Moving to Turkey from Philippines

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Philippines to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 39.5% more expensive than Philippines overall. A ₱4,700,000 salary in Philippines would need to be roughly TRY5,150,000 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Istanbul averages 65°F vs 88°F in Manila, making it significantly cooler.

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

Is Turkey cheaper than Philippines?

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

Restaurants

pay 2.1 times more

Groceries

pay 33.4% less

Transportation

pay 84.7% more

Housing

pay 50.3% more

Childcare

pay 2.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 51.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PHP = 0.786 TRY (October 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?

₱4,700,000 → TRY5,150,000

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 60% more than cities in Philippines.

Philippines

Pasig 30%
Angeles 28%
Batangas 25%

Turkey

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

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Turkey

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Philippines to Turkey, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
1,028 ↑ 33% vs 2022

people moved from Philippines 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 Philippines to Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

PH
4.3
TR
3.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PH
9.7
TR
6.5

Turkey performs significantly better than Philippines across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PH
$560
TR
$1,769
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PH
7.9
TR
22.4

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines 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

PH
92.0
TR
39.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PH
1.5t
TR
5.4t

Philippines generally does better on environment, though Turkey leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PH
7.1
TR
23.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PH
27.8%
TR
47.9%

Turkey generally does better on infrastructure, though Philippines leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PH
2.2%
TR
8.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PH
$4,171
TR
$18,599

Philippines generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

PH
70.0 yrs
TR
77.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PH
21.7
TR
8.0

Philippines generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Internal Revenue (2016), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Turkey vs Philippines

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Manila Rain: 86.7 in/yr (2201 mm)
88° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Manila Istanbul
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 49°/38°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) 71°/54°F (21°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) 81°/64°F (27°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) 60°/48°F (16°/9°C)
View all months
Month Manila Istanbul
Jan 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C)
Feb 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C)
Mar 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C)
Apr 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C)
May 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C)
Jun 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C)
Jul 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C)
Aug 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C)
Sep 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C)
Oct 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C)
Nov 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C)
Dec 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C)

Data: Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service

Can you move from Philippines to Turkey?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Philippines 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.

Philippines passport

Philippines passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Philippines passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Turkey.
Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Philippines

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

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 Philippines?

No — Turkey is on average about 40% more expensive than Philippines. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Turkey?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly TRY1,287,500 in Turkey on a ₱4,700,000 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 23.4 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?

Turkey performs significantly better than Philippines across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkey is 3.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.3 in Philippines.

How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Philippines?

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Philippines leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 7.9 in Philippines. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Philippines: 58).

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

The average high temperature in Istanbul is 65°F, compared to 88°F in Manila. Istanbul receives around 26.7 in of rainfall per year, while Manila gets 86.7 in.

What language do they speak in Turkey?

The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Philippines, the official languages are English and Filipino.

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At a Glance

PH TR
Population 116,786,962 85,878,556
Currency Philippine Peso (₱) Turkish Lira (TRY)
Languages English, Filipino Turkish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +63 +90
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 112