Moving to Turkey from Singapore
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Singapore to Turkey — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Singapore to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 65.9% cheaper than Singapore overall. A SGD96,000 salary in Singapore would need to be roughly TRY1,270,000 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Istanbul averages 65°F vs 89°F in Singapore, 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 Singapore?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 28.3% less
Groceries
pay 63.7% less
Transportation
pay 59.0% less
Housing
pay 80.5% less
Childcare
pay 55.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 56.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Turkey?
What does your salary buy?
SGD96,000 → TRY1,270,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Turkey
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Singapore to Turkey, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Singapore and Turkey stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics.
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
Singapore 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
Singapore 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
Singapore 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
Singapore 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
Singapore generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (2016), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Turkey vs Singapore
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Singapore | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Singapore | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) |
| Feb | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) |
| Apr | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) |
| Jun | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) |
| Jul | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) |
| Aug | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) |
| Sep | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) |
| Oct | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) |
| Nov | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service Singapore,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Can you move from Singapore to Turkey?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Singapore 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.
Singapore passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey passport holder visiting Singapore
Visa FreeData: 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 Singapore?
Generally yes: Turkey runs about 66% cheaper than Singapore 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 SGD96,000 comparable salary, that's around TRY317,500 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 Singapore and Turkey.
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Singapore performs better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkey is 3.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Singapore.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to Singapore?
Singapore 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 28.3 in Singapore. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Singapore: 89).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to Singapore?
The average high temperature in Istanbul is 65°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. Istanbul receives around 26.7 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.
