Moving to Turkey from Kansas

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Kansas to Turkey — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Kansas to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 47.5% cheaper than Kansas. A $75,000 salary in Kansas would need to be roughly TRY1,970,000 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Turkey cheaper than Kansas?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 46.8% less

Groceries

pay 61.7% less

Transportation

pay 10.1% more

Housing

pay 62.6% less

Childcare

pay 21.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 41.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 49.93 TRY (November 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.

What salary do you need in Turkey?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → TRY1,970,000

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 17% less than cities in Kansas.

Kansas

Manhattan 56%
Lawrence 53%

Turkey

Fethiye 59%
Istanbul 53%
Antalya 43%
Izmir 42%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Turkey

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Kansas to Turkey, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,728 ↓ 44% vs 2022

people moved from United States 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

How Kansas and Turkey stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

KS
36.8%
TR
28.8%

Turkey performs significantly better than Kansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2025

share of households with internet

KS
89.5%
TR
89.8%

Turkey performs significantly better than Kansas across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KS
3.4%
TR
8.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

KS
$60,996
TR
$18,599

Kansas performs better than Turkey across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

KS
76.4 yrs
TR
77.4 yrs

Turkey performs significantly better than Kansas across all family life metrics.

Weather in Turkey vs Kansas

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Wichita Rain: 32.6 in/yr (829 mm)
68° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Istanbul Rain: 26.7 in/yr (678 mm)
65° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Wichita Istanbul
Jan–Mar 49°/28°F (10°/-2°C) 49°/38°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 71°/54°F (21°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/66°F (32°/19°C) 81°/64°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) 60°/48°F (16°/9°C)
View all months
Month Wichita Istanbul
Jan 42°/22°F (5.8°/-5.6°C) 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C)
Feb 48°/26°F (9.0°/-3.3°C) 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C)
Mar 58°/35°F (14.4°/1.7°C) 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C)
Apr 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.9°C) 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C)
May 77°/55°F (24.8°/12.9°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C)
Jun 87°/65°F (30.4°/18.3°C) 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C)
Jul 92°/70°F (33.5°/21.0°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C)
Aug 91°/69°F (32.9°/20.4°C) 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C)
Sep 83°/60°F (28.1°/15.3°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C)
Oct 70°/47°F (20.9°/8.3°C) 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C)
Nov 56°/35°F (13.4°/1.4°C) 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C)
Dec 44°/24°F (6.4°/-4.4°C) 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service

Can you move from Kansas 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

United States passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Turkey without a visa.
Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Turkey passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Kansas?

Generally yes: Turkey runs about 47% cheaper than Kansas 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 TRY492,500 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 Kansas and Turkey.

How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Kansas?

Turkey performs significantly better than Kansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Istanbul is 65°F, compared to 68°F in Wichita. Istanbul receives around 26.7 in of rainfall per year, while Wichita gets 32.6 in.

What language do they speak in Turkey?

The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Kansas, the official language is English.

Share this

At a Glance

TR
Population 2,977,220 85,878,556
Currency United States Dollar ($) Turkish Lira (TRY)
Languages English Turkish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +90
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112