Living in Türkiye May 2024

@Fandango2020 Depends on definition of comfortable living, in my view USD 3 K per month is needed, but that includes alcohol, cigarettes and restaurants. (The 3 K also includes health insurance, taxes, depreciation and a possible flights to family).

Life is expensive. I see some posts on YouTube where you can comfortably for EUR 700 pm (rubbish).

USD 1700 for a couple is possible, but definitely no lavish lifestyle.

We own our duplex, so renting is no consideration, but still ...

@Fandango2020

I'll generally agree with your $1700 per month needed but as cdw057 stated "comfortably" is a relative term and depends on the cost of habits/norms of individuals.  The other variable is the cost of living in the city one resides in.  My destination city is Eskisehir whose cost of living according to Numbeo is roughly 77% of Istanbul.  But as you assert, I think generally $1700 as a baseline is a good number.  One just has to adjust for  personal circumstances/expectations.

Good Post, Thanks

Gino

@Gino_C yes indeed.   Believe me 54,500 Lira per ($1,700) is great for a couple.  that owns their own apartment, Even, if they rent, they will live above average that is if you think comffie is not good enough word.    thanks Gino for your input always.   

@cdw057 thanks ...  $ 3,000 per month is way over board.  for $ 3,000 per month you live like a king in Turkiye      my suggestions is for those who's pension is between $2,200 and

$1,700 per month, they can live great in here so they have an idea what the least they need to live Fine.  forget about commffffffieeeee bad word.   i live comffiiiiieeeeeee  with $1,700 per month and i save the rest of my pension in USA bank.   Take care and easy on the drinks is bad for your liver.. hear from you soon.  Take care.

@Fandango2020

Just to give a breakdown (I think I posted before), I live in Alanya (Mahmutlar) so items may be more expensive

Important is that we own and do not rent.

-Healthcare (we are with Allianz) EUR 250 for the couple pm (SGK is possible but not so much cheaper and the Hospitals are in Allianz Network speak English/German and Russian).

-As per above whereas Allianz pays for almost everything, they do not pay for everything (Cardiology for example), also the hospital likes to take bloodtests (massively), the medicines subscribed are (partially re-imbursed by Allianz) are around EUR 20 pm

-Alcohol is a major expense (I think around EUR 400 pm)

-Smoking (3 packages per day) lets say EUR 200 pm

-Restaurants is a major item (EUR 700 pm) ,than again saving on groceries

-Groceries I count EUR 400 pm

-Taxes and mandatory insurance EUR 20 pm

-Aidat (far too low) is EUR 30 pm

-Extending Ikamet (support and taxes) EUR 600 (so EUR 30 pm)

-Netflix and Audible EUR 20 pm

-Internet EUR 15 (100 mb)

-Clothing (not for me) EUR 40 pm

-Depreciation of TV/Dishwasher/Washing machine/Laptop/.... EUR 100 pm

-Small repairs EUR 50 pm

-Support (tips) EUR 30 pm

-Water (big bottles) EUR 12 pm

-Electricity EUR 15

-Water EUR 5

-Provision for going home by flight  (funeral etc) EUR 100 pm

-Public transport and taxis, EUR 20 pm

-Provision to actually get my pension (I lived in Netherlands, UK, Luxembourg and Hungary) EUR 50 pm

Perhaps it does not add up to EUR 3K, but I think it is close, if you deduct alcohol, cigarettes and restaurants USD 1700 is fine I think

As one of the reasons to come to Turkey (especially for my wife) is to live like a king, but honestly (apart from alcohol and restaurants) not too excessive

@cdw057 We do not have a car (a big savings I think)

@cdw057 here you go. so 1,700 is reasonable for the poor folkes like me

Thanks cdw

@cdw057 We do... that was a must..  thankfully we purchased back in 2019  it was way way cheaper than now.     now the Full coverage is around 12,000 plus liabilty another 6000 it is 18,000 per year.  it was 1800 TL total full coverage per year as far back as 2019 . 

we hate Taxis... so owning a turkish car is the best in the long run.

@Fandango2020 Thanks, as far as transport is concerned, I have a Turkish driving license (I changed from Hungarian), but honestly driving here (where we live) too many accidents. I am scared a bit, close to our home we have an honest taxi company which we use (especially going to the hospital), going back we mostly use a bus (you probably know TRY 20 per person (admittedly with bus it is no pleasure)).

Incredibly how taxi drivers (from Alanya) can be greedy (we look and we are foreigners (but residents))

Hospital is not an every day event and for my wife it is no problem to go to wool shop (excellent I have been told) or other places (but she does not use it frequently (everything in walking distance)). (Repairs on car and possible issues in a case of an accident is a concern for me)

As mentioned before, almost everything is in crawling distance, which is a great, great plus.