Cyprus continues to stand out for its strong life expectancy figures compared with the European Union average.
According to the latest Eurostat data, average life expectancy across the EU rose to 81.7 years in 2024, up by 0.3 years from 2023. While the official release highlighted countries such as Italy, Sweden and Spain at the top of the rankings, Cyprus also performs above the EU norm. In 2023, Cypriot life expectancy at birth reached 82.5 years, compared to the EU average of 81.5 years.
Gender differences remain notable. Women in Cyprus live on average 84.7 years, nearly four years longer than men, who reach 80.4 years. This gap mirrors wider European trends, where women typically outlive men, though the difference in Cyprus is slightly narrower than in some other member states.
Beyond longevity, Cypriots also enjoy relatively long lives in good health. Eurostat’s healthy life years indicator shows that people in Cyprus spend around 65 years without severe activity limitations, about two years longer than the EU average of 63.1 years. After a temporary decline in 2021 linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cyprus has seen a recovery in life expectancy, underlining both the resilience of its healthcare system and the favourable living conditions that support a high quality of life.
