Limassol’s coastal landscape makes it an attractive destination for international companies and tourists. But this appeal has also resulted in increased demand for housing and soaring rental prices. Students, often without a steady income, are among the first to feel the squeeze from these rising costs.
“Housing is the main issue that my fellow students face,” says Petros Christodoulou, the head of the Student Union at the Cyprus University of Technology. “A studio or one-bedroom in Limassol costs around €700 plus utilities. This discourages students from coming to our university.”
The situation became worse after COVID-19, as many students from across Cyprus returned to Limassol. This surge in demand caused prices to skyrocket. “Because of the pandemic, we left our apartments, and when we came back, they were no longer available, occupied by families and workers,” adds Karseras.
Faced with this situation, students and the university had to come up with their own initiatives, such as renting apartments from individuals, providing small monthly financial support to students in financial need or creating networks for co-sharing apartments. But it became clear that a more permanent solution was needed.