As an expat, even the smallest differences between two places become a major issue. An expat has to deal with difficulties and problems which a tourist or local will never encounter, from employment, social acceptance, medical insurance and even climate.

Sharing common history, culture, language and traditions, Cyprus and Greece are very much alike. Yet for a non-local living more than 300 days/year there, i.e. an expat, things may seem a bit different. Cyprus is a republic having Greek and Turkish as official languages. It belongs to the European Union since 2004 and until 1960 it was part of the United Kingdom. Greece lacks the Turkish component. It belongs to the Europena Union since 1981 and it has always been an independent country.

Thus, we can already spot several issues that will make life different for an expat in Cyprus than for an expat in Greece. First we must take in consideration the origin of the expat. A Muslim will definitely choose Cyprus as tolerance is much higher. With tolerance comes safety, better employment of expats, opportunities almost equal to the ones of a local. All these considerations are equally valid for a non-Muslim, as community built on diversity in known to be more flourishing.

Even though Greece lacks the high diversity of Cyprus, an expat in Greece will find other aspects fairly fulfilling. Greece provides stability, as an old member of the UE. Known for its culture, it is a community of intellectuals and democratic approach. Thus, any expat in Greece will feel a great sense of stability, development and business opportunity.

Both Cyprus and Greece present their benefits for expats, yet the final choice remains in the hands of the person, who is to make her decision considering her country of origin and expectations as an expat in Cyprus or an expat in Greece.

Sturat enjoys writing on topics like Expat Greece and Expat Cyprus http://www.expatintelligence.com/expat-cyprus.shtml