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Moving to permanent residence in Turkey in 2022 | Living in Turkey | 10 main reasons for moving to Turkey

03.10.2022
Reading time: 7 minutes
151
Summary

Moving to Turkey for permanent residence and living in Turkey are the topics which appeal to many of our fellow citizens.

Why does Turkey attract foreigners? Is this country safe to live in? How much does living in Turkey cost and what is the standard of living here, in general?

Is it easy to get a residence permit in Turkey? Is the paperwork procedure complicated?

What is the climate like here in winter? Are there any English-language schools and kindergartens for children? How do the adaptation of our fellow citizens and job hunting after moving to Turkey go? Is there an English-speaking community in Turkey?

Today we have decided to make a list of the top 10 reasons why to move to Turkey!

So, why do people from all over the world love Turkey and choose this country as well as Antalya for moving?

Mild Mediterranean climate

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of moving to Turkey, especially due to its Anatolian coast, is the mild Mediterranean climate!

The tourist season begins in April and ends at the end of October. And, all this time you can swim in the comfortably warm sea, as the water warms up from 19-20 degrees above zero in May to 25-26 in August. In fact, it still remains pleasantly warm with the average temperature +23°C until the end of October!

The sun shines here 300 days a year, and even in winter the air warms up to +15 or +20℃. Anyone who dreams of a mild and sunny autumn and no snow in winter can easily make this dream come true: come and live on the Mediterranean coast!

Mild Mediterranean climate

In addition to a pleasant climate, there is an almost ideal environment to enjoy your living here: the fresh sea air saturated with iodine, the absence of harmful industries, a large number of beaches awarded with the "blue flag" label for the purity of the sea water, and coniferous forests in the mountains!

Visa-free terms and conditions, the ease of obtaining a residence permit

Depending on your citizenship, you can stay in Turkey without a visa from 1 to 3 months.

Also, Turkey is a country which has one of the simplest procedures for obtaining a residence permit on the grounds of renting or buying real estate.

Compared to most countries in Europe, not to mention America, you can get a residence permit in Turkey in just 1.5 - 2 months after submitting an application and a set of necessary documents to the migration service office.

The reason why you are eligible for obtaining a residence permit is the ownership of real estate, long-term residence under a lease agreement, studying in this country on a student visa, and even medical treatment!

Today, you can get a residence permit on the grounds of a lease for up to 1 year as well as the purchase of real estate, which is done for a period of up to 2 years with the possibility of extension in the future.

It is also very convenient that after applying for a residence permit online, you can stay in the country, even if your visa-free stay is coming to an end!

After 5 years of owning real estate and living in Turkey, you can apply for Turkish citizenship!

As a matter of fact, you need to know that in Turkey there is a special investment program for an investor and their family to obtain citizenship quickly if they buy real estate starting from 400,000 US dollars.

Abundance of fruit and vegetables

The entire Mediterranean region is, of course, a fruit and vegetable paradise!

You can enjoy a daily wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables at very affordable prices not only in the markets, but in supermarkets and green groceries. You buy fruit and vegetables for a family of 4 people for a whole week spending only 600 Turkish liras a week, which is a little more than $30!

And your purchase will not be just half a kilo of strawberries and a couple of peppers, but a full-fledged one including several kilos of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, herbs, potatoes and carrots, apricots, peaches, pears and cherries in the summer months or a few kilos of tangerines, oranges and pomegranates in winter!

And you can also take a bunch of beautiful flowers for the change you get from your purchase!

Abundance of fruit and vegetables

Cost of living in Turkey

Another big advantage of living in Turkey is the average cost of living and services in this country.

We have already made a video about how much life in Turkey costs these days, which has a full analysis of the prices for rent, utilities, clothes and food. You can watch this video using the link here.

Thus, for example, we can say that if your budget for a family of 4 people comes to $ 1,300 per month, you can afford not only fresh food of very high quality, but also eating out in the cafes and restaurants several times a month, trips to different local sea beaches, the opportunity to do sports, like working out in the gym or playing tennis.

You can also take out SGK public insurance, which will allow you to receive free treatment in public hospitals and make it possible to buy all the necessary medicines at significant discounts!

That is, you can live an interesting and fulfilling life within a budget of $ 1300 per month for a family!

Of course, bear in mind that money for renting or buying real estate has to be considered additionally.

If you enroll your children in a public school, their education will be completely free there, except for the expenses at the school stationery. Small children can be sent to public kindergarten, the cost of which is very low.

Attitude towards foreigners

Those people who come to Turkey not for the first time have long noted the incredible Turkish hospitality, which is especially felt in small towns if you drive inland.

If in most European countries visitors feel like strangers, in Turkey, on the contrary, a foreigner is a guest!

And this attitude is shown in little things, in the desire of the Turkish people to help and guide, in their welcoming and open hospitality.

Safety

In general, the point about the safety while being or living in Turkey could be put on the top of the list of the reasons for moving there, since security is a basic human need, without which a comfortable existence is impossible even in the most beautiful and developed state.

When moving to Turkey, you can feel secure and be both sure of your teenage children when they walk on playgrounds or in city parks, and of yourselves when you walk peacefully along the streets even at night.

Safety

Of course, as in any corner of the world, here simple human caution and attentiveness will not hurt when you do not leave your belongings unattended and do not get involved in street fights, which are actually very rare in Turkey!

The presence of the English-speaking diaspora

Another aspect in favor of moving to Turkey is the presence of English communities and a huge amount of infrastructure created in English languages such as private schools, kindergartens,  sports clubs, yoga, dance and art studios!

They go hiking, arrange holiday celebrations, perform concerts, create clubs for people with common interests. In fact, they do everything not to feel lonely in a foreign country!

Having moved to Turkey, you will easily find and make friends among your housemates or fellow citizens living in your neighborhood. 

Rich history of Turkey

The history of Turkey, which is rich and eventful, has given a huge cultural heritage to its people!

Since on the territory of modern Turkey there was the only way connecting Asia and Europe, large-scale military events unfolded here and new civilizations were formed, among which were the great Troy, the kingdom of the Hittites, the Byzantine Empire, whose capital was ancient Constantinople (modern Istanbul) and the Ottoman Empire, which existed over 600 years!

All these civilizations gave the world a huge number of historical and cultural monuments.

Ancient Anatolia with the Minoan civilization left behind the ancient settlement of Chatal-Guyuk, located 40 km from Konya, whose history is traced back to 7500 BC!

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was the largest temple in the Christian world for more than a thousand years until the cathedral was converted into a mosque.

Tarsus is the birthplace of the Apostle Paul, Ephesus, famous for the Temple of Artemis, and mentioned in the Bible as well as Cappadocia with its catacombs that became a refuge for the first Christians centuries ago. All these places are in Turkey and they draw the attention of tourists from all over the world!

The ease of setting up a business for foreigners

A very big plus for those who want to live and work in Turkey is the ease of starting and running a business.

The Turkish foreign entrepreneur-friendly legislation, the absence of bureaucracy and the simple procedure of setting up your own business, of course, create a favorable climate for doing business here.

In addition, there are extra benefits for attracting foreign investment, for example, special economic zones have been founded with preferential taxation or loans at a lower interest rate, and some enterprises are generally exempt from VAT.

The ease of setting up a business for foreigners

The cost of real estate in Turkey

And of course, a huge pro in making the decision to move to Turkey is the cost of Turkish real estate!

Despite the fact that real estate prices have increased dramatically over the past couple of years, in Turkey you can still find very interesting apartment options in new buildings with swimming pools and a protected area, children playgrounds and sports courts, and even with their own equipped beaches and services to them!

If you are interested in getting to know the cost of real estate in Turkey, feel free to contact the specialists of the Tolerance company, which has been selling and managing real estate in Turkey for almost 20 years, preparing documents and helping you adapt when moving to this country!

 Well, if you want to move to Turkey for permanent recidence , you can see our real estate offers or just contact us by WhatsApp on +905321584244.

Our team of experts will find the best deals for you in the shortest time!

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Yildirim Ozden - Managing Director
Yildirim Ozden
Managing Director
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