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@Mickael Gunaydin /ex-pats. My name is Dennis. I retired at the age of 74 in Kusadasi a little over 1 1/2 years ago. Here is a list of the actual expenses I now pay. I live in a fairly nice condo. Maybe a little bigger than I really need but consider myself lucky in my timing to come to Turkey as the cost of rentals is much higher now, but you can still find a decent home for what I am showing you.

MONTHLY Expenses

Turk Telekom        146 TL

Aydem Elektrik        852 TL

TTNET (Internet)    120.000 TL

SGK (Insurance)    1554 TL

RENT & H.O.A.        6650 TL

GAS                            800    TL

Food For House    4500 TL   

Energy Gym           500 TL

Eating out  1 or 2 nights a week = Approx, 2000 tl/month

Total cost per month = 17,200/month (+- $900 USD)

NOTE: I am a single man living by myself. I enjoy good food and spend an average of 4500 TL/month for my home. I also want to note the cost of goods and services has risen about 30% since I first arrived in July 2022, but you have to remember the USD/Lira exchange rate has increased the value of the US dollar income I receive every month to the tune of better than 100%. From 8.5 TL to 1 USD to now 18.81 TL to 1 USD. Also please note the SGK health insurance I pay was not available to me until I was here in Turkey for 1 year. If I ever get married again my spouse would also be covered at no additional cost. Since I was older than 65 I was not required to have health insurance to lie in Turkey. The use of the public hospital was available to me at a very reasonable cost. I use the local mini buses for transportation as they are very inexpensive. Taxi service is also very inexpensive. No need for a car.

I hope this information gives you a better idea of the cost of living here in Kusadasi, Turkey

If you have any additional questions feel free to text me.

Your ex-pat friend Dennis

@dncole4156 I love your post, interesting to see how expenses deviate, I am married (Dutch) we like to go to restaurants, I smoke (a lot 3 packs per day), me and my wife like wine (and on top of that I like whisky. Including all (supermarket, internet, depreciation (computer, TV, etc..)) I think EUR 2500 is fine for a decadent living, EUR 1.000 will be a modest living.

Important for me is good internet (Netflix, YouTube, normal news,...)

Bottom line cost of livng is fine (including alcohol and smoking), just a shame some items are difficult to acquire (sharp sauces, satay sauces,

Also for me difficult to communicate (but on the other side I do not need this apart from restaurants)

Bottom line Turkey (Alanya) is great, be careful with your expectations though,

@dncole4156 On internet, we have 100 mb (10 for upload), we pay 200 EUR per year (which is fine if stable (not for all))

@dncole4156 In a way I am surprised with your gas.electricy bills (we ar two, OK we spend muc, much more on retaurants, but ...)

We (for this year) did not use our reverse aircoindstiong

No airoditiong at all and we see the results.

YesEUR 2000 is decadent (and I agree), fine, ver fine.

Just for poor Germans it is a no go!

My name is John. I am married to a Turkish woman who has not had a job since we met. I have two grown-up sons; one who has moved out and married. The other still lives with us. I can't afford to eat out, but my wife orders in at least 125TL worth of food every evenng (in addition to the 45TL I spend on lunch). We spend an average of 4500 - 6000 TL per month on food and another 2,300 TL on bills. The cost of goods and services has risen about 300% since 2020, while the USD/Lira exchange rate has increased the value of the US dollar from 5.80 TL to 18.75 TL to 1 USD in the same period.

MONTHLY Expenses (January 2023, Istanbul)

GAS                 1420 TL

Elektricity            440 TL

Water                   90 TL

TTNET (Internet)  120 TL

Turk Telekom      220 TL

RENT                 3800 TL (Much cheaper than normal!)

Maintenance         120TL

Food For House  6000 TL 

Travel card           610 TL

TOTAL:            12,820 TL

Minimum cost per month = 12,300TL/month (+- $650 USD)

The use of the public transport is available to me at a very reasonable cost - but I work from home so I don't need this expenditure. If I did, I would use the metro and other public transportation, which is relatively cheap. A monthly blue card costs 610TL.

Bottom line: The cost of livng is fine if you are earning over $1000 per mpnth. It is possible for a family of four to live frugally on about $650 per month (as long as you don't go out to cinemas, restaurants or buy any new clothes just for show!)

True, it can be difficult to communicate -even when you try to speak Turkish. Then tend to look at you blankly or reply in their "best" English! (This can even happen in restaurants)

Incredibly cheap I have to say, but I suppose this is what you want. EUR/USD under 1000 is difficult, we spend EUR 2500 pm (cigarettes, alcohol and restaurants) I have to add no renting, but owning.

Admittedly we spend more than average I think (but than again who lives to 100).

Please note we live from our savings (nothing else) over time that might become an issue.

Still Turkey need people who spend, no people who try to be on a very very minimal budget. Conceptually I support an approach where people spend at least the average income (difficult to control though).

Expats are only useful if they spend is my conclusion (and in a way I agree)

Lets see what happens in the upcoming months.

Bottom line living in Turkey is still cheap, political I do not know what happens (we might even consider to go (Netherlands (where I was born), Bulgaria (good with income taxes), Namibia or Belize)

Turkey has to be careful though with all of these Pensioners who are interested.

One topic is not adressed all is health incurance (SGK is possible, but service micht be...)

We took Allianz (expensive)

Even if a bit cold (Alanya) we did bit turn on heating (apart from an electric device in bedroom), TRY 500 pm (very cheap_

Gas not much (we go out quite often), perhaps TRY 100 pm

Shopping TRY 2000 (largely A 101)

Whisky (Jameson) TRY 8.000 pm

Smoking (3 packages per day ) TRY 3000 pm

Restaurants around TRY 10.000 pm (western and local, but 3 x pw)

Internet 100 mb TRY 150 pm

Markets and bread TRY 1000 pm

Health Insurancw TRY 7000 pm

Aidat TRY 700 pm

Others deprecation, Netflix, Audible, replacement (eg vacuumcleaner, laptop, furniture, ....) TRY 2000 pm

All in al a decadent living for a good price

@dncole4156 A couple of updates on the numbers I previously supplied.

The rent for my property is 6000 lira + 350 lire for H.O.A.

SGK insurance went up to 2300 lira/month. (Can not get till you have been here 1 year).

If you are over 65 you can be treated in the public hospital at a small cost with a residency card)

@Mickael

Good morning Mickael

Don't u think that Turky is requiring exhorbitant amount of investment which is morethan it deserve proved  by the Earth quacke

?

@qasimkhattak2022

Each of us has the wherewithal to assess the cost versus the benefit for their lifestyle choices.  Based on your statement, it would be pragmatic for you to consider other alternatives for becoming an expat.  As for me, I cannot wait to call Turkey my next home.