Moving to Turkey from Qatar
What to Expect
Considering a move from Qatar to Turkey? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Qatar to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 12.8% cheaper than Qatar overall. A QAR273,817 salary in Qatar would need to be roughly TRY2,586,945 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 91°F in Doha, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Qatar and Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
QAR273,817 → TRY2,586,945
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 32.1% more
Groceries
pay 21.1% less
Transportation
pay 36.0% more
Housing
pay 63.8% less
Childcare
pay 20.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.8% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Qatar to Turkey.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Turkey compared to Qatar.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Qatar generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Qatar leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Turkey performs significantly better than Qatar across all environment metrics.
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
Qatar generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkey leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Qatar performs better than Turkey across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Qatar generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in education spending.
Data: Public Revenues and Tax Department, Qatar, 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 | Doha | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/76°F (37°/24°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/67°F (30°/19°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Doha | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°/55°F (21.7°/12.8°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 73°/57°F (23.0°/13.7°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.7°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 89°/69°F (31.9°/20.6°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 101°/77°F (38.2°/25.0°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 106°/82°F (41.2°/27.7°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 107°/84°F (41.5°/29.1°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 105°/84°F (40.7°/28.9°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 101°/80°F (38.6°/26.5°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 95°/74°F (35.2°/23.4°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.5°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 75°/59°F (24.1°/15.0°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
Qatar Meteorology Department,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Qatar 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.
Qatar passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey passport holder visiting Qatar
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Qatar?
On average Turkey is about 27% less expensive than Qatar, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Budget about TRY646,736 for 3 months in Turkey (based on a QAR273,817 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?
Qatar generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Turkey is 2.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Qatar.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Qatar?
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Qatar leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 21.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 25.0 in Qatar. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Qatar: 76).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Qatar?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 91°F in Doha. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Doha gets 3.0 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Qatar, the official language is Arabic.
