How much does it cost to live in Turkey? | The cost of living in Istanbul

New arrivals to Turkey have the same old question: What is the cost of living there?

The cost of living in Turkey varies from person to another. However, it is generally cheaper than other developed countries.

Why is the Cost of Living in Turkey Cheaper?

Turkey adopts a free market economy. Therefore, supply and demand govern all of the country’s commercial sectors.

Despite this, the market usually maintains its equilibrium. In other words, the government participates, when necessary, in market rectification processes. That is by controlling interest rates according to long-term tactical and strategic plans.

The Turkish industrial, agricultural and provision markets are characterized by relatively low labor costs. As a result, it enables local and foreign investors to profit reasonably, especially through exporting abroad.

Consequently, this is reflected on the cost of living in Turkey, which is cheaper than its European and Arab counterparts in various fields.

The protectionist policies adopted by the Turkish government maintain a wide gap between the prices of locally manufactured products/services and imported ones.

Why do people prefer the cost of living in Turkey?

Turkey has become a destination for people wishing to live in a stable, moderate country, with a strong infrastructure, and a modernist lifestyle. On the other hand, its customs and traditions are the closet to the Middle Eastern.

Furthermore, it offers investors, from around the world, the potential of indulging into profitable investments within the Turkish real estate sector. Likewise, seizing international commercial business opportunities, which climaxes the Turkish economy.

Above all, its accelerated scientific evolution, as Turkish universities are now competing for the top best universities in the world.

In the same context, the economy is a major factor to be taken into consideration. As mentioned above, Turkey is cheaper than many other countries, with an excellent standard of living.

In this article, detailed statistics and comparisons of many costs’ variations within different cities of Turkey are highlighted.

What is the cost of living in Turkey in general?

The cost of living in Turkey varies between the 81 Turkish provinces. So, the price of some goods and services may double from one city to another. For example, real estate, residential and commercial rent, and even the value of some taxes and fuel prices.

Cities can be divided according to cost of living in Turkey as follows:

1. Low-cost cities: such as Kocaeli, Yalova and Sakarya. Generally characterized by healthy, natural, agricultural environment, integration of services, and relatively small population.
2. Medium-cost cities: represented by state centers in general, such as Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara. They are characterized by high rates of supply and demand, due to the high number of populations.
3. Tourist-rates cities: such as Antalya and Cappadocia.

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The Costs of Bills in Turkey

Bills are among the most important fixed expenses directly reflected on the cost of living in Turkey. For instance, electricity, water and heating, monthly bills for shared services, and telecommunications.

The following table illustrates a comparison between the most prominent bill-paying costs in Turkey for moderate monthly home use:

Bills costs in Turkey	Monthly average
Gas bills: covers cooking, heating and hot water usage	70   TL (in summer) 300 TL (in winter)
Water bills	100 TL
Electricity bills	100 TL
Internet bills: depends on the service provider and the speed	Starting from 50 TL
Mobile bills – postpaid	Starting from 40 TL
Compound monthly services dues (cleaning – maintenance – security – lighting)	300 TL

Bills Information in Turkey

You can inquire about bills through the Turkish banks’ machines and smart phone applications. Firstly, by entering the subscription number. Secondly, specifying the type of service, and lastly the name of the company.

Moreover, you can know the value of the electricity bill, or any other bills, through the payment points spread in all Turkish neighborhoods. In addition to the branches of the service provider companies, and all PTT branches.

Consequently, it is easy to pay bills in Turkey through the aforementioned methods, either electronically or in person.

Transportation Fees in Turkey

There is a variety of transportation means in Turkey, including:

• Public bus lines.
• Small shuttle buses, known as: dolmush, mini bus or microbus.
• Express bus line – Metrobus.
• Conventional electric train and aerial overpass – tramway.
• Subways
• Marmaray metro (rail tunnel under the Bosphorus)
• Suspension bridges.
• Fast trains.
• Maritime transport ships, water ferries for individuals and cars, within and between cities.
• Major tunnels and highways, both free and charged.
• Airports.
• Electric scooter service

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All the above-mentioned means of transportation share one thing in common; very economical cost, starting from only 3 TL and maybe less! Moreover, special discounted rates are granted for some groups, such as teachers, students, and sometimes free of charge for the elderly and the handicapped.

Transportation Fees in Turkey

There are many easy ways to pay for transportation in Turkey. For instance, by using unified prepaid cards of various categories for each city. In addition to mobile applications and websites.

Tuition costs in Turkey

Education in Turkey consists of a network of primary, secondary, private and international schools financed and operated by the state.

With regard to public education, it is almost free of charge. Whereas, the fees of  international schools in Istanbul, for example, start from 800 dollars annually. Likewise, the cost of studying medicine in some private universities in Turkey reaches up to 20,000 US dollars annually!

In conclusion, we find that the cost of living in Turkey is very reasonable, compared to the other developed countries. There is a wide range of options for different segments of society.

To sum up, Turkey provides a space of luxury, ease of residency renewal, medical insurance, translation and certification procedures, and other legal affairs for all expatriates.

Edited by: Properties Gate©