Is Turkey a Good Place to Live?

In our line of work, many clients ask us if Turkey is a good place to live? We always answer yes. We love living here and always endorse Turkey as an ideal place to retire. Do not just take our word, though. To date, Turkey is home to thousands of expats. While working expats tend to head to large cities like Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, retired expats mainly settle in Aegean and Mediterranean coastal resorts. Naturally, living on the coastline, also known as the Turkish riviera, brings with it many benefits. So, if you want to move to Turkey and wonder if it is the right lifestyle decision, let us look at what to expect when you call Turkey home.

Why Turkey is a Good Place to Live

1: Gorgeous Weather

Of course, our favourite aspect of living in Turkey is gorgeous weather. Granted, during winter, the cold north even snows on some occasions. But if you live on the Aegean or Mediterranean, expect hot summers and mild winters. Such is the delightful weather; in the Antalya region, a famous saying goes during winter, expats ski in the morning and swim in the sea in the afternoon. Apart from January and February, which tend to be rainy months in Turkey, expect roughly 300 days of sunshine a year.

2: Outdoor Lifestyle

So, what does gorgeous weather encourage? An outdoor lifestyle which all doctors agree is good for our health. Think a balcony breakfast and dinner al fresco style on rooftop terraces. Spend days around the pool or on the beach. Alternatively, this is the time to indulge in hobbies and leisure pursuits. At the weekend, we get in the car and drive to the lakeside for a traditional, organic Turkish breakfast, and then spend the day hitting the open road and exploring where it takes us.

3: Turkish Cuisine

While fast-food establishments exist in Turkey, we love that Turks still believe their national cuisine is the best. They insist on using fresh ingredients, herbs, and spices for cooking traditional homemade food fit for a king. Their cuisine is about more than stereotypical kebabs, from simple mezes (appetizers) to main meals and sweet desserts. So, when you live in Turkey, do take time out to eat in a lokanta (Turkish restaurant) and sample dishes made from time-honoured recipes. (26 Turkish dishes to try.)

4: Low Cost of Property

Many expats retire to Turkey because low property prices enable foreigners to get their foot on the Turkish housing ladder, and Turkey simplified their home buying process. If everything is in place, homebuyers even receive their title deeds on the same day. If you are thinking of moving to Turkey and buying property, browse our portfolio of apartments and villas for sale. Each listing contains everything to know, including home features, location, price, and contact details to find out more or arrange a viewing.

5: Low Cost of Living in Turkey

Opportunities to save money also exist in day to day living. Retirees in Turkey make their pensions stretch even further. This is because they currently get an excellent exchange rate for the Turkish lira. As a result, property running costs are next to nothing compared to western countries. In addition, many people who moved to Turkey deposited large amounts of money into high-interest savings accounts. So, after paying tax, they withdraw the interest monthly for an additional source of income without touching their net worth.

6: Beautiful Places and Beaches

From the Northern Kackar mountains to sandy Mediterranean beaches, Turkey’s amazing landscapes are hard to ignore. Places of natural beauty like the white calcium pools of Pamukkale and Cappadocia’s rock fairy chimneys count themselves as Turkey’s top-visited attractions. In addition, its beaches rank highly, and Trip Advisor users voted Cleopatra’s beach in Alanya as one of the world’s best. Exploring Turkey’s many beautiful landscapes is a great way to settle into your new home. (Beautiful places in Turkey to put on your bucket list.)

7: Turkish Culture

When expats move to Turkey, they settle in with ease. One reason is the welcoming hospitality of Turkish culture. A proverb says every stranger is a friend, and this reflects in local communities. Whereas in western countries, we are wary of strangers, expect to hear odd greetings when you walk down the street. Additionally, your new neighbours will be more than pleased to welcome you to the neighbourhood. (8 strange things about the Turkish culture.)

8: What Language Barrier?

One aspect some people worry about when moving to Turkey is the language barrier. Granted, if you live in big cities, or choose a small remote village, you might have a few problems. However, for expats who settle in touristic resorts, many locals speak foreign languages since their tourism trade relies on this. So, the language barrier will not be a big problem, but we advise learning a word a day when you move here. (Useful Turkish language phrases everyone should know.)

Expat Living in Turkey

So, as you can see, there are eight good reasons why expats love living in Turkey, and if you spoke to any expat, they would come up with plenty more. Of course, though, there is much more to living in Turkey, such as necessities like banking, residency permit, healthcare and on occasions, expats get struck by homesickness. Our article on the expat guide to Turkey talks all about these and what to do.

About Us

We are Property Turkey, a real estate and lifestyle specialist with offices in many different towns and cities, including Istanbul, Bodrum, Antalya and Fethiye. We have helped hundreds of people move to Turkey to live here all year round and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. We also took our collective years of experience and local knowledge to form our blog about Turkey, which will be helpful to anyone asking if Turkey is a good place to live.