Tenerife vs Paphos: which is sunnier?
🇪🇸 Spain vs 🇨🇾 Cyprus · 4,670 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Paphos is the sunnier overall: about 3,248 hours of sunshine a year to Tenerife's 2,933. Tenerife has the higher Sunshine Score in 5 of 12 months; the other 7 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Tenerife | Paphos | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,933 | 3,248 |
| Sunniest month | June (96/100) | July (98/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 89/100 | 67/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 96/100 | 97/100 |
| Rain / year | 202 mm | 423 mm |
| Warmest sea | 24°C / 75°F | 29°C / 84°F |
| Peak midday UV | 10 (very high) | 10 (very high) |
Tenerife vs Paphos month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | Paphos | Tenerife | Paphos | Tenerife | Paphos | Tenerife | Paphos | |
| January | 92 | 54 | 20° | 16° | 25 | 94 | 21° | 20° |
| February | 84 | 58 | 19° | 16° | 24 | 65 | 21° | 19° |
| March | 93 | 69 | 20° | 17° | 19 | 38 | 21° | 18° |
| April | 94 | 87 | 20° | 19° | 12 | 21 | 21° | 20° |
| May | 95 | 96 | 22° | 22° | 7 | 15 | 21° | 21° |
| June | 96 | 97 | 23° | 25° | 3 | 5 | 22° | 26° |
| July | 96 | 98 | 24° | 28° | 2 | 3 | 23° | 27° |
| August | 95 | 97 | 25° | 28° | 5 | 5 | 24° | 29° |
| September | 95 | 97 | 25° | 27° | 10 | 9 | 24° | 28° |
| October | 92 | 93 | 24° | 25° | 25 | 27 | 24° | 26° |
| November | 90 | 90 | 22° | 22° | 33 | 46 | 23° | 23° |
| December | 90 | 67 | 21° | 18° | 37 | 95 | 22° | 21° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Tenerife · Feb Tenerife · Mar Tenerife · Apr Tenerife · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov even · Dec Tenerife.
When to pick which
- November–February: Tenerife (average score 89/100 vs 67). Tenerife is the warmer, around 21°C daytime highs vs 18°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Tenerife (average score 94/100 vs 84). Tenerife is the warmer, around 21°C daytime highs vs 19°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Tenerife averages 96/100, Paphos 97/100. Paphos is the warmer, around 27°C daytime highs vs 24°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Tenerife averages 94/100, Paphos 95/100. Daytime highs are similar (25°C vs 26°C).
Sea temperature
Paphos's sea gets warmer: 29°C / 84°F at its peak vs 24°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Tenerife all year, Paphos about 8 months a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Tenerife weather by month · Paphos weather by month · Best time to visit Spain · Best time to visit Cyprus.
More comparisons: Tenerife vs Málaga · Tenerife vs Gran Canaria · Tenerife vs Hurghada · Paphos vs Alexandria · Paphos vs Alanya (Gazipaşa) · Paphos vs Ercan (North Nicosia) · all head-to-heads