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 31.1% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩100,000,000 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly TRY2,550,000 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Turkey cheaper than South Korea?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.2% more
Groceries
pay 69.4% less
Transportation
pay 3.9% more
Housing
pay 26.3% less
Childcare
pay 13.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.5% 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?
₩100,000,000 → TRY2,550,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →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 2% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Turkey
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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.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2016–2019), National Tax Service, South Korea (2016), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Turkey vs South Korea
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seoul | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Turkish State Meteorological Service
Can you move from South Korea to Turkey?
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 31% less expensive than South Korea, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Budget about TRY637,500 for 3 months in Turkey (based on a ₩100,000,000 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: 23.4 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 3.2 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 22.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 26.1 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 Istanbul is 65°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Istanbul receives around 26.7 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.
