Healthcare in Cyprus

Written by Luis Minvielle Moderated by Oleksandra Dosii

Luis Minvielle

Luis is a writer with over 5 years of experience in B2B software. Even though he has always worked in tech, a sector he regularly publishes about, his initial incursions into writing were, curiously enough, music essays discussing scenes from different parts of the world—most likely to deal with his unfulfilled ambition of becoming a neo-soul crooner.

Oleksandra Dosii

Oleksandra is a dedicated marketer with a passion for growing HR-tech products. She believes content marketing is about delivering high-quality content that provides value—not just generating leads. Since 2016, Oleksandra has been involved in tech talent relocation.

Last update: September 29, 2025

Next update: Scheduled for February 1, 2026

Interesting facts:

• The Cyprus healthcare system is funded, in part, through contributions, some of which are surprisingly modest. In percentage points, a worker in Cyprus might contribute a quarter of what a Portuguese employee will have to let go of.
• The Cyprus healthcare system is increasingly popular for medical tourism, including dental tourism. Maybe just like neighbouring Türkiye is popular for hair transplant tourism.
• Cyprus has established a unified electronic health records platform under the 2019 e-Health Law. The Single eHealth Records Bank (SeHRB) centralises all patient data, such as e-prescriptions, medical histories, and diagnostic reports.

Overview of the Cyprus healthcare system

Cyprus operates a mixed public-private healthcare system, with universal coverage provided via the General Healthcare System (GeSY or GHS, Geniko Systima Ygeias). Introduced in June 2019, it combines elements of a National Health Service and Social Health Insurance, funded by contributions from employees, employers, the self-employed, pensioners, and the state budget.

To fund the system, employees contribute (through deductions) around 2.65% of their salary to healthcare. This is a surprisingly low percentage for such a good system. A German employee, in comparison, will contribute 7.3% of their gross salary to fund healthcare. A Portuguese salaried worker will put in 11%. And in both of those countries, the employer will also contribute much more than Cypriot businesses, where companies contribute around 3% of a salary.

From 2019 to 2021, public health funding soared to about 85% of total health expenditure, and out-of-pocket spending (OOP) dropped from nearly 45% in 2018 to around 15% by 2022. Co-payments are modest and capped annually at €300 for general patients and €75 for low-income beneficiaries.

Cost of health insurance in Cyprus in 2025

Health insurance in Cyprus is very affordable, and expats and Cypriots alike can expect to pay, for example, less than €10 for a visit to a practitioner. For expats who want to buy a private health insurance plan, they can expect to be paying out just around €60 each month.

Health insurance in Cyprus

In Cyprus, anyone working—regardless of nationality—must register for social insurance at the District Labour Office, which issues a medical card for access to public healthcare. This is similar to how France is structured.

Those not registered can still use public hospitals, but must pay higher fees. EU nationals with prior social insurance contributions in their home country may get limited free or subsidized care before registering locally.

GeSY (GHS)

Every Cyprus resident who contributes through salary or self-employment is given access to a wide range of services—GP and specialist consultations, hospitalization, emergency services, lab tests, prescriptions, maternity care, and more.

The Cyprus healthcare system is not entirely free. It’s very affordable and supplemented by small patient co-payments for services like specialist visits, medicines, and emergency care. But some visits, which we’ll discuss later on, are indeed free.

Private health insurance in Cyprus

Many expats opt for additional private health insurance for faster access, more services, and broader coverage. This is similar to how expats who are in Portugal decide to handle healthcare. In Cyprus, just like in Portugal, the GeSY seems to work perfectly well, but some expats prefer paid, private insurance as an additional safety net.

Coverage for EU vs. non-EU expats

EU/EEA nationals are temporarily covered by the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). This card gives citizens temporary access to GeSY services during a stay in Cyprus. On the other hand, non-EU expats must either be registered residents with contributions to GeSY or hold private insurance (which is also a visa/residency requirement).

How much does health insurance in Cyprus cost?

Contributions to Cyprus’s social insurance and healthcare system are shared between employees, employers, the self-employed, pensioners, and the state. Since 2020, the contributions are:

• Employees: 2.65%
• Employers: 2.9%
• Self-employed: 4%
• Pensioners: 2.65%
• State: 4.7%

As we discussed earlier in this article, these are exceptionally small percentage points. A French worker, on the other hand, might give three times as much (in percentage points) to healthcare as a Cypriot worker. It’s almost like Cyprus is showing every other country that you can fund a good healthcare system without stripping lots of hard-earned euros from the workers’ pockets.

Here are some co-payment examples under GeSY:

• €1 for a prescribed medicine or medical product
• €6 to see a specialist with a referral from your GP
• €25 to see a specialist without a referral from your GP
• €10 to go to A&E

As for GP visits, you get a set amount for free. This number depends on your age, you can check out your corresponding free appointment on the GeSY website or by asking your GP. Subsequently, each visit costs €15. Meanwhile, people of lower income can register for a medical card that discounts co-payment fees.

Additionally, many expats and locals also choose to complement GeSY with private health insurance. The price range typically depends on your provider, the plan you pick and your age.

• Local private plans (e.g., Universal Life, Trust Insurance, Eurolife): Typically start from €60–€80/month for basic coverage; comprehensive international plans range around €100–€200/month.
• International plans (e.g., Cigna, AXA, Allianz): Approximately €50/month for basic young-adult local plans; up to €300+/month for expansive international coverage.

Dental and optical care

Cyprus public healthcare has limited dental and optical coverage. Dental care through GeSY typically includes only one annual preventive check-up and cleaning, especially for adults and children under a contracted provider—it does not cover advanced procedures like crowns, dentures, or cosmetic dental services. As for optical, while GeSY covers certain ophthalmology services in emergencies, routine vision care like sight tests and prescription glasses is generally not covered. Most private insurance companies do offer these, so it might be a good idea to look into them.

Medical tourism

Cyprus is a popular place for medical tourists to go because it offers high-quality care at low costs. Clinics and hospitals offer services in areas such as dental care, fertility treatments, cosmetic surgery, orthopaedics, and cardiology, often staffed by internationally-trained specialists.

How to access the healthcare system in Cyprus as an expat

Thankfully, as an expat, you have all the range of options available to you. Here’s how to enroll in each:

Public system (GeSY)

Filing for GeSY as a contributing resident is easy:

• Register as a resident and begin contributing through salary or self-employment.
• Create a GeSY account via the Beneficiary Portal or in person.
• Select and register with a personal GP (PD), and use public hospitals and services with small co-payments.

Private insurance

To register for private insurance, you have to:

• Select a provider: Either a local insurer or an international company. You can choose any of the international companies we listed earlier on this article.
• Apply directly or through an agent. Most insurers let you apply online or via a local broker.
• Pick a plan. You can choose between:
  • Local plans (cheaper, cover hospitals/clinics inside Cyprus)
  • International plans (more expensive, cover care abroad too).
• Pay your premium monthly or yearly, based on the policy. Coverage usually starts after a short waiting period (about 1–3 months for non-emergency care).
   

Private health insurance in Cyprus typically works on a pay-and-claim basis. This works by paying the doctor, hospital, or pharmacy bill upfront, then submitting the receipt and claim form to your insurer. The insurer will later reimburse you directly into your bank account, often within 2–4 weeks. Some insurers have direct billing agreements with certain private hospitals and clinics in Cyprus. In those cases, you don’t need to pay first—the insurer settles the bill directly.

English-speaking doctors in Cyprus

English fluency among medical professionals is widespread, particularly in private clinics and major cities because of the countries close links with the UK. You can simply call ahead of time or google local English speaking GPs. Most public hospitals, especially those in bigger cities like Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, and Paphos usually have staff that can communicate in English. A Reddit user shares:

The UNIC Medical Center has doctors that speak English and are in the GESY. You don't need to be a student to use their services, and they are quite responsive.

If you know you’ll need ongoing care in English, it’s smart to register with a private GP right away and keep their number handy. That way, you avoid scrambling if you require urgent advice. Some international health insurance providers have the option of online consultations for more day-to-day concerns.

What to do in an emergency

In case of a medical emergency in Cyprus, you have two main numbers to call: 112, the EU-wide emergency line, or 199, which is specific to Cyprus. Both numbers are available 24/7, and operators will speak English, so expats and visitors can communicate without difficulty.

When you call, an ambulance will take you to the nearest General Hospital, which is part of the public GeSY system. The fee for using Accident & Emergency in a public hospital is around €10, while private emergency care may cost considerably more.