Moving to Turkey from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Turkey? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 5.2% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly TRY3,764,022 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → TRY3,764,022
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 7.4% more
Groceries
pay 46.3% less
Transportation
pay 1.1% less
Housing
pay 31.7% less
Childcare
pay 26.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.2% 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.
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 17% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to Turkey.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Turkey compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on environment, though Turkey leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in top income tax rate.
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
Japan performs better than Turkey across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, 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 | Tokyo | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
On average Turkey is around 7% pricier than Japan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Budget about TRY941,006 for 3 months in Turkey (based on a ¥12,124,875 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
Connectivity is usually fine (Turkey: 22.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Turkey offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkey is 2.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 61% of people in Turkey feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Japan?
Japan 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 26.1 in Japan. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
