Moving to Turkey from Cyprus
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Cyprus to Turkey — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Cyprus to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 29.8% cheaper than Cyprus overall. A €65,700 salary in Cyprus would need to be roughly TRY2,766,165 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ankara averages 64°F vs 80°F in Nicosia, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Cyprus to Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → TRY2,766,165
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 46.5% less
Groceries
pay 46.5% less
Transportation
pay 16.0% less
Housing
pay 57.2% less
Childcare
pay 14.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 36.6% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Cyprus to Turkey, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Cyprus to Turkey.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cyprus performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cyprus generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Cyprus performs better than Turkey across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Cyprus 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Cyprus performs better than Turkey across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Cyprus performs better than Turkey across all family life metrics.
Data: Inland Revenue Department of the Republic of Cyprus, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Nicosia | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 63°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 85°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 97°/71°F (36°/22°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nicosia | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°/42°F (15.7°/5.8°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.0°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 68°/46°F (20.1°/7.8°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 85°/59°F (29.6°/15.2°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 94°/68°F (34.3°/20.0°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 100°/73°F (37.5°/22.7°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 92°/67°F (33.6°/19.5°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 84°/61°F (28.8°/15.9°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.6°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 64°/45°F (17.8°/7.3°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
Department of Meteorology,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cyprus 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.
Cyprus passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Turkey passport holder visiting Cyprus
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 Cyprus?
Yes — Turkey is on average about 22% cheaper than Cyprus. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly TRY691,541 in Turkey on a €65,700 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Turkey has 22.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Cyprus performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkey is 2.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Cyprus.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Cyprus?
Cyprus generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 21.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 35.5 in Cyprus. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cyprus: 81).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Cyprus?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 80°F in Nicosia. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Nicosia gets 13.5 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Cyprus, the official languages are Greek and Turkish.
