Ex-fishmonger says he now enjoys a 'millionaire's lifestyle' in Cyprus after ditching brutal 2am starts in the UK

For years, Orestis Kyprianou's working day began while the rest of London was sleeping. He would leave his home just before 2am and drive to Billingsgate Fish Market to buy stock for his own wet fish shop in west London.

By 6am he was back, setting up the display, and he rarely clocked off before 7pm. 

Some evenings, Kyprianou went straight to help at his father's fish-and-chip shop on the same street, a west London institution the family had run for more than 40 years.

Today, his mornings look very different. He walks his dogs beside the sea, takes his two children to school and then heads to work – in Paphos, Cyprus.

'I enjoyed my work, but the hours were very long. Between the traffic, the stress and the constant expenses, I started questioning my quality of life. I was working extremely hard, but I was always tired, and most of my money was going on bills.

'I also thought about the future. If I had children, when would I actually see them? Why wait until retirement?'

Both of Orestis's parents are Cypriot, and he had spent time living on the island when he was younger. The idea of moving was always there. What turned it into a decision was the prospect of buying a house in London.

'It didn't make sense to spend the next 30 or 35 years paying off a house in the UK, just so I could retire somewhere sunny like Cyprus. If that's where I wanted to end up, why wait? Why not move now and enjoy the lifestyle along the way?'

The final push came from his shop lease, which needed to be renewed for another 20 years with a fixed rent for the first five. Orestis set himself a figure: if the landlord agreed to it, he would stay another five years. If not, he would go.

'I didn't get the figure. Once I'd done the sums and looked at the commitment involved, Cyprus made more sense.'

It took around a year to sell the shop, sort out the couple's finances and move. His wife, who had holidayed in Cyprus with him several times, was just as keen.

Orestis, who's 39, was entitled to citizenship and a Cypriot passport. His British wife needed to go through a separate residency process. She had to show proof of income and sufficient funds, take out health insurance for the first year and provide a clean criminal record.

The couple appointed a lawyer to handle the application, and Orestis estimates the whole process cost around €300 to €350 (£260 to £300) at the time.

'There was more paperwork for her than for me, but it wasn't particularly difficult,' he says.

They are far from alone in making the move. Research from Domenica Group found that Google searches for 'pros and cons of living in Cyprus' have risen by 25 per cent in just the last three months, highlighting growing interest from British families looking for a warmer climate, a slower pace of life and more time together.

'Many of the people I speak to now are just like I was. They're working hard in the UK and wondering why they're waiting until retirement to enjoy life.'

The couple moved straight into the Paphos home they still live in today, and Orestis says their mortgage is around half the rent he paid for a one-bedroom flat in west London.

Council tax has been one of the biggest savings. 'What I might have paid in one month in the UK is roughly what I pay for a whole year here,' he says. Car insurance and road tax are also cheaper, although buying a car and paying for fuel costs is about the same as in Britain.

Groceries are similar in price, but Orestis says the food is fresher and better quality. A filling meal at a mageirio, a traditional Cypriot eatery serving home-cooked dishes that change daily, costs around €15 (£13).

'The climate changes the way you eat, too. Fruit during the day, one good meal and maybe a small snack in the evening. You don't need a lot to feel satisfied here.'

The one thing he misses? 'A scallop and bacon sandwich on soft white bread at 4am. It was my go-to breakfast at the café in Billingsgate after buying the fish. That's probably the only thing I genuinely miss.'

After working in the fish trade for a while after the move, Orestis changed careers and joined Domenica Group in property sales. He says his years behind the counter turned out to be the best possible preparation.

'Working with people every day teaches you to listen, and to recognise what someone is feeling even when they don't say it. 

'Moving to another country and buying a home isn't like buying a pair of smoked kippers. People are thinking about their savings, their children, schools and work.

'When I speak to people about moving to Cyprus, I'm not describing something I've only watched from the outside. I've made that decision myself, with all the questions and uncertainty that come with it.'

Tax was not a factor. 'The tax on my earnings may be slightly lower than in the UK, but not enough to be a reason to move. It was all about quality of life.'

Since the move, Orestis and his wife have had two children, and the family time he once worried about missing is now part of his everyday routine.

'I can take my children to school, go to work and meet clients in a relaxed environment. 

'We can walk through Kato Paphos, have an ice cream or spend the afternoon on the beach. People pay a lot of money to experience that for one or two weeks a year. Here, it's everyday life.

'I often say that in Cyprus, you can live a millionaire's lifestyle without being a millionaire.'

Making friends came easily, he says, whether at the gym, through work, at networking events or through the island's busy Facebook groups for hobbies, sports and expats.

Would he ever move back to the UK? 'No. Nothing would make me consider it. Cyprus is my home.'