Moving to Turkey from Massachusetts

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Massachusetts to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 46.0% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly TRY2,174,259 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 ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Massachusetts to Turkey.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 TRY2,174,259

To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 59.4% less

Groceries

pay 56.0% less

Transportation

pay 6.9% less

Housing

pay 77.2% less

Childcare

pay 67.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 52.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 47.14 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.

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 42% less than cities in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts

Cambridge 85%
Worcester 73%

Turkey

Istanbul 49%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts and Turkey stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
TR
32.1%

Massachusetts performs better than Turkey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
TR
81.0%

Massachusetts performs better than Turkey across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
TR
9.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
TR
$34,400

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 yrs
TR
76.2 yrs

Massachusetts performs better than Turkey across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boston Ankara
Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 83°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 55°/37°F (13°/3°C)
View all months
Month Boston Ankara
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C)
Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C)
Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C)
May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C)
Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C)
Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C)
Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C)
Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C)
Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C)
Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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 Massachusetts?

Generally yes: Turkey runs about 39% cheaper than Massachusetts 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 TRY543,565 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 Massachusetts and Turkey.

How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Massachusetts?

Massachusetts performs better than Turkey across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.

What language do they speak in Turkey?

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

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At a Glance

TR
Population 6,547,629 83,047,706
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