Middle East · Turkish · updated 2026-10

Moving to Turkey: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $1,300 a month to live in Istanbul, and a family of four about $2,800, including rent. Turkey usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 8 yrs, with citizenship after 5 yrs, and dual citizenship is allowed. You can move here without a job offer through the Digital nomad visa and the Short-term residence permit.

Monthly budget

$1,300

Very low cost

Safety

Take care

Stability

Unstable

Family

Good

Main city: Istanbul
Language: Turkish
Permanent residence: 8 yrs
Citizenship: 5 yrs
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Digital nomad visa: Yes

What can your passport do in Turkey?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.

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Cost of living in Turkey, per month in US$

One person

$1,300

Family of four

$2,800

RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther

1-bed flat, Istanbul centre

$600

Estimate

3-bed family flat

$1,100

Estimate

Price level

US = 100

Income per person

$1,358

GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score

Take care

Homicides per 100k

3.23

US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability

−0.88

Rule of law

−0.81

Control of corruption

−0.53

Government effectiveness

+0.03

−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Unstable overall (27/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score

Good

Child outcomes (HCI)

0.649

Health & schooling, 0–1

Under-5 mortality

9.6

per 1,000 births

Life expectancy

77.4 yrs

at birth

Health spending

$548

per person / year

Education spending

3.1%

of GDP

Visa & residence routes

Remote work

Digital nomad visa$3,000/month remote income, ages 21–55, selected nationalities.

Passive income

Short-term residence permitRenewable residence for long stays and property owners. No right to work.

Job offer

Work permitEmployer applies to the Ministry of Labour.

Investment

Citizenship by investment$400,000 in property held for 3 years.

Who gets easier access to Turkey

Turkey is not part of a free-movement area in the index.

Visiting: 95 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 13 get a visa on arrival, 9 can apply for an eVisa and 81 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs

Permanent residence: 8 yrs
Citizenship: 5 yrs
Dual citizenship: Allowed

Last checked 2026-10. Official source: en.goc.gov.tr

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in Turkey?

About $1,300 a month for one person and $2,800 for a family of four in Istanbul, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $600 a month and a 3-bedroom around $1,100. Prices are 45% of US levels. Turkey is the 23rd cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is Turkey safe to live in?

Turkey scores 40/100 for safety (take care), ranking 60th of 76. The homicide rate is 3.23 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is Turkey politically stable?

Turkey scores 27/100 for stability (unstable), ranking 73rd of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is Turkey good for families?

Turkey scores 47/100 for family-friendliness (good), ranking 57th of 76. Life expectancy is 77.4 years and under-5 mortality is 9.6 per 1,000 births.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in Turkey?

Usually 8 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of Turkey?

Usually 5 yrs of residence. Dual citizenship: allowed.

Can I move to Turkey without a job offer?

Yes. Digital nomad visa: $3,000/month remote income, ages 21–55, selected nationalities. Short-term residence permit: Renewable residence for long stays and property owners. No right to work.