Mersin: Why is it convenient to live there?

Mersin has been a rising star in Turkey’s property market for a number of years, rapidly becoming not only an enriched resort town with a large-scale infrastructure but also a great place to live, thanks to the development of transport networks and social services. It is well suited for comfortable living all year round.

And in light of the latest world events, it is particularly important that Mersin is one of the safest provinces to buy real estate in Turkey in terms of resistance to earthquakes.

It is not surprising that in terms of housing transactions with foreigners (the lion’s share of which in the last year has been taken by Russians), it is often in the top three, following Istanbul and Antalya.

Let us recall the statistics of sales to overseas investors for the past year:

2022

August: Antalya (1,814) came first, followed by Istanbul (1,750) and Mersin (317).
September: Istanbul (1,795), Antalya (1,585), and Mersin (335).
October: Antalya (2,123), Istanbul (1,658), and Mersin (490).
November: Antalya (2,616), Istanbul (1,733), and Mersin (567).
December: Antalya (2,465), Istanbul (1,968), and Mersin (663).

Mersin: Why is it convenient to live there?

2023

January: Antalya (1,592), Istanbul (1,380), and Mersin (331).
February: Antalya (1,261), Istanbul (1,133), and Mersin (225).
March: Antalya (1,324), Istanbul (1,090), and Mersin (240).
April: Antalya (1,034), Istanbul (792), and Mersin (186).
May: Antalya (1,245), Istanbul (934), and Mersin (249).
June: Antalya (1,004), Istanbul (760), and Mersin (223).
July: Antalya (996), Istanbul (832), and Mersin (263).

In terms of the volume of property transactions as a whole – that is, considering Turkish citizens who have bought a home – Mersin is consistently in either the top ten or top five: in August 2023, there were 6,900 transactions here (the 5th highest volume, after Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya).

Let’s take a look at what improvements the city has made in recent months, mostly over the summer of 2023.

Business support

In the first six months of the year, 2,023 women-owned co-operatives, which are small businesses and mini-firms, were approved to receive grants worth TL 631,275. The Mersin authorities hope that the grants will contribute to the development of women’s entrepreneurship in the province. And since foreigners also have the right to open their own business in Turkey after obtaining citizenship and sometimes residence permits, there is a chance to qualify for such grants.

Housing infrastructure

In the Boğaz neighbourhood, work to connect homes to the natural gas system began this summer. In Turkey, this is not considered a standard utility service: in many areas, it is more common to buy gas in cylinders and then connect it to the cooker for preparing food.

Nevertheless, Boğazi is now among the most progressive neighbourhoods in terms of gas supply, along with Ankara, the capital of Turkey. The management plans to bring natural gas to hundreds of buildings by the end of 2023, which will require about 16 kilometres of special utilities at an estimated cost of TL 20 million.

We previously reported that not only gas but also water would get better in Mersin.

Social and transport infrastructure

Mersin is a resort port city where its own Cukurova airport is being constructed and is scheduled to be put into operation by the end of the year. It is not long to wait – less than a month: the official date of the airport opening is 29 October, the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey.
One of the most important news is the building of the metro. It has been written about for quite a long time, but in fact, the process has been rather slow. However, in August 2023, the Mayor of Mersin, Vahap Secher, announced the happy news: the Ministry of Finance has approved a loan that will provide the amount of money needed for the underground in the city. So work will resume and proceed much faster. The loan will amount to TL 0.9 billion.
Another news that is as important as it is pleasant in the Turkish heat is the organisation of an “open air cooling system” in the Erdemli area: in the covered markets and in the area in front of the local hospital. Last summer, temperatures in southern Turkey were off the charts, far exceeding the seasonal norm, so the local authorities took care of the health and comfort of the citizens.
Residents of the Mezitli district, as well as guests from neighbouring districts who come for recreation and shopping, are likely to be pleased with the multi-storey car park, which will appear as part of the multifunctional complex (MFC) under construction. It will be a four-level building, the construction of which has been initiated by the municipality. The car park will occupy its main areas. We did not mention shopping for nothing – the thing is that on the lower floor, on certain days of the week, there will be a traditional Turkish mobile market. And on the fourth level, there will be an entertainment zone for cultural events, shows, concerts, and film screenings. This floor will also be available for private parties, such as large celebrations and weddings. The municipality hopes to officially open the mixed-use development by the end of 2023.

As another recent news, travel time from Antalya to Mersin will be reduced to 5 hours.

Medicine

A new state hospital and dental clinic will appear in Mezitli. Construction of the facilities has already started. The hospital will have 150 beds and a car park for 500 cars. The dental department will be able to receive up to 50 patients at a time. However, due to the specifics of the facility, the construction process is not expected to be quick; the opening is scheduled for about two years from now, in 2025.

Education

A primary school called Cankaya has been reopened in the Akdeniz neighbourhood. It is worth mentioning that it has been out of operation for 17 years and has reopened its doors after a long restoration, as it is located in one of the historical buildings constructed in 1924. Therefore, in addition to the educational function, this school is also very beautiful, “breathes history”, and certainly deserves a visit.
University applicants who come to Mersin to study are now able to live in student hostels. The allocation of places for the coming academic year has just recently been finalised. It should be noted that there is a men’s dormitory (in the centre of Mersin under the Department of Social Services of the provincial capital) and a private women’s student dormitory in Gulnar. The cost per month is TL 1,400, i.e. less than €400. And this amount includes utilities and even HB meals (breakfast and dinner). Each room has a bathroom, and hot water is supplied around the clock. There are additional facilities for recreation and leisure activities; Wi-Fi access is available. The men’s dormitory is designed for 120 people, and the women’s dormitory is for 108. There are special rooms for students with disabilities. It should be mentioned that places in the dormitory are not available to everyone: only those who confirm the financial situation of their family – that is, provide evidence that they cannot pay for a rented flat or even a room.

By the way, Mersin has three universities at once, along with public and private colleges that provide students with a very good education.

Holidays, sea, and beach

First, about the coasts. This year, given the city’s growing popularity, the beaches were particularly scrutinised. Representatives of the Mersin Municipality Water Supply and Sewerage Department (MESKİ) took and analysed seawater samples from 40 beaches at once. The result: no violations were found.
There is now a glamping park in the Erdemli neighbourhood. It is located in the Talat Göktepe Tabiat Parkı natural area. You can come here to diversify your holiday experience: you can choose between glamping bungalows or glamping tents. As a “bonus” – the freshest air from the pine grove and the sea. By the way, due to the organisation on the park’s territory, it is somewhat cooler here even in the strongest heat. Glamping is designed for a simultaneous stay of up to 250 people. There are showers, toilets, and changing cabins. And, of course, there is a lot of pleasant and rich pastime in nature: picnic grounds and places for barbecues. We would like to thank Erdemli Municipality for the glamping park.

Entertainment

The city recently welcomed a multi-disciplinary Traffic Park, a traffic education and entertainment complex with many sports facilities. The Traffic Park opened its doors in Yenisehir. It covers an area of about 12,000 sq. m, which is the first such large-scale and multifunctional complex in Mersin. There is a special area with transport markings for children’s cars, but with all the “adult” details: traffic lights, zebra signs, and road signs. There are also several areas for mini-golf, floor chess, and tables for table tennis. Of course, all related infrastructure is present: cafes, fast food restaurants, and other retail outlets where you can have a snack are available for visitors. And with a library nearby, Traffic Park has also created a reading room where parents can pass the time.
Mersin also got its own lavender garden this year, for which local businesswoman Feride Mutlu is to be thanked. She was inspired by the famous lavender fields of Isparta, which are popular all over the world and have become an Instagram location. Now you don’t have to go to Isparta: Mersin has its own “sea of lavender”, which not only pleases the locals but is expected to attract many tourists to the new location. Moreover, everything necessary for a comfortable holiday is available here: platforms and accessories for photo shoots, growth frames, decorative swings, etc. And here you can also buy lavender products: oil and honey. Where is it located? Look for the lavender field in the Küstülü neighbourhood.

Mersin: Why is it convenient to live there?

Sport

For example, a premiere sapsurfing tournament (organised by the Silifke Youth and Sports Department) was recently held at the Akkum public beach. And on 30 August 2023, a traditional Turkish sport, oil wrestling, was held to celebrate Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı).
Back in the summer, Erdemli also saw the opening of a new Water Amusement Centre, so now there will be even more opportunities for boating, scooters, banana boats, parasailing, and related activities.
The Turks are very much a “football nation.” So last summer, the administration of Mersin announced free lessons in this sport for all comers (from the category of children aged 7 to 13), which will last the whole school year and will be held on weekends. And the most talented children who show themselves have a chance to join a local football club and start a professional sporting career.

One last thing

In Mersin, in the Silifke district, a TV entertainment programme similar to The Last Hero is currently being filmed, only this time it is the Mexican reality show La isla el reality. Mersin was chosen because the coastline and its surroundings are remarkably picturesque; the fact that directors and film crews from other countries have chosen Mersin confirms this. So we can expect Hollywood films to be shot at this location in the near future.