Who is buying Cyprus? Foreign buyers in the Land Registry, 2023–2026

Foreign buyers signed 41.3% of all property contracts of sale in Cyprus between January and July 2026 — a record share, up from 39.2% a year earlier. The growth is increasingly driven by EU buyers rather than non-EU nationals, and Paphos has overtaken Limassol as the island's largest foreign market. Here is what four years of Land Registry data show.

Is the foreign share of the market really rising?

Yes. Foreign purchases grew 20.3% in the first seven months of 2026, while the market as a whole grew 14.1%. Two contracts in five now carry a foreign name, and July 2026 was the busiest month for foreign purchases on record.

Who is actually buying — Brits and Russians?

The common assumption, but no. Buyers from outside the EU remain the larger group, yet their share of foreign contracts has fallen for three straight years: from 72.6% in 2023 to 66.1% in 2026. EU buyers are the faster-growing segment — up 23.0% this year against 18.9% for non-EU. One honest limitation: the registry does not break the non-EU group down by nationality, so no single country — Britain included — can be traced in this series.

Where are they buying?

Paphos leads with 1,667 foreign contracts so far this year (+28.4%), having overtaken Limassol in 2024. Larnaca is the quiet surprise at +24.4%. Limassol carries the one warning in the table: its foreign volumes are still marginally below their 2023 level — the district's record overall activity is being driven by domestic and relocation buyers, not foreign money.

Did Europe's tax changes push buyers to Cyprus?

We tested four policy dates — Portugal closing its non-dom regime, Italy raising its flat tax, the UK abolishing non-dom status, and Cyprus repealing stamp duty from January 2026. None of them produces a visible break in the data. Foreign contracts have grown year on year for six consecutive quarters, in every district — the pattern of structural demand, not a short-lived rush.

What it means if you own property here

For sellers, foreign demand is your liquidity — and it is strongest right now in Paphos and Larnaca. For local buyers, this is your competition: it concentrates on the coast, while Nicosia remains an almost entirely domestic market. And for anyone buying off-plan: 1.86 foreign contracts are now signed for every completed handover, the widest gap in four years — which makes vetting the developer the most important step of the entire transaction.

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Source: Department of Lands & Surveys (Ktimatologio), comparative statistics on contracts of sale and transfers for foreign buyers, January 2023 – July 2026. Analysis: Delfi Analytics. Last updated: August 2026. General information only — not investment advice.