Moving to Turkey from Denmark

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Denmark to Turkey — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Denmark to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 44.1% cheaper than Denmark overall. A DKK490,200 salary in Denmark would need to be roughly TRY2,195,238 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ankara averages 64°F vs 52°F in Copenhagen, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Denmark to Turkey.

What does your salary buy?

DKK490,200 TRY2,195,238

To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 66.8% less

Groceries

pay 59.6% less

Transportation

pay 46.0% less

Housing

pay 61.5% less

Childcare

pay 3.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 48.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 DKK = 7.21 TRY (July 2026)

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 Denmark to Turkey, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
272 ↓ 38% vs 2022

people moved from Denmark to Turkey · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Turkey?

Top countries of origin for Turkey's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Denmark to Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

DK
1.0
TR
2.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DK
2.3
TR
6.5

Denmark performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

DK
$7,262
TR
$1,769
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

DK
43.8
TR
21.7

Denmark generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DK
13.0
TR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DK
4.3t
TR
5.4t

Denmark performs better than Turkey across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

DK
45.0
TR
22.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DK
26.4%
TR
43.4%

Denmark performs better than Turkey across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DK
5.1%
TR
9.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DK
$72,000
TR
$34,400

Denmark generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DK
81.7 yrs
TR
76.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DK
3.0
TR
19.4

Denmark performs better than Turkey across all family life metrics.

Data: Danish Central Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Copenhagen Rain: 20.7 in/yr (525 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Copenhagen Ankara
Jan–Mar 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C) 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/44°F (15°/7°C) 72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/53°F (19°/12°C) 83°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/37°F (8°/3°C) 55°/37°F (13°/3°C)
View all months
Month Copenhagen Ankara
Jan 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C)
Feb 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C)
Mar 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C) 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C)
Apr 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C) 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C)
May 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C)
Jun 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C) 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C)
Aug 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C) 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C)
Oct 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C) 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C)
Nov 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C) 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C)
Dec 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C) 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C)

Data: Danish Meteorological Institute Danish Meteorological Institute, Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Denmark 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.

Denmark passport

Denmark passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Denmark passport holders can enter Turkey without a visa.
Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Denmark

Visa Required
Turkey passport holders need a visa to enter Denmark.

Data: 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 Denmark?

Yes — Turkey is on average about 38% cheaper than Denmark. 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 TRY548,810 in Turkey on a DKK490,200 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?

Denmark performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkey is 2.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Denmark.

How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Denmark?

Denmark 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 43.8 in Denmark. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Denmark: 82).

What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Denmark?

The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 52°F in Copenhagen. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Copenhagen gets 20.7 in.

What language do they speak in Turkey?

The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Denmark, the official language is Danish.

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At a Glance

DK TR
Population 5,920,767 83,047,706
Currency Danish Krone (DKK) Turkish Lira (TRY)
Languages Danish Turkish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +45 +90
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 112 112