Quick Answer
What should you know before moving to Turkey?
Get your tax number on day one. Confirm your landlord will register your address before signing. Bring 6 months of savings — the first months cost significantly more than steady-state living. Visit before renting. Learn 200 words of Turkish. Get private health insurance from arrival. Don't choose a small coastal town if you value winter social life. And expect 3–6 months for your first residence permit.
- ›Get your tax number online before anything else
- ›Confirm your landlord will register your address before signing
- ›Bring 6 months of savings — the first months cost more
- ›Spend 2–4 weeks in short-term rental before committing to a lease
- ›Learn 200 words of Turkish before arrival
- ›Buy Turkish private health insurance from day one
- ›Budget for EUR/USD-priced rent in expat areas, not TRY
- ›If you care about winter social life, don't move to a small coastal town
- ›Account for 3–6 months to receive your first residence permit
- ›Build a relationship with a bilingual Turkish estate agent or fixer early
Bureaucracy & Paperwork
The residence permit process is slower and more complex than described online
Most online guides make the ikamet process sound manageable. The reality is: appointment slots disappear within minutes of opening, the documentation requirements are inconsistently enforced, and processing times range from 2 weeks to 6 months depending on city and timing. Budget 3–6 months of patience for your first residence permit.
Get your tax number (vergi numarası) on day one
You need a Turkish tax number for almost everything — opening a bank account, signing a lease, accessing healthcare, getting a SIM card that actually works long-term. You can get it online at the GİB portal in 5 minutes with your passport. Many expats waste weeks without knowing this.
Address registration matters more than people say
Your registered address (nüfus müdürlüğü registration) must match your residence permit application. If you move apartments between application and approval — or your landlord refuses to register you — your ikamet can be rejected. Confirm your landlord will register your address BEFORE signing a lease.
Health insurance for the ikamet must meet specific criteria
The health insurance required for a residence permit must cover the full permit period, have no exclusions that invalidate it, and be from an approved provider. Budget health insurance marketed to expats is sometimes rejected. Pay the extra €50–100/year for comprehensive SGK-compatible or approved private insurance.
Money & Banking
You cannot easily open a Turkish bank account until you have a residence permit
Most banks require a residence permit to open an account. Garanti BBVA and some others will open accounts with just a tax number and passport, but this is inconsistent by branch. Plan to operate on foreign cards and Wise for your first 2–3 months. Factor in wire transfer fees and ATM charges in your initial budget.
Rent is increasingly priced in EUR/USD, not TRY
In expat-heavy areas (Konyaaltı, Lara, Bodrum, Fethiye), landlords have shifted to EUR or USD pricing to protect against lira inflation. Your rent costs in foreign currency are relatively stable, but you pay more in lira each month. Always clarify the currency of your lease before signing.
The lira's exchange rate affects your life more than you expect
If you earn in EUR/GBP/USD, lira weakness increases your purchasing power in TRY terms. But local costs quoted in TRY (utilities, transport, restaurant meals) also inflate. The net effect is usually positive for foreign earners, but monthly cost variation can be 10–15% depending on exchange rate movements.
Bring 6 months of accessible savings before you arrive
The combination of residence permit delays, banking setup, deposit payments, and unexpected costs means the first 3–6 months cost significantly more than steady-state living. Many expats arrive with 1–2 months' buffer and find themselves stressed. Six months of savings removes this pressure entirely.
Housing
Visit before you rent — photos lie and neighborhoods vary enormously
Two apartments on the same street can be wildly different in quality. Summer photos show beaches, not the noise, dust, or construction next door. Spending 2–4 weeks in an Airbnb in your target area before signing a year-long lease is the single best decision most expats make.
Deposits are typically 1–3 months' rent and not well regulated
Turkish deposit law limits deposits to 3 months, but enforcement is weak. Getting your deposit back can require persistence. Document everything with photos on move-in, keep copies of all receipts, and have a Turkish speaker review your lease.
Furnished apartments cost 30–60% more than unfurnished — but are worth it initially
Furnished apartments command a significant premium in expat areas. For your first year while you're figuring out if you'll stay, paying the premium for furnished makes sense. If you decide to stay long-term, moving to unfurnished and buying second-hand furniture pays off within 6 months.
Daily Life
Learn at least survival Turkish before you arrive
Turkish is not closely related to any European language and cannot be picked up by osmosis. But 200 words — greetings, numbers, question words, basic directions — dramatically improves daily life. Locals respond warmly to even basic Turkish attempts. Start Duolingo 3 months before you move.
Coastal towns are quiet (and can feel very quiet) from November to April
Fethiye, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kas, and Alanya lose 60–80% of their restaurants and social life in winter. The first winter for a newcomer can be genuinely isolating. Istanbul, Antalya, and Izmir are year-round cities — if you value social life through winter, choose accordingly.
Traffic and driving culture will surprise you
Turkish traffic — especially in Istanbul and on coastal roads in summer — operates by different rules than in Northern Europe. Red-light running, middle-lane motorcycles, and pedestrians being ignored at crossings are normal. Give yourself 3–6 months to recalibrate driving expectations.
Healthcare
Private healthcare is excellent — public is usable but challenging for non-Turkish speakers
Private hospitals in expat areas have English-speaking staff, short waiting times, and modern equipment. State hospitals (devlet hastanesi) are free or very cheap with SGK/GSS coverage but operate entirely in Turkish with long queues. Budget for private insurance (€50–200/month) and use private hospitals for anything important.
Your home country insurance probably does not cover Turkey long-term
Travel insurance covers emergency treatment only, usually with a 90-day maximum. Your EU EHIC card works in Turkey in theory but is rarely accepted smoothly in practice. Get Turkish private health insurance from the first month.
FAQ
What do most expats regret not knowing before moving to Turkey?
The most common regrets: not learning any Turkish before arriving; renting an apartment before visiting in person; underestimating how long the residence permit would take; not having enough savings buffer for the setup period; and choosing a small coastal town without understanding how quiet it gets in winter.
How long does it take to feel settled in Turkey?
Most expats describe the first 3 months as exciting but logistically exhausting. Months 3–6 involve bureaucratic fatigue and homesickness peaks. By month 6–12, most people who stay long-term have found their rhythm. The second year is where Turkey really starts to feel like home. Expect 6 months minimum before things feel stable.
Is it hard to make friends in Turkey as an expat?
In expat-dense areas — Konyaaltı, Kadıköy, Fethiye town, Bodrum peninsula — the community is large and active. Facebook groups, InterNations events, language exchange meetups, and informal expat cafes mean you can meet people within weeks. In smaller or less expat-focused areas, it takes more effort. Learning Turkish dramatically expands social options.
What financial preparations are most important before moving?
Six months of accessible savings. EUR/GBP/USD accounts that work abroad fee-free (Wise or Revolut). Understanding of what Turkish bank accounts require to open. A realistic monthly budget built on EUR prices (not TRY), since many regular costs for expats are EUR-indexed. And a contingency for the lease deposit (typically 1–2 months' rent).
Essential Pre-Move Reading
Biggest Mistakes Expats Make in Turkey
What goes wrong and how to avoid it
First 30 Days in Turkey
Step-by-step action plan for new arrivals
Residence Permit Turkey
Full ikamet application guide
Banking in Turkey
How to open accounts, transfer money, use cards
Hidden Costs of Living in Turkey
What the budget estimates miss
Moving to Turkey Checklist
Complete pre-departure checklist