In general, expats living in Turkey think that life in this country is cheaper than in their home countries. Along with the warm sea waters, the sunshine and well-developed infrastructure even in small towns, Turkey offers the freshest delicious fruits and vegetables all year round, cheap accommodation, low cost air travel around the country, reasonably priced healthcare services and simplified procedure for getting a residence permit.
How much will life in Turkey cost in 2020? Let's look at the main costs.
HOUSING AND UTILITIES
Buying property. Property prices depend on the region and city. More expensive property options are located in big cities (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya), apartments located in resorts are also more expensive than the country's average rates, which are 2434 liras per square meter (about €310) in 2020. The average cost of an apartment in Turkey in 2020 is 313,986 lira (about €40,000).
If you buy a property in Turkey, you have to pay an annual property tax of 0.1% to 0.6% of the value of an apartment or house.
Rent. The highest rental prices in Turkey are in large cities and resorts. However, prices can vary greatly depending on both the area of a particular city and part of a region. For instance, a long-term rent of a one-bedroom luxury apartment (in a complex with resort amenities) in one of the cities on the Anatolian coast will cost at least €200 per month. In Istanbul, you will be able to afford only a well-worn studio on the outskirts, in an ordinary apartment block without any additional amenities for this money. In a non-resort Turkish city for € 200 per month, you can rent a furnished two-, three-bedroom apartment in excellent condition.
Utility bills. The monthly utility bills include: water, electricity, aidat (a fee for maintaining a development complex). Water and electricity consumption is paid by the meters. The cost of electricity in Turkey in 2020 (including taxes) is 0.90 lira (about €0.1) for one kW ⋅ h. The cost of one cubic meter of water is 3.62 lira (about €0.45). Aydat is the monthly payment for the maintenance of a development project (including its amenities, from an elevator and parking space to swimming pools, gyms, etc.). It can vary, depending on the size and type of a development project. For example, in a simple Turkish block of flats without additional amenities, aidat can be 15-20 liras (€ 1.8-2.4), and in a premium-class complex - from 120 to 600 liras (€ 14.5-70).
FOOD
Buying food in Turkey is an extremely pleasant process. Every city has a daily farmer's bazaar that roams from district to district according to schedule (with fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, oils). Even the low-cost supermarket chains (Migros, Şok, A101, Bim and others) sell high-quality, natural products. The most expensive products are meat and alcohol, the cheapest ones are vegetables, fruits and spices. The cost of basic food products is about the same throughout the country:
- milk - from 3.95 liras per litre (€0.5);
- eggs - from 8 liras for 15 eggs (€1);
- chicken breasts - 21-25 liras per kg (€2.5-3);
- whole chicken - 9-12 liras per kg (€1-1.5);
- flour - from 6 liras per kg (€0.7);
- bread (250 g) - 1.5 liras (€0.17);
- beef - from 45 liras per kg (€5.35);
- lamb - from 50 liras (€5.9);
- sugar - from 5 liras per kg (€0.6);
- butter - 40-60 liras per kg (€4.7-5.3);
- oil - from 9 liras per litre (€1.1);
- pasta - from 1.5 liras per 0.5 kg (€0.18);
- hard cheeses - from 70-80 liras per kg (€8.3-9.5);
- tea - from 15 liras per kg (€1.83);
- fruits and vegetables - on average from 2 to 5 liras per kg (€0.24-0.6).
- beer - from 10 liras per 0.5 litre (€1.14).
INSURANCE AND HEALTHCARE
Healthcare in Turkey has significantly improved over the last few decades and now this country is a leading provider of medical services in the region. If you are staying in the country for more than three months or apply for a residence permit, you have to pay for health insurance. The low-cost healthcare insurance for a foreigner as a tourist, student or businessman will cost about $30-100 per year. You should keep in mind that the cheapest insurance package does not cover the costs of chronic diseases and dental treatment, as well as the management of pregnancy and childbirth.
RESIDENCE PERMIT
Turkey has a very friendly policy towards foreigners. You can get a residence permit for 1 and 2 years and prolong it online on the official website of the Turkish Migration Office. A residence permit (1 year) will cost you about 615 liras (about €70), for two persons - 500 liras more (€57.3).
TRANSPORT AND MOBILE PHONE
Public transport. Public transport is well developed in all parts of Turkey. The bus routes reach even the most remote mountain villages. Therefore, you can easily make it here without your own car. A city bus ticket in Turkey costs 4 lira (€ 0.48).
The internet. The internet and mobile phone packages are quite expensive, especially package designed for tourists and you should be ready to pay much more for a local SIM card at the airport. There are three internet providers in Turkey, the most popular one is TTNet (Turk Telekom). The other two are Superonline (Turkcell) and Kablo (Turksat). The average internet package in Turkey in 2020 will cost you 80 liras (€9.2) per month.
Mobile phone. There are also three main operators (Turk Telekom, Turkcell and Vodafone) and a couple of small, local ones (Pttcell, BIMcell). The smallest package with Turk Telekom (500 minutes, 1000 texts, 2 GB of data) will cost 25-32 lira per month (€ 2.90-3.66) + mobile tax (2.85 liras or €0.33). Other operators offer almost the same package rates (the smallest package is about 35 liras).
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR
The prices for clothes and footwear in Turkey are relatively low: for 1500-2000 liras (€ 170-230) will be enough to dress from head to toe in summer and demi-season clothes of low-cost brands. Many things (both clothes and shoes) are produced directly in Turkey and are sold there much cheaper than in other countries.
Prices for clothes in Turkey in 2020:
- women's and men's T-shirts - 20-25 liras per piece (€ 2.3-3);
- shirts - from 35 liras per piece (€4);
- shorts - from 40 liras per piece (€4.60);
- trousers and jeans - from 50 liras per pair (€ 5.7);
- a dress made of natural linen or cotton - from 50 liras (€ 5.7);
- sports shoes - from 60 liras per pair (€ 6.9);
- leather shoes - from 120 liras per pair (€ 13.8).