Turkey

Living in Turkey: the short version

Türkiye bridges Europe and Asia, with Istanbul’s energy, Mediterranean coastal towns and a low cost of living for foreign earners. High inflation means local prices rise quickly, and residence permit rules for certain neighbourhoods and nationalities have tightened.

Best for: Remote workers, retirees and investors who want a low-cost base close to Europe.

How to move to Turkey: main visa and residency routes

Summaries only — requirements and income thresholds change. Always check the official sources below.

Short-term residence permit

Renewable permit for tourism, property ownership or other purposes, with health insurance required.

Work permit

Employer-sponsored; doubles as a residence permit.

Citizenship by investment

For foreigners making a large qualifying real estate or financial investment.

Healthcare for newcomers

Private hospitals are modern and widely used by expats; residence permit applicants must show valid health insurance.

How Turkey compares

Calculated from our data for all 55 countries. How we calculate this

Cost of living rank

9th cheapest of 55

Single person, core costs

$575/mo

Family of four, core costs

$1,182/mo

Take-home on $60,000

$36,325/yr

• Renting a one-bedroom home takes about 36% of the average local salary in Turkey, the same as the median of 36% across the countries we cover.
• Core monthly costs for one person (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, internet and eating out) come to about $575, or 69% of the average local monthly salary.
• On a gross salary of $60,000 taxed locally, our estimate leaves $36,325 a year after income tax and employee social security (an effective rate of 39%), the 55th highest take-home pay of 55 countries. After single-person core costs, that leaves roughly $29,425 a year to save or spend.
• Countries with a similar overall cost of living: Argentina, Georgia, Kenya.

Estimates for planning, using simplified national tax brackets in US dollars; local taxes, deductions and your own spending will differ. Try your own numbers in the tax calculator or budget planner.

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are estimates in US dollars, compiled from the international datasets below and converted at recent exchange rates. The cost of living index uses New York City as 100. Guidance was last reviewed on September 30, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.