Moving to Turkey from South Carolina

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What to Expect

Considering a move from South Carolina to Turkey? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from South Carolina to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 37.4% cheaper than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly TRY2,556,427 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Carolina and Turkey.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 TRY2,556,427

To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 57.0% less

Groceries

pay 53.3% less

Transportation

pay 3.2% more

Housing

pay 72.1% less

Childcare

pay 54.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 30.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 46.98 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from South Carolina to Turkey.

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

The numbers behind daily life in Turkey compared to South Carolina.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of adults with obesity

SC
35.4%
TR
32.1%

Turkey performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

SC
87.0%
TR
81.0%

South Carolina 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

SC
4.9%
TR
9.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

SC
$49,914
TR
$34,400

South Carolina 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

SC
74.8 yrs
TR
76.2 yrs

Turkey performs significantly better than South Carolina 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.

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Columbia Ankara
Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 83°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 55°/37°F (13°/3°C)
View all months
Month Columbia Ankara
Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C)
Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C)
Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C)
May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C)
Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C)
Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C)
Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C)
Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C)
Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C)
Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C)
Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°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 South Carolina?

On average Turkey is about 27% less expensive than South Carolina, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Turkey?

Budget about TRY639,107 for 3 months in Turkey (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Turkey?

From major Turkey cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in South Carolina and Turkey are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Turkey compared to South Carolina?

Turkey performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Turkey compared to South Carolina?

The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

What language do they speak in Turkey?

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

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At a Glance

TR
Population 4,625,364 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