When asking how to pay bills in Turkey, there are numerous ways; hence find out which method is quick and convenient for you. For monthly bills like gas, internet, electricity, house and mobile phones, online payments are fast, and some companies in Turkey also provide online translation services for those who don't know Turkish. But, some people like old-fashioned methods of paying companies directly and we shall look at that as well.
The first way is to find out where the local office of the company is, in your town, and make the payment in person. The downside to this, in some places, is long queues. Indeed, there are always long queues at our local water and electricity offices no matter what day. Should you still want to do this, most places operate the ticket system to regulate lines.
The PTT is the post office in Turkey. You can pay bills in person from all PTT offices and give automatic payment instructions from postal cheque accounts. You can also pay bills online using the Interactive Postal Cheque Account (IPC) system. The PTT in Turkey deals with most internet and mobile phone providers, water, natural gas, electricity, and SGK Payments for expats who sign up for the Turkish government health insurance scheme. The one downside to paying via the post office is the charge for each bill. The fee is only 2.50 lira; however, add these up for all invoices, and there are cheaper ways to pay. Note – Transaction fees are not taken if you pay bills online via the PTT website or mobile application.
If you have a bank account in Turkey, pay most bills in person or via their online internet banking system. Additionally, set up standing orders for recurring monthly bills like internet, house, and mobile bills. Favoured banks with expats in Turkey because of their English-translated versions include Garanti and HSBC. If the payment is tax or SGK, use designated banks like Halk.
Turkey's water industry is privatised, so you need to know the name of the company that provides water in your district. There are also two billing methods. The first is a water metre which is pay-as-you-go. Unfortunately, those cards can't be topped up online. So instead, visit the water office. The good aspect is that water is cheap, so top up your card with something like 300 lira and the water will last for the year, depending on usage. The second method is paper billing, paid via any of the above, or online on their website using Visa or Mastercard.
In large cities of Turkey like Istanbul and Ankara, there are direct gas supplies to houses, and they receive standard bills. However, vendors sell gas bottles in other places, hence another pay-as-you-go system.
Council tax is due twice a year, generally in March and November. At any time, visit the local council offices of the district where you live. Register your telephone number with them, and they will send a text message when the council tax is due. Then pay bills online via their website, or visit the offices in person. Please note that previously, council tax bills could be carried over and just paid when you sold your house. However, the law has changed, and the local councils will enact bailiffs for unpaid bills, so it is an important bill to pay on time.
For mobile phone registrations, income tax or other entities like motor vehicle tax can only be paid at certain banks since the law changed in 2019. Designated banks include Halk, Zirat and Vakif. Alternatively, visit the local tax offices in the district where you live to make payments in person.
The e-devlet site, also known as the e-government portal, is intended to act as a one-stop shop for everything. However, there are no translation services, and to be honest, paying bills via the website is a hassle. So we find online banking easier instead.
Papara and Paycell are not banks but electronic money and payment services organisations. Download the mobile app, top up your account with funds, and pay many bills from there. They are convenient for paying bills like natural gas, electricity, Water, internet and TV. Istanbul users can also top up their Istanbul Kart. For reoccurring bills, they will let you know when one is due, and they are also handy if you want to manage your budget.
Expat Banking: When looking at expat banking in Turkey, get ready to be wowed by the mass choices and how easy it is to navigate the system. Turkey wants to attract foreign investment into the country. Therefore, many banks offer expat services to cater to your every whim, making it easy to grow and invest your savings or manage daily accounts. This article looks at banks for expats, and what to know about the banking industry in Turkey.
Buying a Car in Turkey: Foreigners can buy a car in Turkey, and in fact, many expats do that because bringing a foreign car into the country involves a lot of red tape, laws, rules, and regulations. The added advantage of a foreigner buying a car in Turkey is tax relief. Expect the best of the best from the automobile industry. New models from well-known brands hit the forecourt every month, so buy whatever dream vehicle you want.
Our Blog About Turkey: We hope this information about how to pay your bills in Turkey was useful. We are Property Turkey and aim to be as helpful to our clients as possible. So, we took our team's collective knowledge and experience to form a blog about Turkey. Including information that will help expats move and settle in, we also talk about places, destinations, food, and culture, so you can easily learn about Turkey.