How Much Does It Cost to Live in Turkey?
Undoubtedly, wherever in the world we are dreaming of going, the cost of living is a driving factor that helps us decide.
That is why the living conditions in Turkey determine whether we should move there permanently or not and when it comes to daily spending Turkey can be a surprisingly cheap place.
In Turkey, as in any other country, the most expensive places to live are busy hubs of business, tourism, and economics.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Turkey
RESTAURANTS
Due to the heavy taxes that Turkey has placed on alcohol, visiting restaurants daily can make a huge hole in your budget.
A person who likes drinking one glass of alcohol with the meal will pay an average of $3 just for the drink, depending on the brand.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $3.71 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $2.12 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.27 |
MARKETS
When you take into consideration the food prices in Turkey, you will find out that the cost of groceries here is more reasonable than in neighboring European destinations.
If you are savvy enough to follow the ways residents supply themselves with goods, you will be able to save quite an amount on food.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.92 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $0.43 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.58 |
TRANSPORTATION
The cost of gasoline is neither as high as in some European countries nor too low to be considered affordable.
Many Turks drive and driving is hectic, so it is not advisable for newcomers, especially in major cities.
Car owners should also have in mind other expenses like registration, insurance, and repairs.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $0.42 |
| Monthly Pass | $21.22 |
| Gasoline | $1.17 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
The cost of utilities in Turkey is not high and running a household is exceptionally cheap.
Basic services are not more than $70 per month while Internet access is quite affordable, not exceeding $16.
However, the larger apartment with more people living in them would cause these prices to grow.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $65.80 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.08 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $9.00 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
With foreign purchasing power not only that you will be able to afford tennis courts and fitness clubs, but you can make your money last longer in Turkey.
Entertainment is affordable here, especially the cinema tickets which cost less than $3 for the latest cinema release.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $20.27 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $11.71 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $2.65 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
If you are used to wearing comfortable, quality, and designer clothes, and you are on Turkish salaries once you get there, you might not be able to afford that luxury.
Prices are not too high as they are in some other European countries, but by Turkish standards branded apparel is expensive.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $36.04 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $28.79 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $68.94 |
RENT PER MONTH
Many newcomers who receive a salary from their home country are enjoying a luxurious lifestyle in Turkey, thanks to the low rent prices here.
However, earning a wage in Turkey would not allow you such a lifestyle, as the rent will take pretty much money and it is one of the most important expenses.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $304.66 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $194.82 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $511.69 |
HEALTHCARE
Turkey provides universal public healthcare funded through payroll contributions of about 12 percent of salary, with optional private insurance costing roughly 30 to 80 USD per month.
Out-of-pocket expenses average roughly 300 to 600 USD per person per year for medications, consultations, and hospital services.
With average monthly salaries near 900 USD, healthcare costs are moderate but noticeable for some households.
EDUCATION
Public primary and secondary schools are free, but families pay for uniforms, books, transport, and supplies each year.
Private and international schools charge from about $1,600 to $8,100 per year for tuition, with elite programs costing more.
Public universities typically charge $400 to $1,500 per year, while private universities charge roughly $2,000 to $20,000 per year, depending on the program.
Additional costs include housing, food, transport, and textbooks.
Education expenses are a meaningful share of household budgets.
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Turkey?
How high your daily costs will be, depends on the place where you live and your living habits.
The most expensive places are huge cities where all the prices are higher, including rents, daily transport costs, food shopping, and services.
Getting familiar with the fact that they are more costly, you might decide to choose a less urban area for your future living.
A family that does not have to pay rent would save more than 15% and can have a good lifestyle.
Average Costs Breakdown
Turkey: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
The minimum wage in Turkey is $534.8 a month and a single person with rent to pay would have an extremely basic lifestyle for this amount, due to the fact that the rent will take the majority of the income.
Those who earn the average amount are estimated to have enough money to cover basic expenses and lead a decent life, but this all depends on the lifestyle of each person.
Buying a property is far too pricey, being that the interest rate is 20% and more.
Turkey Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Turkey Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | MEDIUM |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | LOW |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | LOW |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| MUGGING RISK | LOW |
| TERRORISM RISK | MEDIUM |
| SCAMS RISK | MEDIUM |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | LOW |
| TAP WATER RISK | LOW |
Cost of Living by City in Turkey
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
 Ankara |
34.77 |
| Antalya |
33.78 |
| Bursa |
33.72 |
| Istanbul |
28.1 |
| Izmir |
34.03 |
I like the .work
yeet
This is actually bullshit and far from reality
Why?😅
Hi, Jordan. Why do you say so? I’m considering relocating and I’ll need information that is as accurate as possible.
Turkey is not this cheap anymore
He is correct this is so wrong , i live in Istanbul and make USD , my average cost of living an above decent life is around 4500USD a month for me and my wife and child , we eat out 1-2 times a week and don’t have a car , if you want to live in a decent neighborhood not 1 hour out of city center this will cost you minimum 1000 dollars for a half decent one bedroom , we have a 2 bedroom in a good neighborhood that costs us around 2200 usd a month . Prices in Turkey have gone up substantially in the last year due to the Russian and Iranians that left there countrys and came here with money
I mike 9000 lira a month I want to move to Turkey
I will like more information my American pension is 1000$ can I leave in turkey with this income? Please be kind and informed me. I don’t want to make a big move to be cut by surprise. Thank you
All info on Google is totally wrong u need only 600$ to live comfortably in turkey (without rent) by the way there are other expenses when you move to turkey which are costly but this is for some time until you get citizenship after that u will never had a difficulty living in Turkey
Hello
It will be tough and it depends on your standards of Living but 1000 does not go very far anymore for someone use to a 1st world life
Yes you can live in Turkey
Yes you can live in Turkey and have a reasonable life. But it depends where you want to live. My husband and I spend approximately # $1300 per month. We own our home here, so no rent, we have a car, eat well, but cannot afford to go to restaurants much, maybe twice per month. We live in Dalyan, Mugla, a tourist area.
This is actually good.
You’d be okay for a living if you have an income of over 5000 TL per month, So $1000 is around 7500 TL which is more than enough for living in Turkey.
Any info about health treatment in Turkey and is the medication expensive
Thanks
Yes medication is little expensive especially doctor checkup is so expansive
Before to move you have to visit first and do some research.
I will really love to relocate from Nigerian to Turkey but I need more informations and I need guidance
I would love to go to turkey
I will really love to relocate from Nigerian to turkey and I need to know more information about it and i need a guidance
Rising cost for holidaymakers
Currently in Kalkan Turkey. Here prices can go up daily. Many menus and drinks list cross out previous price and add new one. An Effes beer 0.5 litre in restaurants can range from 55 to 90 TL. In supermarket 28. Local bread has risen 1 TL to 4. A meal in a restaurant with one main course each and 2 Effes beer for two persons costs on average 650 TL
I lived last 6 months there
Let me tell you about my opinions about Turkey. 7/12/2022
1 usd dolar – 17.32 TL today
Beautiful nature and if you make US dollars living is cheap there BUUUUUUT; almost everybody is angry because of political unrest. Economically Turkey is drowning.
Houses are not really maintained, and nobody cares about zoning laws. They cut forests or burn them to build houses illegally. Parks are rare and they are never maintained. I see people throwing trash like it is their tradition.
While driving, be incredibly careful because people get out of their car and they confront you, they might attack you physically because Police enforcement are not strong. They know if they beat you, they will be released in a day. It happened to me there, they tried to open my car door and attack me.
There are a lot of people under poverty line and they do not care if they will be in jail and they steal whatever they can and they are everywhere. I stayed and tried to hang out in luxurious places thinking those places would be safer but it was a delusion. Nobody can protect you there but yourself. Just be careful.
Really . Which slums did you visit
May 2012 spent some time in Antalya,fantastic people ,friendly and courteous
Parks well kept apart from tourists littering but street cleaners working late in the night ,streets actually clean .Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?
Average rent price 250 ? Where did you find those cells ?
I want to live there
I am making 32883.18 TL per month on my country, is this enough to live in Turkey?
It's enough
It’s enough money to get by
It’s interesting to hear that Turkey can be affordable, but I can’t help but wonder how much the rising costs in popular areas might impact day-to-day life. It seems like the allure of a low-cost lifestyle could quickly diminish in the tourist spots. Would be good to dive deeper into what “affordable” really means in different regions.