Cyprus Property Market: Record September and Strong Nine-Month Performance
The Cyprus property market continues to show robust growth, with September 2026 recording the highest number of property sales contracts ever deposited in that month. According to data from the Department of Lands and Surveys, analysed by property platform BuySell, 1,681 contracts of sale were deposited in September 2026 – a 13% increase compared to the 1,484 contracts deposited in September 2025.
This performance extends an unbroken trend: every month of 2026 has outsold the corresponding month of 2025, with eight out of nine months showing double-digit growth. The only exception was May, which recorded a more modest 5% increase. June saw the fastest growth at +27%, while July set a single-month record with 2,040 contracts. Even the traditionally quieter August saw a 10% rise year-on-year, with 1,241 contracts.
Over the first nine months of 2026, a total of 14,969 contracts of sale have been deposited – 1,796 more than in the same period of 2025. This already represents 83% of the full-year total for 2025, which stood at 18,114 contracts. The average monthly number of contracts has risen to 1,663 in 2026, up from 1,464 in the previous year. If this pace continues, the market could close 2026 with around 20,000 contracts, comfortably exceeding the 2025 total.
District Performance: Larnaca Leads, Limassol Remains Largest
All districts except the free Famagusta area recorded year-on-year growth in September 2026. Larnaca posted the strongest increase, with 393 contracts (+29%), followed by Limassol with 506 contracts (+16%), Paphos with 345 (+10%), and Nicosia with 374 (+7%). The free Famagusta area saw a decline, from 79 to 63 contracts (-20%).
Looking at the nine-month cumulative figures, Limassol leads with 4,860 contracts (+17%), followed by Larnaca with 3,291 (+15%), Nicosia with 3,163 (+6%), Paphos with 2,999 (+18%), and Famagusta with 656 (+5%). Limassol and Paphos together accounted for roughly two-thirds of all additional contracts this year, contributing 1,172 of the 1,796 extra contracts.
Property Values: €2.70 Billion Transferred in Seven Months
Data on completed property transfers – where money actually changes hands – shows that between January and July 2026, the Department of Lands and Surveys registered 11,522 transfer transactions covering 12,857 properties, with a total declared value of €2.70 billion. This already represents 57% of the €4.7 billion transferred in the whole of 2025. June was the strongest month on record for transfers, at €541 million, with July adding a further €468 million.
Limassol dominated the transfer value, accounting for €1,084 million, or 40% of all money spent on property across Cyprus. Nicosia followed with €567 million (21%), Paphos with €543 million (20%), Larnaca with €375 million (14%), and Famagusta with €130 million (5%).
Foreign Buyer Activity: 42% of Contracts Signed by Non-Cypriots
Foreign buyers continue to play a significant role in the Cyprus property market. In September 2026, non-Cypriot buyers signed 705 contracts, representing 41.9% of all sales. Of these, 495 were from non-EU countries (up 26% year-on-year) and 210 were from EU countries (up 4%). Cypriot buyers signed 976 contracts, a 10% increase year-on-year.
Over the first nine months of 2026, foreign buyers have signed 6,267 contracts – 2,094 by EU citizens and 4,173 by non-EU citizens – again representing 41.9% of all sales. This is roughly a fifth more than in the same period of 2025.
The foreign share varies significantly by district. In Paphos, foreign buyers signed 69.8% of all contracts between January and July 2026 (1,667 of 2,387). This compares with 46.6% in Larnaca, 46.5% in Famagusta, 36.5% in Limassol, and just 15.9% in Nicosia. Completed transfers to foreign buyers numbered 2,683 over the same period, representing 20.9% of all properties transferred. The gap between the foreign share of contracts and transfers reflects off-plan purchases, where the title deed changes hands only once construction is complete.
Property Prices: 8.5% Annual Increase
The Central Bank of Cyprus Residential Property Price Index for the second quarter of 2026 – the latest available – shows an 8.5% year-on-year increase and a 2.4% rise on the previous quarter, reaching 109.7. Apartments saw a larger gain of 8.9%, while houses increased by 5.8%, continuing the trend towards apartment demand that has characterised the market since 2023.
All districts recorded annual price growth: Famagusta +10.0%, Larnaca +9.8%, Paphos +9.6%, Limassol +7.8%, and Nicosia +5.7%. The Central Bank attributes the increase to strong demand from foreign buyers alongside steady domestic demand. A 63.7% rise in residential building permits in the first five months of the year (8,978 units against 5,484) points to a gradual supply response to meet this demand.
Key Takeaways
- September 2026 set a record for property sales contracts in Cyprus, with 1,681 deposited, up 13% year-on-year.
- The nine-month total of 14,969 contracts is 14% ahead of the same period in 2025, and already 83% of the full-year 2025 total.
- Larnaca recorded the fastest district growth in September (+29%), while Limassol remains the largest market with 506 contracts.
- Foreign buyers signed 42% of all contracts in September, with non-EU purchases up 26% year-on-year.
- Property prices rose 8.5% year-on-year in Q2 2026, with apartments outperforming houses.
- €2.70 billion was transferred in property transactions in the first seven months of 2026, with Limassol accounting for 40% of the total value.