is currently suspended to 31/12/2026. For this case, watch each budget for reinstatement (15% rate) and the main-home/holding conditions that would return with it.

Royalties

20% withholding

Royalties fall under a 20% withholding tax. A resident's foreign royalties are included with the foreign tax credited.

Greece royalties 20% withholding: A Greek-source royalty paid to a resident individual falls under a 20% withholding. In a private (non-business) recipient this is typically the tax on the royalty.
Foreign royalties Taxable under the ordinary rule: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received. The treaty can change source-country tax and relief.
Which rights qualify 20% on intellectual property-use compensation: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
Passive or active 20% (passive) vs progressive business (active): A passive royalty is investment income at the 20% treatment. Systematic creation/exploitation of intellectual property as a profession is business income on the progressive 9–44% scale plus social security.
Social contributions and value-added tax Value-added tax or social insurance if a business: The ordinary resident rule applies when the taxable event occurs. Check the stated conditions before using the rate line.

If you still work

Progressive 9–44% plus social insurance

Employment and business income use the 9%/22%/28%/36%/44% scale plus social insurance. Eligible movers can exempt 50% of Greek employment or business income for up to seven years.

Employment in Greece Progressive 9–44% plus social insurance: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.
Remote work for a foreign employer Progressive (worldwide) plus taxable business presence risk: The Greek resident working remotely for a foreign employer is taxed on that employment income on the progressive scale as worldwide income. The foreign employer risks creating a Greek permanent establishment or a payroll obligation. Check the treaty for source tax and Greece's relief.
Self-employment and consulting Progressive 9–44% plus social insurance: Self-employment/business income is taxed on the same 9–44% progressive scale, with social insurance social-security contributions on a self-employed basis. The former annual business tax (telos epitidevmatos) has been reduced/abolished in stages.
Director fees Income-tax bands: Director fees are progressive-scale income. The treaty's directors-fees article may let the company's state tax the fee, with Greece relieving double tax.
New-resident worker rule 50% of Greek employment or business income exempt, 7 years: The rate line above gives the resident result. The rule is tested when the income is received.

One term that matters in Greece

UCITS

The EU framework for retail investment funds. Greece gives qualifying Greek and EU or EEA funds treatment that does not automatically reach every non-EU fund.

Your first tax year and starting values

Two dates matter: when your new country starts taxing you, and which value it uses to work out a later gain. Check both before you move.

When residence starts: Residence can begin through a permanent or main home, a Greek centre of vital interests, or presence exceeding 183 days in any 12-month period.
The arrival year: No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.
Dual residence: If the former country still claims residence, the treaty tie-breaker decides. It looks at the permanent home, centre of vital interests, habitual abode and nationality.
Listed shares and funds, Owner-company stake, Property: Original purchase cost
The original purchase cost continues after the move. A later taxable gain can therefore include growth from before residence began.
Crypto: No safe answer yet
No safe answer is shown for this exact case yet. Check the facts and treaty before relying on a result.

Plain-language key

Withholding tax: Tax taken before the money reaches you, usually in the country where the payment comes from.
Tax credit: Tax already paid abroad can reduce the bill where you live. The reduction is usually capped at the local tax on that same income.
Original purchase cost: What you paid for the asset. A market-value reset replaces that figure with the asset's value when you move.
Income-tax bands: The income is added to your other taxable income. Higher total income can push part of it into a higher band.
Permanent establishment: A taxable business presence. Running a foreign company from your new home can create one even if the company remains registered abroad.

This gives you the starting rule, not your final bill. The country paying the money, your treaty, account, holding period, residence dates and activity can change the result.

Full income detail: Cyprus

The full income picture

These are the usual rules for a resident unless a case says otherwise. A new-resident rule, tax wrapper or treaty may change one case without changing the others.

Securities and funds

Exempt

Cyprus does not tax an individual's gain on ordinary shares, bonds, funds or ETFs. Its 20% capital gains tax is mainly for Cyprus property and shares whose value comes substantially from Cyprus property.

Listed shares Exempt: Selling a listed share is an exempt disposal of a title. Cyprus capital gains tax does not apply unless the share falls within the Cyprus-property-rich rule.
Fund and ETF units Exempt: Mutual-fund and ETF units are titles, so the individual disposal is exempt. The rule does not add a domicile or listing-venue condition.
Holding period No minimum holding period: The titles exemption does not depend on holding the asset for a set number of months or years. It is an exemption for the asset class, not a long-holding relief.
Losses No deduction against taxable income: A loss on an exempt title does not create a deductible capital loss. There is no personal carry-forward for these securities losses.
Foreign and US listings Exempt: Foreign shares and foreign fund units receive the same titles exemption. Tax taken abroad on dividends and other foreign obligations remains separate from the sale.
Accumulating funds No annual tax on unsold fund growth: Cyprus does not tax undistributed internal fund income each year for the individual. An accumulating unit can later be sold under the titles exemption. A cash distribution follows the dividend rule instead.

Worth checking

From 2031, the new law can treat certain redemptions from company-form collective investment schemes as dividends. Recheck the fund form before that date.

Dividends

Same Cyprus tax plus tax taken abroad

Dividends are outside personal income tax. A domiciled resident pays the SDC levy and the 2.65% GESY health contribution. A non-dom pays no SDC but still pays GESY. SDC is 5% on profits earned from 2026 and 17% on the older profit pools during the transition.

Cyprus company dividend SDC 5% or 17% if domiciled; 0% SDC if non-dom; GESY 2.65%: A domiciled resident pays 5% SDC on distributions from post-2025 profits and 17% on the transitional older profit pools. A non-dom pays no SDC. Both pay GESY, subject to its €180,000 income cap.
Foreign listed dividend Same Cyprus tax plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus applies the same SDC and GESY treatment to a foreign dividend. The company's country may take tax first. A domiciled resident can use that tax only up to the Cyprus SDC bill. A non-dom has no SDC bill, so may need to reclaim tax from the other country.
EU/EEA company dividend No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the payer country and treaty rather than assuming an EU/EEA result.
Third-country company dividend No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Use the general foreign case and check the treaty with the company's country.
Passive or substantial holding Same personal SDC rule: Holding size does not change an individual's SDC rate or non-dom exemption. Corporate participation rules do not become a personal exemption.
Fund or ETF distribution Dividend treatment plus GESY: A fund distribution follows the dividend category for the individual. The accumulating fund case and exempt unit disposal remain separate.
Non-dom and the Article 3D election 0% SDC before the time limit; fixed option later: A non-dom pays no SDC until Cyprus treats them as domiciled. An eligible person can then choose €50,000 each year or €250,000 once for five years. The five-year option can be used twice at most. This changes the SDC method, not the non-dom period. GESY still applies.

Worth checking

The year the company earned the profit decides whether SDC is 5% or the transitional 17%. Article 3D and GESY are separate layers.

Crypto

From 2026, a private sale, swap, gift or spend is taxed at 8%. A crypto loss can reduce only crypto gains from the same year. Mining follows the normal income rules, and non-dom status does not remove the 8% charge.

Sale to fiat 8%: Cyprus taxes the net disposal gain at 8% from 1 January 2026.
Crypto-to-crypto exchange 8%: Exchanging one crypto-asset for another is a disposal under the 8% rule.
Spending crypto 8%: Paying for goods or services with crypto is a disposal under the 8% rule.
Holding relief and losses No holding relief; same-year loss offset only: Holding the asset longer does not remove the 8% charge. Crypto losses can offset only crypto gains in the same tax year and do not carry forward.
Staking and lending No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Do not apply the 8% disposal rate to staking or lending yield without a source.
Mining, validation and airdrops Mining uses ordinary income rules: Mining is expressly outside the 8% disposal regime and follows the ordinary income rules. The treatment of validator rewards and airdrops is not pinned from a source yet.
Private investor or business No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm whether professional activity remains inside the 8% rule or moves to business income.
Wealth and exit tax Neither applies to a private holding: Cyprus has no net wealth tax and no personal exit tax, so the private crypto holding is outside both.
Non-dom No relief from the 8% charge: Non-dom status removes SDC, not income tax. It does not reduce the 8% crypto disposal tax.

Worth checking

The live gaps are staking, airdrops, professional activity and the cost basis of coins acquired before Cyprus residence.

Pensions

5% above €5,000, or ordinary rates

Each year, a resident can choose 5% tax on the part of a foreign pension above €5,000. If the normal income-tax bands produce a lower bill, the resident can use those instead. This choice is not limited to the first few years after moving.

Cyprus pension Income-tax bands; first €22,000 exempt from 2026: A Cyprus-source pension uses the ordinary personal income tax bands and GESY. The 5% election is limited to qualifying foreign pensions.
Foreign state or social-security pension 5% above €5,000, or ordinary rates: The resident can make the annual 5% election for qualifying foreign pension income. The paying country may still have a treaty right. Cyprus gives credit only up to its own bill, so some tax paid abroad can remain unrecovered.
Foreign occupational or private pension 5% above €5,000, or ordinary rates: A qualifying foreign occupational or private pension can use the same annual election. The treaty often lets Cyprus tax the pension as the resident country. The exact article must confirm whether the paying country may also take tax.
Foreign government or civil-service pension No safe answer yet: This pension has its own treaty article and is not the state-pension case. Check the paying country and treaty before assuming the 5% election applies.
Foreign pension lump sum Scheme and treaty decide: The statutory exemption reaches a qualifying commutation from an approved scheme, not every foreign lump sum. Confirm the scheme, payment form and treaty before relying on an exemption.
Foreign-pension election 5% above €5,000; yearly choice; no time limit: The election is a standing resident option for qualifying pension income earned from services abroad. It is not a new-resident rule and does not exempt other foreign income.

Worth checking

The threshold rose from €3,420 to €5,000 in 2026. Government pensions and lump sums still need the actual treaty and scheme.

If you own a company

Cyprus SDC plus tax taken abroad

A Cyprus company pays 15% from 2026. A dividend to the owner then follows the SDC, domicile and GESY rules. Managing a foreign company from Cyprus can also make that company taxable there.

Company profit 15% from 2026: A Cyprus-resident company pays 15% before any owner extraction. A foreign company whose main decisions are made from Cyprus can face the same company tax on worldwide profit.
Distribution from a Cyprus company SDC 5% or 17% if domiciled; 0% if non-dom; GESY: A domiciled owner pays SDC according to the profit vintage and both domiciled and non-dom owners pay GESY. The 2026 reform ended the forced-distribution tax rule for post-2025 profits.
Distribution from a foreign company Cyprus SDC plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus applies the owner's domicile and GESY position to the foreign dividend. The company's country taxes its profit and may also tax the payment. A non-dom has no Cyprus SDC bill against which to use that foreign tax.
Foreign entity type No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm whether Cyprus treats the foreign vehicle as a company or looks through it before calling the payment a dividend.
Ownership threshold No personal threshold effect: Holding size does not change the individual's SDC rate or the titles exemption on an ordinary share sale. Corporate participation rules are a separate layer.
Sale of your stake Exempt, unless Cyprus-property-rich: An ordinary company share sale is an exempt disposal of a title. If at least 20% of the share value comes from Cyprus immovable property, the property-linked gain enters 20% capital gains tax.
Salary or director fee Income-tax bands plus social insurance and GESY: Salary and director fees are employment income under the ordinary bands, with social insurance and GESY. A foreign director fee also has its own treaty article.
Social and remuneration risk No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Review salary, dividends and personal work together before assuming a contribution result.
Running the company from Cyprus The company can become taxable in Cyprus: Making the main company decisions from Cyprus can move the company's tax residence there. Activity in Cyprus can also create a taxable business presence. From 2026, a company incorporated in Cyprus is resident there by default. A treaty settles any clash with another country.
Controlled foreign company Can tax profit before a dividend is paid: Cyprus can tax a Cyprus company on certain passive profit earned by a controlled, low-taxed foreign subsidiary before any dividend is paid. This company-level rule has a small-profit exception.
Non-dom 0% SDC on distributions; corporate layer remains: Non-dom status can remove SDC from a distribution for up to 17 years. It does not remove the 15% company tax, GESY or the risk that Cyprus taxes the foreign company itself.

Worth checking

The 15% company rate and incorporation-based residence test both began in 2026. Where the main company decisions are made remains the central question for a company still registered abroad.

Review the company and your personal position together before the move.

Interest and cash

SDC for domiciled; 0% SDC for non-dom; GESY 2.65%

Interest is outside personal income tax but within SDC for a domiciled resident, with a reduced rate for specific Cyprus cases. A non-dom pays no SDC. GESY still applies.

Cyprus bank or bond interest SDC for domiciled; 0% SDC for non-dom; GESY 2.65%: A domiciled resident pays SDC on ordinary deposit and bond interest. Some Cyprus government or development bonds and low-income cases receive a reduced SDC rate, but the exact current rates are not pinned here. A non-dom pays no SDC, and GESY applies to both.
Foreign interest Cyprus SDC plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus applies the resident's SDC and GESY position to foreign interest. The other country may take tax first. Cyprus gives credit only up to its SDC bill. A non-dom has no SDC bill to use that credit against.
Allowances and levies No general allowance; GESY 2.65%: Cyprus provides no general interest allowance. Reduced SDC cases are narrow, and GESY applies subject to the annual income cap.
Non-dom 0% SDC for up to 17 years; GESY remains: A non-dom resident pays no SDC on worldwide interest until Cyprus treats them as domiciled. GESY and tax taken abroad can still apply.

Worth checking

The exact individual SDC rate on ordinary interest and the reform's passive- interest boundary need rechecking before implementation.

Rent

Income-tax bands after 20% building deduction; GESY 2.65%

Rent uses the ordinary personal income tax bands after the building deduction. SDC on rent ended in 2026, while GESY remains. Foreign property is normally taxed first where it sits.

Property in Cyprus Income-tax bands after 20% building deduction; GESY 2.65%: Cyprus taxes rental income under the ordinary bands after the standard 20% building deduction and other qualifying items. SDC on rent was abolished from 2026, but GESY remains.
Property abroad Cyprus income tax plus property-country tax: The property country normally taxes the rent first. Cyprus includes the income after its deduction, then gives credit only up to the Cyprus bill. Non-dom status does not exempt rental income.
EU/EEA property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the property country and treaty pair.
Rental deductions 20% standard building deduction: The building deduction applies at 20%, with qualifying mortgage interest and capital allowances considered separately. This is the headline shape, not a return calculation.

Worth checking

SDC on rent is gone from 2026, but ordinary income tax and GESY remain. Non-dom status does not shelter the rent.

Property gains

20% less a conditional lifetime exemption

Cyprus applies 20% capital gains tax mainly to Cyprus property and shares whose value comes substantially from Cyprus property. A gain on foreign property sits outside this tax, so the country where the property is located normally taxes it.

Cyprus main home 20% less a conditional lifetime exemption: A Cyprus main-home gain starts inside the 20% charge, with a lifetime main-residence exemption, indexation and the historic or 1980 base rules potentially reducing it. The exact allowance is not pinned here.
Cyprus investment or second property 20% less the general lifetime exemption: A Cyprus investment-property gain is 20%, with the smaller general lifetime exemption, indexation and the applicable historic or 1980 base. The exact allowance is not stated here.
Foreign property Outside Cyprus capital gains tax: Cyprus does not tax a private investment gain on property outside Cyprus. The country where the property sits normally taxes the sale. Frequent property dealing can still be treated as a business instead of a private investment.
Foreign EU/EEA property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the property country and treaty pair.
Foreign third-country property branch No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown for this branch yet. Check the property country and treaty pair.
Main-home conditions Lifetime allowance; conditions apply: The main-residence relief is a lifetime allowance for a qualifying Cyprus home, not an allowance renewed on every sale. The exact amount and use conditions are not pinned here.
Starting value after a move No arrival reset: Cyprus property keeps its original starting value, or the 1 January 1980 value where that rule applies. Foreign property remains outside Cyprus capital gains tax and receives no new Cyprus starting value.
Non-dom No effect on property gains: Non-dom status changes SDC, not capital gains tax. It neither exempts a Cyprus property gain nor changes the already out-of-scope foreign property gain.

Worth checking

The property-rich share threshold fell from 50% to 20% in 2026. The lifetime allowance figures and 1980 base mechanics remain intentionally numberless here.

Royalties

Income-tax bands plus GESY

Personal royalties use the ordinary income-tax bands. Non-dom status does not exempt them. The Cyprus IP box belongs to companies, not individual licensors.

Cyprus royalties Income-tax bands plus GESY: A royalty received personally is ordinary income. Active trade can also bring self-employed social insurance and the self-employed GESY rate.
Foreign royalties Cyprus income tax plus tax taken abroad: Cyprus taxes the gross royalty. Tax taken abroad can reduce the Cyprus bill only as far as zero. The treaty sets how much the other country may take. Non-dom status does not exempt royalties.
Which rights qualify Personal income; company IP box separate: Copyright, patent and licensing receipts held personally use ordinary income tax. The 80% deduction for qualifying IP profit is a company provision, not a personal one.
Passive or active No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm whether the activity is passive income or an active business before applying social charges.
Social contributions and VAT No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Check social insurance, GESY and VAT for the exact activity.

Worth checking

Royalty tax follows the current personal bands. The active-work and contribution boundary remains excluded until it has clause-level support.

If you still work

0% to €22,000, then rates up to 35%; contributions extra

Employment and self-employment use the ordinary personal bands, with social insurance and GESY alongside them. Work performed from Cyprus can also create duties for a foreign employer.

Employment in Cyprus 0% to €22,000, then rates up to 35%; contributions extra: Work physically performed in Cyprus uses the ordinary bands, with employee social insurance and GESY added separately.
Remote work for a foreign employer Cyprus tax; employer risk: A resident working from Cyprus is within Cyprus tax even when the employer is abroad. The foreign employer can acquire payroll duties or a taxable business presence. The treaty decides which country taxes the workdays. An A1 certificate or another agreement separately decides social security.
Self-employment and consulting Income-tax bands plus self-employed contributions: Consulting profit uses the ordinary personal bands. Self-employed social insurance and the 4% self-employed GESY rate sit beside the income tax.
Director fees Separate treaty article: Director fees are personal income and have their own treaty category. A fee from a foreign company can therefore attract tax in the company's state as well as Cyprus relief.
New-resident employment exemption No safe answer yet: No safe answer is shown yet. Do not rely on a 50% or 20% employment exemption until the threshold, duration and eligibility are verified for the current year.

Worth checking

The €22,000 starting threshold is enacted for 2026. The inbound employment exemptions and contribution rates still need the current official conditions.

Three terms that matter in Cyprus

Domicile and non-dom

Tax residence decides whether Cyprus taxes you as a resident. Domicile is a separate test used for SDC. A resident who is still non-dom can avoid SDC for up to 17 years, but not every other tax.

SDC

The Special Defence Contribution. For an individual, it mainly sits beside dividends and interest. The rate depends on domicile and, for dividends, when the company earned the profit.

GESY

The health contribution. It can still apply when non-dom status removes SDC, which is why "0% SDC" does not mean "no tax".

Your first tax year and starting values

Two dates matter: when your new country starts taxing you, and which value it uses to work out a later gain. Check both before you move.

When residence starts: Cyprus has a 183-day route and a shorter 60-day route. The shorter route also requires qualifying work, a business or a directorship in Cyprus, plus a permanent home there. You must spend at least 60 days in Cyprus and no more than 183 days in any other one country.
The arrival year: Residence is tested for the calendar year rather than through a formal UK-style split year. The result is generally a resident or non-resident year under the 183-day or 60-day test.
Dual residence: The 2026 law removed the former condition that a 60-day resident must not be tax resident elsewhere. If another state also claims residence, the treaty tie-breaker must settle the overlap.
Listed shares and funds: Starting value does not matter for an exempt sale
An individual's later sale of ordinary shares or funds is exempt. Cyprus therefore does not need a starting value to calculate a gain in that case.
Crypto: No safe answer yet
No safe answer is shown yet. Confirm the starting value for crypto acquired before Cyprus residence before calculating a disposal under the new 8% rule.
Owner-company stake: Usually irrelevant because the share sale is exempt
An ordinary company share sale is exempt, so the value on arrival does not affect it. Shares deriving at least 20% of their value from Cyprus property enter the separate property-gain rule.
Property: No arrival reset
Cyprus property keeps its original value, or the 1 January 1980 value where that rule applies. Foreign property stays outside Cyprus capital gains tax, so moving there does not create a new starting value.

Plain-language key

Withholding tax: Tax taken before the money reaches you, usually in the country where the payment comes from.
Tax credit: Tax already paid abroad can reduce the bill where you live. The reduction is usually capped at the local tax on that same income.
Original purchase cost: What you paid for the asset. A market-value reset replaces that figure with the asset's value when you move.
Income-tax bands: The income is added to your other taxable income. Higher total income can push part of it into a higher band.
Permanent establishment: A taxable business presence. Running a foreign company from your new home can create one even if the company remains registered abroad.

This gives you the starting rule, not your final bill. The country paying the money, your treaty, account, holding period, residence dates and activity can change the result.

At a glance.

Price it in your money

Tell me where you live now and what you spend a month, and every cost here becomes your number: the same life, priced country by country, in your own currency.

Where you live now

You spend, per month

Shown in

A guide, not a quote. I move your monthly spend by each country’s official price level (Eurostat and the World Bank, whole-economy, EU-27 = 100). No exchange rates, so it stays in your own currency. But averages hide rent and the city you pick, and changing country is rarely a straight swap. Read these as the right ballpark, then price the real thing.

Measure	Greece	Cyprus
Cost of living	87	89
A €2,500-a-month life	€2,190/mo	€2,230/mo
The ×30 number it implies	€788,000	€803,000
Housing to buy	€1,792/m²	—
Housing to rent	€12.7/m² · Athens	—
Housing vs the EU	−29%	−8%
Entry rules
The route in	The FIP permit	The 'pink slip'
Golden visa	Open	Open
Years to a passport	7 yrs	8 yrs
The patterns each carries
Lower tax if you hold	no	no
Yearly tax on holdings	no	no
Taxes unsold gains	no	no
Exit tax	no	no
Deals for new residents	yes	yes
No wealth tax	yes	yes
Private crypto gains can be exempt	no	no
Resident dividend tax at 10% or less	yes	no
Foreign pension rule or regime	yes	yes

A “yes” is not a point scored: “no wealth tax” and “exit tax on leaving” pull opposite ways. Read the column against your own plan, not as a score.

Price the same life in each: Greece · Cyprus

The tax rules, in full.

Greece

EU fund gains tax-free, and a 7% deal for arriving pensioners.

Wealth tax

None on portfolios; Greece's annual property tax is a real-estate matter.

Exit tax

None on private portfolios.

Worth watching

Nothing moved for investors in 2026, but the fund exemption is the load-bearing fact here; have a Greek adviser confirm your exact fund's treatment before you count on it.

The full Greece page

Cyprus

Securities gains simply untaxed, and a rewritten code since January.

Wealth & exit tax

No wealth tax, and no exit tax on private portfolios.

Worth watching

The reform is six months old and professionals still argue points of it, the interest rules for individuals especially. Any plan built on Cyprus deserves a local adviser and a current reading.

The full Cyprus page

Other comparisons

Cyprus vs Malta

None of this is tax or investment advice: it's education, kept deliberately at the level that survives fact-checking. Rules shift with every budget round; the specifics of your situation belong with a licensed adviser in your country. I'm happily not one.

Greece verified 8 July 2026 · Cyprus verified 8 July 2026. What's changed on the map

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