Moving to Turkey from Russia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Russia to Turkey — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Russia to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 1.3% cheaper than Russia overall. A RUB6,400,000 salary in Russia would need to be roughly TRY3,650,000 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 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.
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 Russia to Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
RUB6,400,000 → TRY3,650,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 7.5% less
Groceries
pay 18.9% less
Transportation
pay 45.9% more
Housing
pay 6.6% less
Childcare
pay 43.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.3% more
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 12% more than cities in Russia.
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 Russia to Turkey, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Russia to Turkey · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Russia and Turkey stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Turkey generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Russia 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
Russia 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
Russia 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
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in gdp per capita.
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
Russia generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Tax Service of Russia (2016), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Moscow | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-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 Russia?
Headline costs are within a few percent between Turkey and Russia; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.
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 RUB6,400,000 comparable salary, that's around TRY912,500 in Turkey for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
With 23.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Turkey can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Russia and Turkey.
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Turkey generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Turkey is 3.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 61% of people in Turkey feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Russia?
Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 51.1 in Russia. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
