Has living expenses become expensive in Turkey?

Knowing the prices and the living expenses in Turkey, especially the living expenses in Istanbul, is an important factor regarding the stay of most of the investors and foreigners in Turkey, students also are interested in staying in Turkey after finishing their studies and finding a suitable job to stay and settle, in this article, we will discuss the living conditions in Turkey and the living expenses especially for new comers who’s looking to reside in or Buying a property in Turkey, or invest in it. Keeping in mind Turkey's social, intellectual and economic progress, it has become a destination for many to reside in live in its cities, as it has all the ingredients on which the European Renaissance and developed countries were based, also, Turkish society enjoys respect and preservation of the neighboring rules, which makes the investor or resident feel safe and secure, this is the first thing a person residing in Turkey is looking for.

Quality of life in Turkey:

Turkey is considered a favorable country especially among Arabs for residing, it has a higher quality of life that middle east countries, also, the customs and traditions of the Turkish people are close to those of the East, and the quality of living in Turkey is measured according to several criteria, which are:

1. Purchasing power.
2. The level of security in the country which is very high.
3. Turkey’s wonderful climate and moderate weather.
4. Advanced medical care for Turkish people and foreigners.
5. Living expenses in Turkey
6. Public transportation and congestion.

Living advantages in Turkey:

There are many advantages that makes Turkey a suitable country for residing in settling which are:

1. Turkish people traditions that are close from Arabs traditions which lacks complications, since the Turkish people are famous for simplicity in their lives and the calmness of their living system.
2. Turkey’s location between Asian and European continents which made it open for the European and Middle Eastern markets, making it suitable for trading.
3. Free education for children and all age groups, and the existence of the scholarship system in Turkey, as well as the abundance of Turkish universities with advanced international standards and the diversity of specializations in various fields.
4. The abundance of job opportunities in various fields.
5. Encouragement by the Turkish government to establish investment projects by foreigners in Turkey and to obtain Turkish citizenship through real estate investment.
6. Turkey’s moderate climate and calm weather.

Living disadvantages in Turkey:

1. Your knowledge of other languages may not help you to integrate with the Turkish people. The language barrier may get you into trouble, and you will miss a lot of understanding of others.
2. Foreigners may be exposed to some forms of real estate fraud when they buy a property in Turkey, or tourists are sometimes robbed, or they buy products that are more expensive than their real price, or take a high fee for receiving a service.
3. There are many people who practice unlicensed business, such as real estate marketers or some foreign medical clinics.
4. Lately some forms of racism started to show up that are being practiced by some Turkish citizen against foreigners, but this does not necessarily mean that you are exposed to it.
5. Residing and living in some random places might expose you and your family to danger and robbery, therefore, be sure to choose living in compounds which have high security system.

Living Expenses in Turkey:

There are several things that go into calculating the cost of living in Turkey, which are:

• Residence, is it inside a compound, or a touristic apartment rental, or residing in a hotel.
• Food expenses, which considered cheap compared to other European countries, since Turkey has many Arab restaurant from all over the Arab world, in addition to the distinctive and famous Turkish food which suits all tastes in the society.
• Monthly utility bills: Electricity, water, gas, and internet, costs vary depending on family’s consumption, but on average the total starts from 100$.
• Education expenses: This one varies depending on the wanted school, since the public Turkish schools are totally free, and available for all age groups, that said, international private schools’ prices vary, private international schools with an American curriculum start at 5,000$ per academic year, while private international schools with an Arabic curriculum start at 3500$.
• Clothing expenses: Which considered cheap compared to European countries given that Turkey is one of the countries that manufactures high-quality clothes.
• Health insurance expenses, it varies depending on the type of the insurance, is it full insurance, or is it an insurance only to get the touristic residence permit, this type is weak and only covers emergency cases.
• Transport expenses: It varies depending on the type of transportation, is it a taxi or a public transportation bus, or a metro, since the cost of public transportation for students and elderlies are cheaper than a regular person.

Living expenses in Turkey for university students:

Living expenses for students in Turkey varies depending on the university and specialization, since studying in private universities is more expensive than other universities, the cost of living in Turkey for students as fees for Turkish public universities ranges between 200 to 3000 dollars annually, as for private universities, the cost of living for students who want to complete their studies in private universities varies, as the costs range from 2000 to 15,000 dollars annually. As for the living costs for students for housing and transportation, there are many things through which they can save money:

• Living in university rooms provided by the Turkish government.
• Co-living of more than one student in a shared apartment, where they share the cost of living.
• Acquiring a transportation card for students in Turkey to save public transportation money.

Also, there are many universities that offers lowcost or free scholarships for the students to be able to continue their studies in Turkey.

Apartment rental prices in Turkey:

Renting an apartment in Turkey is considered cheap, prices depend on the city and the neighborhood, Istanbul for example: prices start from 3000 Turkish liras monthly for a one-bedroom apartment, this price can go as much as 10.000 Turkish liras monthly if the apartment has a special location, while in Ankara the prices are generally cheaper, starting from 1500 monthly for a one-bedroom apartment.

Real estate prices to live in Turkey:

Real estate prices in Turkey varies depending on the city and the apartment type and many other factors, in Istanbul for example prices start from 100k $ for a one-bedroom small apartment, going to up to 5 million $ for a very luxurious apartment, while in Ankara the prices are cheaper, starting from 50k $ for a small apartment in the cities and small towns, usually, real estate purchases are done through a real estate agent , as it is recommended in order to assist and protect the investor's interests in the buying and selling process.

Living in Turkey to acquire the Turkish citizenship:

Political stability, economic growth and the high success rate of foreign investments are among the most attractive reasons for stability in Turkey, also, the Turkish passport passport also occupies high ranks among the world’s passports, and to obtain Turkish Citizenship Law , the Turkish authorities have developed several ways for people who are allowed to obtain citizenship, which are buying a property in Turkey worth 400k $, depositing 500k $ in Turkish government investments, or establishing a company with a 500k $ capital with not selling the property or withdrawing the money deposited for a period of 3 years.

Cheapest cities to live in Turkey:

There are many cities in Turkey that are famous for cheap living expenses with charming nature, and they offer all types of services, as many foreigners live there to lower the living costs, especially big families, these cities are: Sanliurfa, Bursa, Kaysari, Hatay.

Most important advices about job opportunities and life in Turkey:

1. Settling in Turkey requires learning the Turkish language as it’s the key to everything and will make finishing daily transactions easier without the need to anyone, and it will open a wide door of job opportunities and integrating with the Turkish society.
2. Get to know the Turkish law, what's allowed and prohibited in the country.
3. Gather information and get help from the experts, either if you want to establish a project, or purchase a property in Turkey, the best choice is to get help from Europ Homes Real Estate , as it’s a safe and trustful choice.
4. Avoid a purchase from the touristic places as their prices are high, and take advantage of the discounts and offers when purchasing your needs.
5. Get to know the Turkish society’s traditions and stay away from unrecommended things to avoid being in trouble and embarrassment.
6. For the most part, Turkey depends on the electronic government, therefore, get to know the government websites and their mobile apps which will help you do your transactions easier.