Cyprus on a budget: Best resorts for a beach holiday

Turquoise water, big sandy beaches and enough sunshine to make the British weather feel like a distant memory – Cyprus has all the ingredients for a top beach holiday. Even better news is that you don't necessarily need a huge budget to enjoy it. The trick is often just choosing the right resort.  

So, where should you stay in Cyprus on a budget?   

We've compared some of the island's most popular resorts to find the best options for anyone searching for cheap holidays to Cyprus, without compromising on sand, sea and sunshine.  

1. Protaras: Best overall, great package-holiday choice 

2. Paphos: Best for beach and sightseeing, excellent overall value 

3. Ayia Napa: Best for beaches and nightlife, good value outside peak season 

4. Larnaca: Affordable city and beach break, strong choice for every budget 

5. Pernera: Best for families and quieter stays, good-value Protaras alternative 

6. Coral Bay: Relaxed family beach holiday, good for apartment and villa stays 

Prices change constantly, so no resort is guaranteed to be the cheapest. But comparing several areas instead of automatically picking the biggest name gives you a much better chance of finding cheap package holidays to Cyprus. 

Best for: Families, couples and those who want to spend all day on the sand.   

If beaches are the main reason you're going to Cyprus, Protaras is hard to beat.  

Its headline act is Fig Tree Bay, one of the island's best-known beaches. It has fine golden sand, clear water and plenty of facilities, with restaurants and accommodation all within walking distance. 

The resort itself is made for holidays, too. You've got a long strip of restaurants, bars and shops, but the atmosphere is generally more relaxed than neighbouring Ayia Napa.  

That makes Protaras a great option if you want to be able to walk from the hotel to the beach and then out for dinner, without having to pay for a taxi every night.  

Of course, Protaras can be more expensive if you focus only on beachfront four and five-star hotels in July and August. But there's a wide choice of apartments, Half Board hotels and other accommodation slightly back from the coast.  

Travelling in shoulder seasons like May, June, September and October can offer great savings too, and there’s typically still plenty of sunshine to go around.   

Best for: Couples, families, sightseeing and getting plenty from your holiday without relying on an expensive resort.   

Paphos is probably the strongest all-round option if you want your holiday to involve more than just lying on the beach. 

There are beaches throughout the main tourist area, including Alykes and the Municipal Baths, but you also have the harbour, restaurants and some of the island’s best-known archaeological attractions nearby. 

That means you don't necessarily need to spend money booking excursions every day just to find something to do. You can walk along the waterfront, explore the harbour area and mix beach days with sightseeing. Paphos is especially good for a budget Cyprus holiday because there's a huge variety of accommodation. 

You'll find everything from simple Self Catering apartments to large All Inclusive resorts, which makes it easier to choose a package that fits your travel style. And because you're not relying on one famous beach, staying a few streets back from the sea doesn't necessarily spoil the holiday. 

Best for: Younger couples, groups, and a lively nightlife scene.  

Lots of people think Ayia Napa is just about the clubs, but this resort secretly has some of the best beaches on the island. 

Nissi Beach is the big one, with fine golden sand, shallow water and a small island that gives the beach its name. There are bars and watersports too, so it definitely isn't the quietest stretch of coastline. If you'd rather be closer to the town centre, Pantachou is Ayia Napa's longest beach, offering a half-moon of soft sand stretching from the harbour. 

Ayia Napa can be particularly affordable if you're prepared to avoid the prime beachfront hotels. 

There's a large accommodation market aimed at everyone from groups of friends to couples and families, so affordable apartments and hotels do exist. 

The bigger issue is when you go. July and August bring peak summer demand. Travel in May, June, late September or October and you're more likely to find better value without sacrificing tanning weather.  

You don't need to stay beside Nissi Beach either. Accommodation closer to the centre or between the main beaches may cost less while still being within walking distance of the sea. 

Best for: Couples, shorter trips, eating out and travellers who want beach plus city.    

Larnaca sometimes gets overlooked in favour of the bigger resorts, but that's exactly why it's your secret weapon for Cyprus on a budget. 

Instead of a self-contained resort, you get a proper city with a beach running alongside it. Finikoudes Beach unfurls along Larnaca's famous palm-lined promenade. The water is calm and shallow, while restaurants, cafés, shops and hotels sit immediately behind the beach. 

It's particularly handy if you like the idea of stepping out of your hotel and having affordable places to eat nearby, rather than being tied to resort dining. 

Another bonus: the airport is right beside the city, so you're not spending the start and end of your holiday on a long transfer across the island. 

Don’t forget to compare city hotels and apartments as well as traditional package properties. If you're going to eat out anyway, room-only or B&B could give you better value than paying extra for All Inclusive. 

The trade-off? Finikoudes is convenient rather than Cyprus' most spectacular beach. If postcard-perfect turquoise bays are your number one priority, Protaras or Ayia Napa would work better. 

Best for: Families, quieter couples and travellers who like Protaras but want to compare alternatives.   

Like the sound of Protaras but not the price of staying right beside Fig Tree Bay? Take a look at Pernera. It's immediately along the coast from Protaras and has its own smaller beaches, restaurants and family-friendly hotels. 

The atmosphere is generally quieter, but you can still get into central Protaras easily when you want more choice. Essentially, you’ll be close enough to the famous resort to enjoy its advantages, without paying to stay right in the middle of it. 

Just remember to compare the actual package prices for your dates rather than assuming Pernera will always be cheaper. 

Best for: Families, villas, Self Catering stays, and relaxed beach holidays.   

If Paphos sounds good but you're picturing a proper sandy beach right outside the hotel, Coral Bay could be a better fit. 

The main beach sits inside a sheltered bay, with golden sand and shallow, relatively calm water. There’s plenty of choice when it comes to restaurants, cafés, watersports and accommodation, too.  

It's particularly popular with families, but it also works for couples who want a quieter beach-based holiday.  

Coral Bay has a good mix of hotels, apartments and villas, so Sel Catering can be a budget-friendly option if you're travelling as a family or group and don't want to pay All Inclusive prices. 

Cyprus isn't usually the absolute cheapest Mediterranean destination, particularly during the peak summer holidays. But it can still offer very good value. 

The key is looking beyond the headline package price. 

A slightly more expensive hotel within walking distance of the beach and restaurants might actually save you money on taxis. An All Inclusive resort could work out better than B&B if you're travelling with hungry children and planning to stay around the hotel. 

On the other hand, paying hundreds more for All Inclusive makes little sense if you're staying in Paphos or Larnaca and want to try different restaurants every evening. 

For budget holidays in Cyprus, always compare the total holiday cost rather than just finding the cheapest hotel. 

If you can avoid school holidays, the shoulder seasons offer the best combination of value and beach weather.  

The weather is warming up, the main resorts are getting into their summer season, and you can avoid the peak July and August demand.   

Another great option. September and October still bring warm days, with swimming, sunbathing and watersports all still possible. Plus, the sea has had all summer to warm up.   

These are peak months, with the hottest temperatures and lots of demand.   

They're brilliant if you're tied to the school holidays, but generally not ideal for a super low-cost holiday in Cyprus. The best deals for this six-week stretch are usually secured early.

Rather than searching for one cheap resort, give yourself a few options. 

• Compare Paphos and Larnaca airports. The cheapest package might depend on which side of the island you're visiting. 

• Move your dates by a few days. Midweek departures can sometimes cost less. 

• Look outside July and August. May, June, September and October can offer much better value. 

• Compare neighbouring resorts. Look at Pernera, Protaras and Coral Bay as well as Paphos. 

• Search several board bases. B&B could beat All Inclusive in resorts where eating out is cheap and convenient. 

• Compare different durations. 10 or 11 nights can sometimes offer surprisingly good value compared with seven. 

• Check what the package includes. Luggage and transfers often add on to the initial figure.  

The goal isn't necessarily to find the cheapest room on the island. It's to find the holiday that gives you the most for what you're spending. 

It's all about matching the right place to the way you actually want to spend your holiday.  

Pick Protaras if brilliant beaches come first, Paphos if you want more to see and do, Larnaca for an easy city-and-beach escape or Pernera and Coral Bay for something a little more relaxed.  

Then play around with your dates, airport, board basis and trip length.  

Because the best Cyprus holiday isn't necessarily the one with the smallest price tag. It's the one where you come home feeling like you got a lot more holiday than you paid for. 

Travel at the right time, compare neighbouring resorts and choose the board basis that suits the way you actually holiday, and Cyprus can deliver a lot of Mediterranean sunshine for your money. 

For more budget-friendly break ideas, browse the latest articles on the Sundeals blog, or see the latest Cyprus holiday deals to start planning now.   

Author: Amabel Buck