Cypriot households preparing the traditional New Year’s table will face mixed price movements this year. According to the Christmas Price Observatory published on 19 December by the Consumer Protection Service of the Ministry of Commerce, beef has become significantly more expensive compared with last year, while pork prices have dropped. Lamb, goat and poultry remain relatively stable with only marginal increases or decreases.
The majority of festive sweets, including melomakarona, kourabiedes and Christmas cake, have become more expensive. Vegetable prices show sharp fluctuations, with some items rising steeply and others falling significantly.
How the observatory was conducted
The Consumer Protection Service collected retail prices on 18 December 2025 from 86 points of sale for fresh meat, 35 for vegetables and 45 for festive sweets. These included large and small supermarkets, neighbourhood butchers, bakeries and patisseries across all districts. The aim is to provide consumers with accurate information ahead of the holiday season.
Meat prices
The most notable increases are seen in beef:
-
Local boneless top side increased 15.95 percent, with an average price of €15.13 per kilo.
-
Local beef steak increased 22.87 percent, averaging €13.34 per kilo.
-
Another category of local beef steak rose 17.52 percent, averaging €12.50 per kilo.
In contrast, pork shows consistent reductions:
-
Pork neck with bone fell 3.35 percent, averaging €6.30 per kilo.
-
Pork shoulder with bone fell 4.92 percent, averaging €5.24 per kilo.
-
Pork chop (lapas) dropped 4.12 percent, averaging €6.27 per kilo.
-
Pork minced shoulder decreased 4.16 percent, with an average price of €5.91 per kilo.
Prices for lamb, goat and chicken remain broadly stable with slight fluctuations.
Festive sweets
Most traditional desserts have increased in price:
-
Almond kourabiedes increased 4.87 percent, averaging €13.09 per kilo.
-
Stuffed kourabiedes (foinikota) increased 2.72 percent, averaging €13.86 per kilo.
-
Packaged kourabiedes (500g) showed a small decrease of 2.96 percent.
-
Melomakarona increased 3.17 percent, averaging €12.77 per kilo.
-
Christmas cake saw a significant rise of 6.24 percent, with an average price of €14.67.
Vegetables
The observatory records sharp divergences in vegetable prices:
-
Fresh potatoes dropped 22.22 percent, to an average of €1.01 per kilo.
-
Class I tomatoes dropped 45.12 percent, averaging €1.40 per kilo.
-
Greenhouse cucumbers rose 25.96 percent, averaging €3.26 per kilo.
-
Field cucumbers increased 17.77 percent, with an average of €3.66 per kilo.
Based on information published by CNA