Not so long ago, Turkey was rightfully considered a country with inexpensive real estate: for the price of a Moscow studio, you could purchase luxurious seaside apartments here.
Now the situation has slightly changed: high rates of inflation and global events, which led tens of thousands of foreigners to flock to the country, have raised the cost of housing.
However, even though Turkey demonstrated the largest price increase among European countries over the past year (an average of almost 57%), cheap real estate is still available here.
As one of the best in its field, the real estate agency Tolerance always warns its clients that cheap is not always beneficial.
You need to carefully analyse offers to ensure your investment pays off, and we help do this professionally, taking into account purchase goals (investment, permanent move, rental, or seasonal living).
Best Places to Buy Affordable Property in Turkey
In searching for the cheapest apartments in Turkey, it is essential to keep in mind the following: the price almost always matches the quality.
The rule "the larger the city, the higher the prices" operates almost flawlessly, with the exception perhaps of resorts like Belek or Yalikavak – small towns favoured by wealthy Europeans.
These places boast apartment and villa prices capable of competing with those in larger resorts, such as Antalya, abundant with premium-class housing.
You can buy a cheap apartment in Turkey in virtually any region, even in the densely populated Istanbul. Just be aware that it will likely be small in size and, most probably, situated in an old building, far from major shopping centres and arterial roads.
The old housing stock tends to involve worn-out utility systems, small courtyards, and narrow streets.
Traditionally, the best places to live are the cities on the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas: Antalya, Alanya, Side, Kemer, Fethiye, Marmaris, Izmir, Mersin. There are several reasons for this:
- Here, you can find cheap seaside houses, which, undoubtedly, is one of the most essential factors when choosing a property.
- The south and west coasts of Turkey have a mild climate, including hot summers and warm rainy winters. With 300 sunny days a year, it's a compelling argument in favour of these regions.
- Coastal cities are rapidly growing and developing; along with the new residential complexes, shops, schools, hospitals, and transport stops are appearing.
Resort regions in Turkey attract property buyers for another significant reason: it's easier to socialise and adapt to life in a new country here.
In these cities, there are Russian and Ukrainian diasporas, long-settled expatriates strive to assist their compatriots – they communicate in chats, answer questions, for example, where to find a Russian-speaking physician, vet, or school with teaching in a language other than Turkish.
In such cities, it's easier to find a familiar level of service (for example, manicure specialists or pastry chefs), shops with familiar goods.
How and where can you find the cheapest housing in Turkey?
Cheap property in Turkey doesn't necessarily mean small flats in old buildings.
You can save on your purchase if you buy an object from a developer at the early stage of construction – in such a case, the price can be 20%, and sometimes even 30% lower.
The size of the discount depends on the area: if construction has only just begun, and there are no big shops or other infrastructure facilities nearby yet, prices are much lower.
When choosing such a property in Turkey, you can be confident in two things.
- Firstly, the house will certainly be completed – the laws in the country are such that there are no deceived shareholders.
- Secondly, within two to three years, the area will be improved and will provide all the essentials for a comfortable life: shops, hairdressers, pharmacies, parks.
There are other ways to find budget-friendly flats in Turkey:
- Look among the urgent offers. Buying a cheap house abroad is possible if the homeowner wants to get rid of it as soon as possible. In this case, it's better to find offers not directly from owners, but through a reliable estate agency – it reduces the risk of problems with documents.
- Choose among flats on the ground floor, or non-view flats on upper floors. For a beautiful view from the window, a higher price is needed, and if the apartment's windows face the courtyard rather than the mountains and the sea, the property will be cheaper.
- Consider options in the secondary market, in buildings built more than 7 years ago. Such a complex may not have a pool, security, or green surrounding territory, fitness facility, and surveillance. But besides the lower price, the maintenance fee – a fee for housing service – will be less.
In any case, it's recommended to search for affordable property in Turkey solely through an agency: studying advertisements independently makes no sense as a person unfamiliar with the real estate market won't be able to distinguish real offers from obvious marketing tricks.
A real estate agent will find genuinely profitable options and then talk about the pros and cons of each of them.
Which cities in Turkey have the cheapest property?
The question of where the cheapest flats can be found has a simple answer: Erzurum.
This city in the north-east of the country generally has inexpensive properties, as is typical for the region. Kayseri and Elazig are also on par with Erzurum.
However, foreigners are not rushing to buy properties there due to the partially developed infrastructure, distance from the sea and beaches, high seismic activity, and relatively harsh climate.
Add to this the fact that English and Russian are not commonly spoken in these cities, so there's not much to do there in general. The only benefit is the low cost of living overall: food, everyday goods, and services are cheaper in these places.
So it might be better to frame the question differently: rather than asking which city has cheap accommodation, the question should be where is the cheapest seaside property located?
You can find affordable homes in Antalya, Alanya, Mersin, and other coast-side cities; you just need to look beyond the city centre and into the more remote districts.
Indeed, flats may not be on the seafront, but otherwise, you would have everything necessary for a comfortable life: fresh produce markets, supermarkets, pharmacies, and so on.
If being by the sea isn't your priority, but you're mainly interested in properties in Turkey due to rising prices and are looking to make a profitable investment, Ankara is worth considering.
The capital now serves as a good alternative to Istanbul. It still has some cheap properties that will begin to generate rental income in a few years.
Where can the cheapest flats in Turkey be found?
While considering where the most affordable properties are located, many turn their attention to the TRNC – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Here, investors are attracted by the warm climate, similar to Turkey’s, as well as the accessible prices of goods and services.
There’s also cheap accommodation in Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta, and Girne.
If we're talking about Turkey, the cheapest flats can typically be found in resort suburbs.
For example, look beyond Alanya, perhaps into nearby settlements like Incekum, Kestel, Konakli. Or look to the towns near Antalya: Göynük, Kemer, Tekirova, Avsallar, Mahmutlar, and so on.
You can purchase a flat in Turkey’s suburbs both directly from the owners and from agencies and developers.
Some of these areas are still under development, which means those buying villas and flats now have a good chance to save money, and in a few years, they will own properties that have significantly increased in value.
Why is property affordable in Turkey?
Just over twenty years ago, the Turkish property market was in a sombre state: mortgage loans were non-existent, so several generations of families often lived in a single home.
Major cities had entire districts of illegal construction – houses built without the authorities' permission. Everything changed when the government initiated a plan to develop the economy, which introduced a host of changes in the property sphere.
In addition to the advent of mortgage loans, these changes also affected developers: they began to receive more benefits and shifted towards European standard housing.
As a result, more affordable properties in Turkey began to emerge, it's worth noting that modern flats in new complexes are already finished with final plastering, and some developers even equip them with a necessary set of appliances and furniture.
The infrastructure of complexes also began to modernise: it is no longer a rarity if a house has an outdoor and indoor swimming pool, a gym, a children's playground, a picnic area, video surveillance, parking and more.
The third factor of the real estate market growth in the country was the ability to sell property to foreigners.
Purchasing affordable flats in Turkey was first started by Europeans — some decided to relocate to the country permanently, others bought a flat to spend seaside summer holidays and to winter far away from snow and frost.
Then, citizens from CIS countries also began to flow into the country. A massive surge of demand happened, for instance, during the pandemic — it turned out that riding out hard times in a country with developed healthcare and by the sea is a lot calmer and more comfortable.
Overall, the real estate market of Turkey can be called formative: the demand and supply are already rather balanced, but the prices remain affordable, especially compared with other European countries.
We are happy to answer all your questions, contact us on Whatsapp +90 (532) 158 42 44
If you want to relocate permanently or buy a flat in Turkey and enjoy a life by the sea, contact our specialists who will find the best options for your budget.
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