Moving to Turkey from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Turkey? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 14.1% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩112,436,250 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly TRY3,345,014 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Korea and Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
₩112,436,250 → TRY3,345,014
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.5% less
Groceries
pay 58.3% less
Transportation
pay 9.4% more
Housing
pay 23.8% less
Childcare
pay 2.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.9% 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.
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 9% more than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Korea to Turkey.
people moved from South Korea to Turkey · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Turkey compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkey leads in water stress level.
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
South Korea generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in top income tax rate.
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
South Korea performs better than Turkey across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Korea?
On average Turkey is about 5% less expensive than South Korea, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Budget about TRY836,254 for 3 months in Turkey (based on a ₩112,436,250 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?
South Korea 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 0.5 in South Korea. About 61% of people in Turkey feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 21.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
