Cyprus and Greece climbed the rankings of the most popular destinations for Russian overseas property buyers in the first nine months of 2026, according to figures cited by RIA Nedvizhimost from Tranio managing partner Mikhail Bulanov.
Cyprus property rose from sixth to fourth place, with its share of enquiries increasing from 5.4% to 8.1%. Greece ranked fifth, up to 7.3% from 5.4%. The figures point to growing buyer interest in both Mediterranean markets.
Cyprus property rises in buyer rankings
Thailand remained the leading destination, although its share of enquiries fell from 22.9% to 17.8%. Turkey held second place, rising from 8.4% to 10.2%, while the UAE stayed third, increasing from 8.3% to 9.8%.
Bulanov attributed the gains for Cyprus and Greece to the appeal of combining a property purchase with a residence-by-investment route. Cyprus offers a permanent residence route linked to qualifying property investment of at least €300,000, subject to the programme’s conditions. Greece’s Golden Visa is a residence permit for qualifying investors; it does not itself grant citizenship. Cyprus Migration Department and Greece Migration Department
Overseas property budgets move higher
Georgia entered the top ten, tying with Montenegro in sixth place. France, Spain and Italy followed. Bali dropped out of the ranking amid concerns over building permits and land status, according to the report.
The median budget for overseas property purchases rose 9.5% year on year to €298,000. The report links the increase to a greater share of enquiries for Turkey, the UAE and Cyprus, where typical budgets are €300,000–€350,000. In 2025, lower-priced Thai condominiums, typically costing €120,000–€150,000, had weighed on the median.
For Cyprus, the report also points to expectations around possible Schengen accession and discussion of tighter terms for the permanent residence programme as factors influencing prices. These are market expectations, not guarantees of future policy or returns.
