Reviews of those who moved: how do expats live in Turkey?

A mild climate, a wide selection of high-quality vegetables and fruits, clean sea, mountain air, and the opportunity to buy comfortable and affordable real estate in Turkey are huge advantages of this country. It's no wonder that a large number of foreigners dream of moving to this Mediterranean state permanently.

Turk.Estate has found out what living in Turkey is like, how to live as an expat in Turkey, how to legally move to Turkey, who has a chance of emigrating from another country, how to adapt to the Turkish environment, what are the in-demand professions for immigrants, and what is the officially established minimum wage in Turkey. Please note: the article provides current prices for products as of April 2023.

Content:

• How do expats live in Turkey?
• Where do expats live in Turkey?
• Who has a chance to emigrate?
• How to adapt to the Turkish culture?
• In-demand jobs for expats
• The official minimum wage in Turkey
• Expats feedback
• Turk.Estate will help you choose and buy apartments in Turkey

How do expats live in Turkey?

How do expats live in Turkey? For example, how much money do they spend on certain foods?

The cost of food at the market in Turkey can be lower than the store price by an average of 20%, but the quality of food is the same everywhere.

On average, the cost of a food basket has increased by 1.5–2 times in 2023 compared to previous years. However, there are ways to save money on food in Turkey.

To give you an idea of the prices, here are the average costs of popular items that foreigners often buy in markets in Turkey:

• Bread –from 6 to 12 Turkish Lira;
• Lavash –from 7 to 9 Turkish Lira per 100g;
• Croissant –from 12 to 18 Turkish Lira each;
• Tomatoes –15 Turkish Lira;
• Cucumbers –20 Turkish Lira;
• Potatoes –10 Turkish Lira;
• Cabbage –f rom 5 Turkish Lira;
• Carrots – 20 Turkish Lira;
• Onion – 8 Turkish Lira;
• Bell pepper – 25 Turkish Lira;
• Milk – from 15 to 25 Turkish Lira per liter;
• Cheese – from 200 to 300 Turkish Lira per kg;
• Cottage cheese – 100 Turkish Lira per kg;
• Kefir – from 30 to 35 Turkish Lira per liter;
• Beef (boneless) – from 250 to 350 Turkish Lira per kg;
• Chicken breast fillet – from 80 to 110 Turkish Lira per kg.

One US dollar in May 2023 equals 20 Turkish Liras.

There are several ways to save money on groceries:

• Buy vegetables and fruits at the market and everything else at supermarkets like Migros, Metro, or Carrefour;
• Carrefour and Migros offer their own product lines, similar to Walmart or Target, which is a great way to save money if you're on a tight budget;
• When you enter the supermarket, grab the catalog with discounted offers. Discounts can be significant – up to 40%;
• The Carrefour chain, in particular, offers many great discounts;
• Eating fruits during the season is both cost-effective and healthy;
• The cheapest meat in Turkey is chicken, especially if you buy a whole chicken;
• There is a wide variety of pasta products in Turkey, and all of them are attractive in terms of price.

If we've covered food, what about transportation around the city? How much does public transportation cost and is it necessary to have your own car in Turkey?

Buying and maintaining a car in Turkey can be expensive and is not affordable for every citizen of the republic. For example, one liter of regular gasoline costs about 21 lira or $1.06.

However, riding on a bus or tram is also quite costly. The cost of a bus or tram ride in Antalya in 2023 is 8 lira or $0.40. In Istanbul, one trip using an "Istanbulkart" card costs 9.90 lira or $0.50.

Medical insurance.

Expats in Turkey can obtain medical insurance and pay for medical services at a significant discount. However, even with medical insurance, it is not possible to call an ambulance home if the patient is able to get out of bed. This is why those who need emergency assistance but are able to walk will have to make their way to the hospital themselves.

Where do expats live in Turkey?

Foreigners in Turkey mostly choose Istanbul, Antalya, Alanya, Mahmutlar, Konyaalti, Oba, and Izmir as their permanent place of residence. These cities are seeing the construction of new comfortable residential complexes with prices that are affordable for foreigners with average incomes. If you need housing to obtain a Turkish residence permit, please note that in areas where the number of foreigners has reached 20% of the total population, the issuance of Ikamet (Turkish residence permit) has been suspended. For example, in Alanya, applications for residence permits in Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar, and Kargicak are not being registered.

Who has a chance to emigrate?

There are many opportunities for emigration to Turkey. A residence permit in the country can be obtained on one of the following grounds:

• Marriage to a Turkish citizen.
• Employment. You can get a job with a local or foreign legal company.
• Studying at a university in the country, which lasts 4–5 years, can be the basis for obtaining a residence permit in Turkey.
• Buying property worth $400,000 in Turkey not only allows you to obtain a residence permit but also grants citizenship.
• Opening and conducting business in Turkey.
• Reuniting with relatives who are native inhabitants of the country.

Type of residence permit in Turkey

How to adapt to the Turkish culture?

Despite the fact that many foreigners with knowledge of English live in the resort areas of the country, learning the local language will help you to adapt quickly to life in Turkey. Free linguistic courses are available at municipal offices in major cities to help you learn Turkish. In addition to these free courses, there are also paid language schools.

In-demand jobs for expats

There is a whole list of in-demand professions for immigrants. For example, immigrants from other countries often hold the following positions:

• Animators in hotels
• Security guards
• Tour guides
• Receptionists at hotels

Foreign doctors, lawyers, teachers, programmers, veterinarians, and managers of medical centers and tourism companies are highly needed in Turkey. However, before starting work, they must undergo diploma recognition, a procedure known as nostrification.

The official minimum wage in Turkey

The minimum wage in Turkey in 2023 has increased by 55% compared to the 2022 figure, reaching 8,500 Turkish Lira (approximately $435). This salary is mostly earned by hotel workers who are provided with rooms and meals. As it is assumed that they have no expenses for such items, the salaries of these workers are traditionally low.

Expats feedback

Reviews from expats about Turkey can be both positive and negative, but generally more positive due to the many advantages of living in this country. Some of the advantages that many immigrants mention include the pleasant climate, low cost of food, abundance of vegetables, fruits, and greens, low prices for shoes and clothing, the ability to obtain a mortgage loan, affordable apartments in new buildings in Turkey, рdeveloped infrastructure in cities, ease of opening and running your own business, and so on.

There are fewer negatives mentioned in reviews, and they generally include the following: the limited availability of pork products in small quantities and high prices for them, high prices for tobacco and alcohol, a 4% tax on real estate purchases, as well as taxes on maintaining apartments in Turkey and commercial premises, expensive medical services, and costly maintenance of private vehicles.

Turk.Estate will help you choose and buy apartments in Turkey

Turk.Estate will help you choose and buy real estate in Turkey at a good price! The aggregator's database contains numerous offers for the sale of the best apartments in cities such as Alanya, Kemer, Mahmutlar, Antalya, Istanbul, Izmir, and others.