Turkey can offer you favorable environment and climate, comfortable accommodation, and affordable prices on food, clothes and other goods. As anywhere else, the cost of living depends on the location and your own preferences. The life in rural areas will be cheaper than in big cities. But generally, we can say that the life in Turkey is not very expensive and a lot of foreigners find the cost of living in Turkey rather reasonable. Now let's compare the cost of living in the most popular among expats places, Istanbul and Alanya.
COST OF LIVING IN ISTANBUL
The cost of living in Istanbul is more expensive than in the other regions of Turkey. According to the 2020 Mercer Cost of living Survey, the city is on the 156th place among the most expensive expat destinations.
Comparing with the UK or the USA, buying and renting property in Istanbul is much more affordable. A well-furnished and well-located 1-bedroom apartment will cost about 1200 dollars per month.
The public transport is well-developed both in the city and in the suburbs. So, there is no need to have your own car which actually can be costly. And don't forget that driving in big cities in Turkey can be rather challenging. A single fare on public transit is about 0.75 dollars. A monthly metro pass will cost 55 dollars. A taxi ride for one hour will be about 7 dollars and a long-distance bus ticket will cost up to 30 dollars. The cost of petrol is about 2.5 dollars per litre.
The food in Turkey is rather cheaper than in other European countries. And it is worth noting that Turks eat food seasonally which means that they eat what is growing at that time. The average food prices are the following:
- milk – 2.55 TRY
- loaf of bread – 1.5 TRY
- eggs (dozen) – 6 TRY
- chicken – 10 TRY
- tomatoes – 2.5 TRY
Eating out is affordable. Istanbul offers a wide range of street food vendors, cafes, and restaurants. From cheap but still delicious street food to exquisite cuisine in five-star restaurants.
COST OF LIVING IN ALANYA
The rent of an apartment for two persons in Alanya will cost about 800 TRY. In addition you will have to pay 200 TRY per month for utilities. The food is a bit cheaper than in Istanbul. The average prices are the following:
- milk – 2.71 TRY
- loaf of bread – 1.45 TRY
- eggs (dozen) – 5.25 TRY
- chicken – 10 TRY
- tomatoes – 2.31 TRY
Like in other regions of the country you will find different cafes and restaurants for all tastes. The transport is also well-developed. All districts of the city are connected with the buses and other transport. The monthly public transport ticket will cost about 102 TRY. One litre of gas costs 4.77 TRY.