Moving to Turkey from California
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from California to Turkey — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from California to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 64.5% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly TRY1,320,000 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Istanbul averages 65°F vs 75°F in Los Angeles, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Turkey cheaper than California?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 58.2% less
Groceries
pay 67.7% less
Transportation
pay 21.1% less
Housing
pay 80.3% less
Childcare
pay 59.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.4% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Turkey?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → TRY1,320,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Turkey cost about 48% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Turkey
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from California to Turkey, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to Turkey · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How California and Turkey stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
California performs better than Turkey across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Turkey across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs better than Turkey across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Turkey across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Turkey vs California
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Los Angeles | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/49°F (21°/10°C) | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Los Angeles | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/48°F (20.1°/8.8°C) | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) |
| Feb | 69°/49°F (20.3°/9.6°C) | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 70°/51°F (21.2°/10.6°C) | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) |
| Apr | 73°/53°F (22.6°/11.9°C) | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) |
| May | 74°/57°F (23.6°/13.9°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) |
| Jun | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C) | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) |
| Jul | 83°/64°F (28.4°/17.6°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (29.1°/17.8°C) | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) |
| Sep | 83°/63°F (28.4°/17.3°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/59°F (25.8°/14.8°C) | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) |
| Nov | 73°/52°F (22.7°/11.1°C) | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Can you move from California to Turkey?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Turkey. To live, work, or study long-term in Turkey, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Turkey's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Turkey than California?
Generally yes: Turkey runs about 65% cheaper than California on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around TRY330,000 in Turkey for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
Working remotely from Turkey's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Turkey.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to California?
California performs better than Turkey across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to California?
The average high temperature in Istanbul is 65°F, compared to 75°F in Los Angeles. Istanbul receives around 26.7 in of rainfall per year, while Los Angeles gets 14.9 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In California, the official language is English.
