Moving to Turkey from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Turkey — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Turkey, you would find that Turkey is 42.7% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly TRY2,114,866 in Turkey to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Turkish.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United States to Turkey.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → TRY2,114,866
To maintain the same standard of living in Turkey
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 56.4% less
Groceries
pay 54.0% less
Transportation
pay 7.6% less
Housing
pay 73.4% less
Childcare
pay 59.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.4% 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 46% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Turkey, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Turkey · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Turkey.
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 United States 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
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States performs better than Turkey across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Ankara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather 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 holder visiting Turkey
Visa Free
Turkey passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 United States?
Yes — Turkey is on average about 40% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Turkey?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly TRY528,716 in Turkey on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Turkey?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Turkey has 22.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Turkey safe for expats?
Turkey generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Turkey is 2.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 61% of people in Turkey feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Turkey compared to United States?
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 21.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkey, compared to 36.1 in United States. Turkey scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Turkey compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Ankara is 64°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Ankara receives around 15.0 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Turkey?
The official language in Turkey is Turkish. In United States, the official language is English.
