Your first month in Southern Cyprus will be hectic, there’s no doubt about that. To begin with, there will seem to be endless tasks to carry out, but all of these are necessary in order for you to settle in. To start with, you will need to sort out a car so you can get around and this of course, also involves organising the insurance and tax.

One of the easiest solutions for arranging insurance in Cyprus is to find a good broker because they can take a lot of the pain away. There are some excellent insurance brokers, just ask for recommendations from other expats. A good broker will be able to sort out not only your car insurance, but also buildings, contents and medical. They will also speak Greek which is invaluable - particularly when it comes to a claim. Make sure that any policies you buy are translated into English too, so you know  what you are buying.

If you are entitled to the equivalent of the UK NHS in Cyprus, then you will also need to register at the local general hospital. You will need your paperwork from the UK, so remember to obtain that before you leave. Once this is in order, the Cypriot hospital will issue you with a prescription book and a medical card. Remember to use the Citizens Bureau to help you organise all this – they can deal with many government departments for you and there is no charge.

If you have no NHS entitlement, you will need to organise private medical insurance or “pay as you go”. There are numerous private hospitals.

All dental treatment in Cyprus is private – but much cheaper than the UK. It’s best to arrange this quickly. Popular dentists often have a waiting list.

You do still need to register with immigration. Again, the Citizens Bureau can help with this, so do use them, they will save you a lot of time and effort.

Internet and phone connections are good in Cyprus, but choosing a provider is not always as easy as it sounds and can be quite costly, so shop around. If you are looking for a fast internet connection, then go for a local company who offer a secure, wireless broadband. Some internet connections are not as secure as they should be – so watch out for that one.

Community Tax (equivalent of the UK Council Tax) and water (all properties in Cyprus have water meters) have to be paid. Your local community office will help you with this. As a guideline, you will probably find that one month’s Council Tax in the UK is equivalent to one year’s Community Tax in Cyprus – and you get all your rubbish collected twice a week too!