Cost of living in Türkiye in 2026

The lira is relatively stable i have to say, but inflation is stll there, so in EUR things are significantly more expensive then 4 years ago.

The biggest expense for us is health insurance, i hate hospitals anyhow, better to die at home. EUR 1000 pm, probably going for SGK end of the year.

We own our property (duplex, not advisable for people with limited mobility ) are going down rapidly. So rent is not an issue.

-restaurants became expensive for 2 starter and main without alcohol berween EUR 30 (cheap) and EUR 70, I count EUR 500 per month (but of course savings on groceries)

-smoking (3 packages per day), EUR 200 pm

-alcohol EUR 500 pm (whisky and wine)

-groceries EUR 350 pm

-clothes and shoes (not for me), EUR 100 pm

-aidat EUR 50 pm

-depreciation, dishwasher,washing machine,tv/computer,...) EUR 150 pm

-phone /internet EUR 50 pm

-water (for cooking and tea/coffee), EUR 40pm

-electricity and water EUR 50 pm

-local taxes and mandatore insrance (incl support)  EUR 30 pm

-extention of ikamet (incl support)  EUR 40 pm

-small repairs EUR 30 pm

-transport (Taxi and bus) EUR 40 pm

-bank costs (remittances) EUR 15 pm

-netflix/audible EUR 20 pm

-others EUR 100 pm

-no holidays,flights ..

So excluding health insurance less then EUR 2500, comfortable life

As mentioned before, prices are increasing rapidly (also in EURO).

For lunch we went to a local restaurant (Friends in Mahmutlar). Over the years we usually order almost the same, only changing the main dish. This time we had two fresh orange juices, two tomato soups (freshly prepared and spiced to our taste), bread and sauces included, a lamb shank for me, a chicken dish for my wife, and tea, which is normally on the house.

The total was TRY 2,950 (including a TRY 300 tip), so almost EUR 60. It was fair, but in my view quite expensive for Türkiye, and certainly for the local clientele.

You do not need to tip 300 for a 2600 bill. Most places don’t expect you to tip, unless it is a 1st class restaurant with tablecloths and a waiter literally waiting there to serve the moment you need something. Even like changing your plate a dozen times a meal because it is wet with tomato juice or something, they may expect to get a tip about %5 or like 200-400 TL, whichever is less. So tipping of 100 TL for a 3000 meal in a first class restaurant is acceptable. If it is a pub or similiar you do not need to do it, at all. Tipping for a meal in a premium fish restaurant with bill of 10-12.000 TL should be ok about 400 TL tip. Take care.

@thesurferboy

In my mind 10% is normal and indeed staff is almost waiting for us to say/order something. The tea by the way is always on the house.

Prices in Turkiye have definitely gone up. We went to a coffee shop few days and paid 1200TL for 2 slices of cake and 2 teas. Of course we will never go back to that coffee shop but even other restaurants we have been to lately have put their prices up, quite a lot.

The cost of clothes also is very expensive and the quality of the products very cheap.

Gas, water and electricity prices have gone up but remain lower than the UK where we used to live. ]

Grocery shopping has become very expensive and what we used to buy only last year we cannot buy this year. We have  had to reduce the food items we purchased or try to buy cheaper items.

@Fedy23

The total price of TRY 1200 seems to be far out of line, I hope you did not tip (unless these are very special cakes )

@cdw057

My wife (she does all the cooking) bought lamb today for an Indian dish we like to prepare at home. She bought 1.5 kg at MMM, and the price was TRY 1,400 per kg, which honestly surprised and shocked us both.

I realise MMM has a reputation for being on the expensive side, and many basic items are significantly cheaper in other supermarkets. Still, it underlines how much meat—especially lamb—is moving into “occasional luxury” territory rather than everyday cooking.

The quality should be very good (so hopefully worth it 😄), but the price jump compared to even a few years ago is unmistakable.

Istanbul is seriously underrated for remote work. The food is incredible, Internet is fast, great vibe for digital nomads. Actually, it's quite possible to live comfortably on $1500-2000. Your budget can increase depending on how much you go out.

I recommend checking out local markets for grocery shopping; you can find much cheaper and better quality products there than in supermarkets. Every neighborhood has one on a different day of the week.

@digitalnomadintr

appreciate your view and estimates — I agree Istanbul has many strong points for remote work.

That said, I think budgets of USD 1,500–2,000 usually describe basic short‑term living, and tend to exclude several major long‑term cost categories, especially rent and healthcare.

Rent alone is typically the largest expense for nomads. In Istanbul (and even in secondary locations), a decent, well‑located apartment easily adds EUR 600–1,200+ per month, which already pushes total costs beyond headline figures.

For context, I live in Alanya (Mahmutlar) with my wife. We own our apartment, so rent = zero, which puts us at a significant advantage compared to most nomads. Even so, when we list all recurring costs — including food, utilities, residency (ikamet), private healthcare insurance, taxes, depreciation of appliances/IT, and daily living — the numbers add up quickly.

One commonly overlooked item is healthcare. In our case, comprehensive private health insurance is about EUR 1,000/month. This is age‑ and coverage‑dependent, and younger people may postpone it, but for longer stays or residency it becomes hard to avoid.

Restaurants, for example, have also become noticeably more expensive. A meal for two (starter + main, no alcohol) now costs roughly EUR 30–70, so we budget around EUR 500/month, offset somewhat by grocery savings.

Below is our realistic monthly cost breakdown (before rent). I’d genuinely welcome it if others could share a similar breakdown, explicitly including rent and healthcare, so we’re comparing complete, like‑for‑like budgets rather than lifestyle impressions.

Not saying lower budgets are impossible — just that “comfortable living” means very different things once rent, healthcare, and time horizon are included.

Healthcare insurance (private, comprehensive):      EUR 1,000

Restaurants (2 people, no alcohol):                  EUR   500

Groceries                                           EUR   350

Alcohol (wine & whisky)                              EUR   500

Smoking (3 packs/day)                                EUR   200

Utilities (electricity, water):                      EUR    50

Bottled water (drinking/cooking):                    EUR    40

Phone & internet                                     EUR    50

Aidat (HOA):                                         EUR    50

Local taxes & mandatory insurance                    EUR    30

Ikamet extension (incl. support):                    EUR    40

Depreciation (appliances / IT):                      EUR   150

Clothes & shoes                                      EUR   100

Transport (taxi & bus):                              EUR    40

Small repairs                                        EUR    30

Bank costs (remittances):                            EUR    15

Subscriptions (Netflix / Audible):                   EUR    20

Other                                                EUR   100

-------------------------------------------------------------

TOTAL (before rent):                                EUR 3,265

Important notes:

Rent is not included. Nomads should add current market rent (typically EUR 600–1,200+ depending on city and location).

Healthcare insurance shown is private, comprehensive, and age‑dependent — often omitted in nomad budgets.

No holidays, flights, or pension accumulation included.