{"id":25282,"date":"2025-01-22T16:34:45","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T15:34:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.foyerglobalhealth.com\/?post_type=destinationcpt&p=25282"},"modified":"2025-06-27T09:30:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T07:30:35","slug":"the-cost-of-living-in-turkey","status":"publish","type":"destinationcpt","link":"https:\/\/globalhealth.insurance\/destination\/the-cost-of-living-in-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"The cost of living in Turkey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you fallen in love with the charms of Turkey after a family holiday or a business trip? Before you settle there, it is normal to wonder how much money you should plan for each month to live in Turkey. In this guide, Global Health answers this question and explains all the expense items associated with the cost of living in Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview of the average cost of living in Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For a single person, the monthly budget for living in Turkey is \u20ac970 <\/strong>on average. By contrast, a family of four needs a monthly budget of around \u20ac2,800<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These estimates are based on the largest expense items for living in Turkey, namely rent, shopping, transportation, healthcare and leisure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Services<\/th>Average price in Turkey<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Average net salary<\/td>\u20ac665 per month<\/td><\/tr>
Rent for a small apartment<\/td>Between \u20ac390 and \u20ac560 per month<\/td><\/tr>
Purchase price of an apartment per m2<\/td>1,080 to \u20ac1,820<\/td><\/tr>
Petrol (1 L)<\/td>\u20ac1.14<\/td><\/tr>
Telephone flat rate (calls + 10 GB data)<\/td>\u20ac9<\/td><\/tr>
Restaurant meal<\/td>\u20ac32 for two people<\/td><\/tr>
Cinema ticket<\/td>\u20ac5.45<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
The above values are indicative.<\/em> Source: <\/em>Numbeo 2024<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Currency and exchange rates in Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The official currency in Turkey is the Turkish lira, abbreviated as TRY and symbolised by \u2018\u20ba\u2019. The banknotes in circulation are worth 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Turkish lira. Today, 1 TRY is worth \u20ac0.027, i.e. 36.60 TRY to get \u20ac1 (index of 11 December 2024).<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It should be noted that Turkey has been experiencing a \u2018dollarisation\u2019 of its market for several years<\/strong>. It is now common to make payments in US dollars, especially when larger amounts are involved. Currently, 1 USD is equal to 34.87 TRY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living and rent in Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The property market in Turkey<\/strong> is booming, which is reflected in rising prices and increased investment in the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On average, you should plan for 20,470 Turkish Lira (\u20ac560) in the city centre and 14,255 Turkish Lira (\u20ac390) on the outskirts of the city to rent a small apartment. The price per square metre for an apartment ranges from 394,000 to 68,000 Turkish Lira (\u20ac1,080 to \u20ac1,820).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Photo<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

However, property prices in Turkey vary greatly from city to city. To give you a rough idea of your budget, here is a comparative table of prices in the main Turkish cities (in \u20ac):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accomodation<\/th>Price in Ankara<\/strong><\/strong><\/th>Price in Istanbul<\/strong><\/strong><\/th>Price in Izmir<\/strong><\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Renting an apartment (1 bedroom) in the city centre<\/td>\u20ac600<\/td>\u20ac875<\/td>\u20ac560<\/td><\/tr>
Rent for a one-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the city<\/td>\u20ac400<\/td>\u20ac550<\/td>\u20ac370<\/td><\/tr>
Average purchase price per square metre in the city centre<\/td>\u20ac1,520<\/td>\u20ac3,120<\/td>\u20ac1,700<\/td><\/tr>
Average purchase price per square metre on the outskirts of the city<\/td>\u20ac1,010<\/td>\u20ac1,660<\/td>\u20ac980<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
The above figures are indicative.<\/em> Sources<\/em> : Ankara<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Istanbul<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Izmir<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Food prices in Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the shopping budget is the largest expenditure item in Turkey, prices for basic foodstuffs are among the lowest in Western Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food item<\/th>Average price in Turkey<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Milk (1 L)<\/td>\u20ac0.89<\/td><\/tr>
Water (1,5 L)<\/td>\u20ac0.33<\/td><\/tr>
Bread (500 g)<\/td>\u20ac0.94<\/td><\/tr>
12 Eggs<\/td>\u20ac1.54<\/td><\/tr>
Local cheese (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac9.65<\/td><\/tr>
Chicken fillet (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac5.35<\/td><\/tr>
Meat (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac17.60<\/td><\/tr>
Apples (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac0.90<\/td><\/tr>
Bananas (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac1.90<\/td><\/tr>
Tomatoes (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac1.13<\/td><\/tr>
Potatoes (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac0.52 <\/td><\/tr>
Onions (1 kg)<\/td>\u20ac0.50<\/td><\/tr>
Local beer (500 ml)<\/td>\u20ac1.90<\/td><\/tr>
Imported beer (330 ml)<\/td>\u20ac2.50<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
The above figures are indicative.<\/em> <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Transport in Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Metro: <\/strong>If you are planning to live in Ankara, Istanbul or Izmir, there is the option of travelling by metro for an average price of 20 TRY (\u20ac0.55) per journey. In Istanbul, you can use the Istanbulkart<\/a>, a public transport card that allows you to use the metro, bus and tram. The card costs 130 TRY (\u20ac3.56) to purchase and can be topped up as much as you like. The base price is 20 TRY per trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tram: <\/strong>The average cost for a single trip by tram is around 15 Turkish Lira (\u20ac0.41).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bus: <\/strong>It is also possible to travel by bus. The average cost is 18.28 Turkish Lira (\u20ac0.50) per trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taxi: <\/strong>The following basic prices apply for taxi rides<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

City<\/th>Taxi prices<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Ankara<\/td>31,92 \u20ba (\u20ac0.87)<\/td><\/tr>
Istanbul<\/td>30 \u20ba (\u20ac0.82)<\/td><\/tr>
Antalya<\/td>29 \u20ba (\u20ac0.79)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
The above figures are indicative.<\/em> <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On average, 22.90 TRY (\u20ac0.63) per additional kilometre driven is added to this price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Car: <\/strong>Most people in Turkey also use their cars to get around. The roads are well maintained, and the road network is relatively well developed. You should expect to pay around 41.67 Turkish Liras (\u20ac1.14) per litre of petrol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plane: <\/strong>Finally, you can also book a flight for longer distances. The price of a ticket depends on the distance. For example, a one-way flight from Ankara to Izmir with Turkish Airlines costs from 4,970 TRY (\u20ac142).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health costs in Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A few years ago, Turkey launched a programme to transform the healthcare system<\/strong>, which is intended to improve medical care<\/a> in Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the current Turkish healthcare system<\/a> has a modern infrastructure and offers high-quality care, particularly in the private sector. Although progress has been made in the public healthcare sector, access to medical care is still limited and waiting times are still relatively long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the prices for certain treatments in the private sector:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical services<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/th>Average price in Turkey<\/strong><\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Consultation with a general practitioner<\/td>550 \u2013 1,100 \u20ba (\u20ac15 – \u20ac30)<\/td><\/tr>
Consultation with a specialist<\/td>1,100 \u2013 1,830 \u20ba (\u20ac30 – \u20ac50)<\/td><\/tr>
Teleconsultation with a doctor<\/td>from 695 \u20ba (\u20ac19)<\/td><\/tr>
Teeth whitening at a specialised facility<\/td>7,330 \u20ba (\u20ac200)<\/td><\/tr>
Childbirth<\/td>139,270 \u2013 310,430 \u20ba (\u20ac3,800 \u2013 \u20ac8,470)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
The above figures are indicative.<\/em> <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In order to get comprehensive cover for themselves and their family, many expats in Turkey choose to take out private international health insurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guarantees high-quality medical services and ensures that they have health insurance cover that is valid in Turkey, their home country and anywhere else in the world. It is the ideal solution for peace of mind when travelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Education in Turkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is the possibility of sending smaller children to a private school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n