If you've already made one of the most important (and, rest assured, the right) decisions of your life and are planning to move to Turkey permanently, there is only one step left - to choose the city that will become the new home for you and your family!
Which one is better, more pleasant in climate, and more comfortable in terms of infrastructure? It all depends on what you're looking for. Let's figure it out together.
For lovers of active life: Istanbul, Antalya and Izmir
If you consider large cities, Istanbul, Antalya, and Izmir should be the first ones that come to mind.
Istanbul
Istanbul is the most populous metropolis in Turkey, with over 16 million inhabitants. It's also the most expensive city in the country: Istanbul has the highest prices for property, entertainment, alcohol and groceries.
Choose Istanbul if you plan to do business in Turkey. This city offers the best opportunities for this: it is part of a free-trade zone, and from here it is convenient to enter the international market thanks to the presence of a port.
We can talk endlessly about Istanbul, but our task is to simplify your choice, so we've collected the plus and minus points of the city for easy comparison.
Advantages of moving to Istanbul:
● Dynamic pace of life and transport accessibility. The city is constantly in motion, public transport operates round-the-clock on Fridays and Saturdays. You can navigate the city by buses, minibuses, taxis, metro, trams, metrobus, ferries across the Bosphorus, and water taxis.
Also, Istanbul is a major aviation hub in the region, from which you can easily and quickly fly to any part of the country and the world.
● Excellent prospects for educating your children. Istanbul contains plenty of schools, including international ones, universities, lyceums. If you want your children to be educated in Turkey, there will definitely be no problems in a large city.
For admission to a municipal school, as everywhere in the country, you will need a residence permit.
● The entire infrastructure of a metropolis. Shopping and entertainment centres, supermarkets, museums, stadiums, playgrounds, concert and exhibition halls - there's always something to do in Istanbul regardless of the day of the week and time of day.
Just take a look at the formidable Grand Bazaar, which is visited by around 400,000 shoppers every day.
● A wide selection of districts to live in.
Istanbul consists of 39 districts, each with developed infrastructure, the most famous of which are Besiktas, Emirgan, Nisantasi, Taksim, Kadikoy and others.
There are also districts with relatively inexpensive housing, removed from the tourist centre of the city.
● Multiculturalism. In Istanbul, you will always be asked "Where are you from?", which is not surprising since there are more visitors here than locals. Inhabitants of eastern regions come here to earn money, as do foreigners, and there are always many tourists - the city is like a colourful mosaic composed of different nations, languages, customs, and traditions.
● Opportunities to set up and run businesses - we've already touched upon this above.
Drawbacks of permanent residency in Istanbul:
● Traffic and noise. Due to the constant influx of residents and roads not designed for the massive number of cars, traffic problems are often a concern in Istanbul.
Just imagine, as millions of people leave their workplaces at 6 pm every day and head for home - at that point, the city becomes a massive traffic jam. Often, meeting friends or making it to a business meeting on time can be a significant struggle.
● Lack of beaches. Even if you have upmarket accommodation with a view of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, the journey to the beach can still take about 3 hours.
The beaches within the city itself aren't particularly convenient, so locals prefer to go out of town. Moreover, both Marmara and the Black Sea are considerably colder than the Mediterranean.
● High cost of living. Renting or buying a property in Istanbul is expensive, especially if you don't wish to live in an obviously non-prestigious area, or where there's a high population of highly religious locals.
In the city centre, where many tourists frequent, food and entertainment prices are high, and the presence of many foreigners tends to attract fraudsters and pickpockets.
● A considerable number of refugees, who don't always fit in with the culture and traditions of this city.
Istanbul — a unique and incredibly beautiful city, would be suitable for those ready to put up with high prices, crowded streets, and other drawbacks of a metropolis.
Izmir
Another megacity worthy of your attention — Izmir.
Located on the Aegean Sea coast, the summer air here heats up to +34°C, whereas winter temperatures rarely drop below +10°C. Even though Izmir has a long promenade, there are no beaches within the city, meaning one has to travel to nearby settlements to swim in the sea.
Izmir — a contemporary, rapidly growing city, with developed infrastructure. Almost every café or shop has at least one English-speaking staff member.
Life in Izmir can be characterised by:
● The absence of strong religiousness amongst locals. The Turks themselves say that Izmir leads a European lifestyle. Here, it's unlikely that you'll often come across veiled women in the streets.
This is truly one of the most secular and modern cities in Turkey.
● Well-developed water transport.
To get from one part of the city to another, locals usually prefer to use ferries — it's fast and convenient.
Another popular means of transport is trams running along the coast. Izmir boasts many cycle paths.
● Excellent opportunities for educating children.
Izmir is home to many of Turkey's leading schools and universities where your children can receive an excellent education.
● Proximity to the most famous resorts, holiday, or historic places.
Super popular resort towns like Çeşme, Alacati, or Kuşadası are nearby, as is the ancient city of Ephesus, rightly one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Remember, Izmir is not a tourist city.
It's challenging to get a residence permit, if not dealing with real estate.
The city's diverse architecture is also a disadvantage - dilapidated, unattractive buildings are just as likely as the most luxurious skyscrapers.
Still, more Turks and foreigners are buying property in Izmir every day and choosing this city as their permanent residence.
Antalya
As an alternative to Istanbul and Izmir, let's consider Antalya — it's also a large city, but prices here are lower than in Istanbul, including for housing.
What awaits you if you choose Antalya for relocation?
● A large Russian-speaking community.
Citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan often choose Antalya for purchasing apartments and as places of residence. Rest assured, you will have no difficulty with communication.
● A warm climate with a long beach season and a sea within the city.
To bask on the beach, you won't have to travel anywhere. The resort season lasts from May to late October, with the winter air temperature seldom dropping below +5°C.
● Affordable prices for groceries and utilities.
In Antalya, there is no problem with fresh vegetables and fruits all year round, and a farmers' market operates in each district once a week, where sweets, meat, and dairy products are cheaper than in supermarkets.
● Developed infrastructure.
Antalya boasts many schools, private and public nurseries, shops, cafes, clinics, cinemas. There are water parks, children's playgrounds, parks, a beautiful promenade, and much more. It's not hard to find any service, any specialists, from manicurists to top-notch lawyers and estate agents.
● Friendly attitude of the locals. Turks are willing to lend assistance to foreigners, especially if they show respect for their culture and religious traditions.
In Antalya, many locals rely on tourism for their livelihood, so they treat visitors accordingly.
Antalya is a very well-maintained city and is deservedly considered the capital of the Turkish Riviera.
It has convenient transport links, pristine beaches, and good public transport.
The only downside to Antalya, which is actually characteristic of small towns as well, is the locals' lack of punctuality.
You will become accustomed to the relaxed pace of life, and chronic lateness will soon cease to bother you. Why rush when there's no need to?
For lovers of tranquillity: Alanya, Fethiye, Bodrum
Small seaside towns are ideal for relocating if you have a source of passive income, your children are grown up, and now all you need is a warm sea and tranquillity.
The cities most in demand amongst our clients are Alanya, Bodrum, and Fethiye.
Alanya
Alanya — a gem on the Mediterranean coast.
A peaceful town that comes alive during the resort season and almost hibernates in winter.
Shops, shopping centres, souvenir shops turn Alanya into a paradise for shopaholics, and an abundance of attractions in the surrounding area will ensure you have no shortage of entertainment at weekends. In Alanya, there is a huge selection of property near the sea, both villas and apartments.
Bodrum
Bodrum — an elite resort where sailing is developed.
It's perfect for those who can't stand the heat — in the height of summer, the air temperature rarely rises above +30°C.
Property in Bodrum is expensive, but the investment pays off quickly.
Fethiye
Fethiye is a low-rise city, home to many European retirees, but there is also a Russian-speaking community.
Wild beaches, reserves, beautiful landscapes attract investors and buyers of real estate.
Among small cities and villages, there are other worthy options: Kemer, Side, Marmaris, Belek, and so on.
Mersin
Standing out Mersin is a major port city in Turkey, combining the advantages of a resort and an active city for living.
Recently, Mersin has deservedly attracted more and more attention from foreign buyers, because it can offer an excellent quality of life, at prices that are 2-3 times lower than prices in Alanya or Antalya, for example.
This applies not only to the cost of real estate in Mersin but also to the cost of life: restaurants, markets, shops - all this will cost you much cheaper than in popular tourist regions.
This is indeed still not very well known, but it is a developing Mediterranean pearl of Turkey every day.
What is most important when choosing a city to move to?
We perfectly understand that each real estate buyer is looking for something of their own: for someone it is more important to have a school for children nearby, others want to live closer to the sea.
We have compiled a small checklist of questions for you - go through it when you compare cities or choose a specific area:
1. Do you have preschool or school-aged children?
If yes, look for housing in cities where there are good schools, sections, clubs - Antalya, Mersin, Izmir, Istanbul.
2. Is a Russian-speaking community important to you?
If you don't speak Turkish and English, choose resort towns, suitable are Antalya, Alanya, Mersin.
3. Do you want to be able to reach the sea at any time?
If it is crucial, give up the idea of living in Istanbul or Izmir.
4. Do you have a source of passive income or earn money online?
If you do not plan to work in Turkey (and for this you need to obtain citizenship), you can safely move to small towns like Bodrum, Kemer, Side, and even Kas and Kalkan.
5. Is the proximity of good clinics and large shops important to you?
The larger the city, the more developed its infrastructure and the higher quality and more affordable medical care.
Turkey is a very multifaceted country. It is ready to offer comfortable conditions both for those who can't stand the hustle and bustle and for lovers of an active life, full of events.
Of course, most real estate buyers focus primarily on prices, but if you compare several offers at approximately the same price in different cities, we are ready to help you make the right choice!
We will be happy to answer all your questions, please contact us on Whatsapp +90 (532) 158 42 44
If you want to move permanently or buy an apartment in Turkey and enjoy life by the sea, contact our specialists who will select the best options for your budget.
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